The saga of depressed America: Unemployed and suicidal

I ran across this article this afternoon in the Washington Independent about the horrific desperation among the growing number of America's homeless and unemployed. Some of these narratives are quite disturbing, but it seems to me that it is important for ALL of us (not just those among us who are now unemployed or might be in the near future) to connect more with these people.

I'm certainly not in a good economic state - I live paycheck to paycheck, much like many of the rest of us. But as I read this story, I was brought to tears at the number of men and women (and their families) who have been brought to desperation while the rest of us go about our "regular" daily lives. It infuriates me even more that each time some con-artist con-servatives mouthes off about how the unemployed are "lazy" or "they could get a job if they really wanted to" - I have wished some representative would go on television and propose an "exchange a conservative for one of the unemployed" program just to give them a taste of their own medicine.

This is a very heartbreaking story - so you have your warning. And. . .those among us who are struggling with unemployment and searching for possibilities, I'm including a link to the organization which is discussed in the article. Any of us can join their forum (or read it without joining) - I would encourage people to become more aware of these issues and add our voices to those standing up for real American values.

He hit “publish” on the last Wednesday in July, in the middle of a long afternoon. “I also have become homeless and am on the verge of suicide. I slept out in the wood last night and didn’t gett very much sleep. I hate to bring you people down with my problems but I thought you would like to know this. I don’t know what else to say except I’m very sorry it turned out like this but I can take the strain of living like this very much longer.” (All posts are reproduced as published)

The post went up as part of a conversation about homelessness on Unemployed-Friends, a popular online forum for the unemployed to connect with one another. Most were discussing how to live in homeless shelters after eviction or foreclosure. But his post went further. “This is killing me physically and emotoinally. I am at the end of my rope and getting to the point of letting go. I have tried everything I know to get help. DHS won’t help’ Salvation Army won’t help. 211 won’t help. I have no idea as to where to go from here. If you don’t hear from me by tomorrow I probably will be dead.”

The unemployed commit suicide at a rate two or three times the national average, researchers estimate. And in many cases, the longer the spell of unemployment, the higher the likelihood of suicide.:

http://washingtonindependent.com/94925/death-and-joblessness


Please take time to look at their networking web site - they seem to be supporting some specific bills in Congress right now. . .among attempts to get rid of that heinous "credit-check-before-employment" scheme. . .

http://unemployed-friends.forumotion.com/forum.htm

Frankly, I wish they'd strengthen the laws about employment of older people - the age discrimination laws are among the most difficult to prove and the least enforced.


And to those of us on this forum who are struggling with economic hardship at this time, my thoughts and prayers and support are with you. People at DU have always been very giving to their fellow members - perhaps we can help them more by supporting some of the legislative agenda of the unemployed-friends.

hand lettered cardboard sign, "Hungry, please help, god bless." Face and body that was timeless the way alcohol and cigarettes make people who do too much for too long.

I scooted a buck over to her and wished I dared give her more, but a buck would go toward food while ten bucks in my pocket might have gone toward enough booze to finish her off.

I hate that people have to beg. She should have enough money for a roof, for food, for her care, and for her bottle a day without having to beg.

We can find trillions to kill people across the planet but not a thin dime for kindness to our own people. I hate what this country has become.