Faith And Collective Trauma 10

I'm skipping back and forth on my thematic material right now, because things happen every day that I'd like to write about, Gentle Reader. Yesterday I wrote about the nonsense of Christians who insist on supporting the military and war. Today, I will be weighing in against poor bashing. Not just any poor-bashing. Yesterday, I was on my way to see my next client, which took me walking through the downtown core on my way to the Skytrain. There was a man panhandling on the sidewalk on Robson Street near Granville, just in front of the chichi Nordstrom department store, which exists to cater to the growing population of wealthy people and other money launderers in Vancouver. This man appeared gentle, quiet and harmless. He was seated on the pavement with a couple of cardboard signs. He would have been perhaps in his early thirties, long hair, but seemed reasonably clean. I am assuming that he is homeless. I think I have given him money on occasion, yesterday, no, as my budget is still rather tight these days. Then I saw a Paladin security guard approach the man on the sidewalk. He was tall, very young and handsome, in a blonde, Hitler-youth sort of way. He told the panhandler to move on, which he did, quietly. I approached Young Blonde Hitler Youth and said "He shouldn't have to move. You and I at least have homes. Shame on you" As I was walking away (had I not been due at work I might have stayed a bit longer and chewed him out some more) Young Blonde Hitler Youth said, "Thanks for walking away, sir." At least he called me sir. I was quite concerned about what had happened, and when I got home from work I contacted the City of Vancouver. The young lout named Michael, who took my call, might have been a relative of Young Blonde Hitler Youth. He didn't want to talk about it, said that panhandling is illegal in Vancouver, then basically hung up. I did a little quick online research which revealed that only aggressive panhandling in certain areas (near a bank machine, an open car door, or a public washroom, for instance) is illegal. Otherwise beggars have a right to beg and to be left alone by young fair-haired Rent-A-Thugs. I called back the City of Vancouver. Michael took my call. I told him who I was and what my research had shown me. Then I asked to speak to his supervisor. He seemed reluctant and I insisted so, he passed the phone to his supervisor. She wasn't sure exactly what to do after I told her what I had found out, and also mentioned my displeasure with her subordinates way of handling my first call. She connected me to the police nonemergency line. The woman representing police and I had an interesting chat. I had to explain things very carefully and thoroughly to her before she could figure out that the panhandler really ought to have been left alone by young Rent-A-Thug. He was not on private property, he was occupying a sidewalk which is public property. Of course there was nothing further that she could or would do. The poor do not have rights and vast and wealthy corporations such as Nordstrom, because of their wealth, have all the power. I am still going to send Nordstrom an email about young Rent-A-Thug, and then I am going to post my opinion of that poor-bashing enterprise on Google Reviews. It's the least I can do. One of the sad and bitter fruits of our human condition is in the way we are expected to ruthlessly compete with others for even a morsel of bread, and those who cannot or will not compete are expected to die in the gutter. This is what we have become. An ugly, money worshipping, selfish and arrogant pack of hyenas. (at least hyenas take better care of each other). In my faith, as a Christian, the poor are regarded as having preferential love from God, and it is our sacred calling to make this real as we live and weep in a world that is so far and so alienated from the tenets of love......……………… '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''This just in...Nordstrom is not at fault here, but Pacific Centre Mall to whom they are attached. The manager from Nordstrom explained to me yesterday and expressed compassion and concern for the panhandler. My apologies to Nordstrom.