'Most people out here have been unemployed for months'

Detroit residents line up for housing assistance

"Most people out here have been unemployed for months"

By Andre Damon
8 October 2009

Tens of thousands of people waited for hours Wednesday in downtown Detroit to get applications for housing assistance. The turnout overwhelmed the event's planners, who thought no more than several thousand people would attend. Reporters from the World Socialist Web Site spoke to people attending the event at Cobo Hall.

"I was waiting in line for hours before I learned that this program is not for people from my neighborhood," said Jackie Hall, a resident of Harper Woods, a nearby city.

"This is the worst-organized event I've ever seen," she added. "People are doing a double wrap-around of Cobo Hall. Why? So they can fill out an application for help that won't get them anything? A lot of my neighbors have their lights off, their gas off. My son just graduated high school, but he has a disability. What chance does he have for getting a job?"

Jalonda Terry, a former student and restaurant worker, said her unemployment had run out, and she has nowhere to turn, so she came to Cobo Hall for help. "They're talking about extending unemployment for another 13 weeks," she said, "but that's nothing. Most people out here have been unemployed for months and won't find any work soon."

"People are going to be starving and homeless," she added. "People are going to die. Why doesn't the president just give every family stimulus money. Why do we have to wait in the cold? Why do we have to fill out these stupid forms?"

Jalonda's mother, Kadeja, said, "There should be people helping to organize the line. There are kids here in the cold."

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/oct2009/detr-o08.shtml

They may vote Dem a lot but the reality is simple. Sorry it's based on poverty sex age race and class.

If you don't look, act and have the means to interact you are frozen out.

there`s going to be millions cold and hungry across the nation...there will be no jobs until we decide to reform our trade laws.

in my 24 yr old daughter`s circle of friends there are three people who have a full time job. my daughter is the only one with insurance. several of her friends go out everyday to find work and there is nothing. worse there will be nothing the rest of the year and into the next. i have no idea what her generation will do in the near future and i do`t believe anyone has the courage to put them to work.