by Blanche Belvidere
I’d like to begin by having a moment of silence for the passing of our good friends, “Compassion” and “Respect.” They’ve been ill and fading for quite some time, and it appears we have not been able to revive them.
If anyone attended or watched Tuesday’s City Council meeting, they would have witnessed how compassion and respect were replaced by anger, hostility, and complaints about not getting their way. I could elaborate further, but compassion and respect should apply to everyone, not just those we already like or agree with or simply to an unhoused stranger. Compassion and respect should be for EVERYONE.
I heard valid points from both sides, but one seemed stuck in an idealistic bubble with little information. I admired their chutzpah, but not the lack of decorum and yelling when they didn’t get their way. This is our current society, and no one deserves a trophy for coming in last. We saw the consequences of that firsthand on Tuesday night. It should be a lesson to do something better or differently.
People seem to be overlooking a serious issue: public defecation, drug use, and sexual activity happening in plain sight. Residents face harassment and assault, yet many ignore it, especially if they haven’t experienced it themselves. I’ve spent time in these areas, and I’ve yet to see any so-called “Justice League” members around, despite their claims of compassion. It’s frustrating.
Do they have compassion and respect for anyone else? If one of their friends or family members gets harassed or assaulted, or they step in a giant pile of human feces or vomit, will they feel the same? What about if your child gets stuck by a used needle simply by playing in the park? When all the businesses close downtown due to this problem, will they think this is a good thing, or will they start complaining that Lowell isn’t doing enough to bring business to the city? You can’t have it both ways. And from the looks of most of the speakers, it’s unlikely you’d survive a day of total anarchy in our city.
This isn’t about homelessness. It’s about losing control of what is acceptable behavior in public. I’m going to guess that most people speaking at Tuesday’s meeting are not taking their morning dump on their neighbors’ front porches because they feel it’s A-OK.
I’m aware that many of these speakers have the support of a few state representatives—representatives who have been silent on this issue.
Is everyone so unaware of why there is silence from our state government?
I assume you know this state is over one billion dollars in the hole due to a standoff with the federal government. If the funding does not come from the soon-to-be-outgoing administration, you won’t get it from the next one. The current administration’s game of chicken is over.
Do you understand what I’m saying, or do you prefer to remain uninformed?
This situation is not just a Lowell issue; it’s a national concern. Feel free to do some research and go down that dark rabbit hole. Your state rep friends will unlikely share that information, as they are not leading you in the right direction in your advocacy efforts. Change is possible, but stop with the small potatoes. Take a more significant and scarier step.
Want to show your big heart and undying compassion? Get out there and help people on your own. The government won’t do it for you. And while you’re at it, learn to have the same heart and compassion for every other resident and business owner in Lowell.
2 responses to “Our Dearly Departed Compassion & Respect”
Loved listening to children (and overgrown children) call the Council “Heartless” and “Cruel” because they want to break up encampments that take over public space and fill it with needles & feces. How about we take that sign in sheet for speakers and use it as an overflow housing list? Certainly these people who are better than everyone else would be willing to offer up a couch or spare bedroom?
Thank you love because I as an angel of the most high I as one of the most powerful advocates of the most aggressive fighters to make this a change because it’s a societal issue was prevented because of rumors and crap where I live told to reporter to prevent me from getting out there and doing what the universe wants knowing this is a bigger social issue. When you enable people in their bad behavior and there’s never consequences those of us who have overcome it got into buildings we finally have 20 years of subsidized housing up the mistakes we made can’t even have our legal right to peaceful enjoyment of a legal residence because what is housing ability doing letting people get away with stuff and then wondering why the police I’ve been here a year and had housing officials sell me for 10 years with my neighbors have people living within the legally and all kinds of stuff and they let it go. You can’t not make people pay for their actions this compassion and enabling is two different things is it easier to just not care no they don’t fix it then things get out of control. And if you don’t speak up but you’re right under the law because you’re being harassed because management isn’t doing anything then you’re saying I don’t care do what you want to me I’m not that person never have never will be. I put my body on the line to make it a greater good but I was moving in somewhere where I could actually have a almost normal life I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m an advocate out of Boston named Kim Paul they call me ma reyna and I help throw a barbecue on July 3rd 2015 the commissioner did give us body cameras in Boston and cops stop beating on people because of evil. And now I get harassed by neighbors over mine or stuff I’m trying to help the universe life got jokes here you come to say exactly what I was going to say anyway. As the Reverend martin Luther Kingjr said:
Light drives out the dark and love drives out the hate. When the Creator who operates in love send a warrior into battle for the greater good and evil and hate try to silence that warrior you might want to think about the fact that when the university means something’s going to happen they just keep on sending warriors like me I want to thank you I appreciate you you just gave me the courage to keep fighting ma’am I appreciate you for what you do and taking the time to write this cuz I do journalism and stuff too for activism and time is the only have so much time in the universe and takes time to write something. I appreciate you I appreciate all the worries out there don’t lose hope keep that faith