by Jack
Torres Shelter, Jesus Center, Chico Youth shelter, etc., all see a big spike in demand for services. The administrators for these places are at a loss to explain why? Here’s a clue…check the freight trains stopping in and around Chico. See who is getting out of the boxcars. The bums keep coming to Chico for a reason – because you stupid bleeding heart liberals keep giving them free stuff,
like free food, clothing and shelter.
Thanks in no small part to our local liberals, we’re now on the bumming map for great places to mooch off of, even if its in winter. And you dummies keep giving them your spare change at every $#$%^& parking lot entrance in every shopping center in Chico. What is wrong with you? Okay, it’s 
your money, but its our town and we resent the bums overrunning Chico and all the taking, legally or otherwise, that they can. Some places near Bidwell park have been forced to hire store security to stop the spike in shoplifting.
We wish to #@@$ you would stop it! Stop attracting the bums to Chico! You are ruining Chico, don’t you get it, don’t you care? Crime is up, stabbings are rampant, the downtown merchants are suffering, the park is being trashed, laundry is strung up in the downtown park and the list of
things we can do without just keeps on going.
If there were no shelters and no giving – they wouldn’t be here, its that simple. The problem is there are actually some needy people who are from our community that really need and deserve a little help – so we keep these places open, even though the out of town bums are taking advantage of our generosity and looting us into bankruptcy. Any ideas how to get rid of the freeloaders and still help our truly needy?
Jack, they are truly needy.
And if you were anything like generous, they would not all be living on the street. You embraced all that “trickle down” horsepucky, so’s you wouldn’t have to pay for social services, and this is the result … and we’d all appreciate it if you just quit all the stomping and sniveling.
Libby unless you are a clairvoyant how could you know they are [truly] needy? I guess it depends on what the definition of truly is, because I grant you they’re needy. Some need to go to need to go to jail until they stop misbehavin and some need a good solid kick in butt, while there is still time to modify their behavior.
From what I’ve seen most of the bums in Chico are here for many low reasons other than, “I lost my job and my unemployment ran out.”
The younger ones, 18-30, seem to be more in the class of the professional travelers. They call themselves nomads, couch surfers, vagabonds, etc., but it really means they are travelling around mostly for free by staying in places like Chico that offer food and shelter for free living like Jack Kerouac.
The accommodations here are pretty clean and are run a lot like a hostel, except they also feed you for free and a hostel doesn’t. You should read what’s up with these people at http://www.theprofessionalhobo.com/
Most of the professional travelers stand out from the bums and derelicts that are also here in abundance. They have good camping gear and are loaded down with all they need and usually they travel in 2s,3s, and 4s. They are just out here having fun, seeing stuff, avoiding responsibilities for a time, and then they plan to restart their life after they have this out of their system. Some are predators and use this lifestyle to avoid getting busted.
So, Libby when you talk about the needy there are all kinds, but it seems to me you want to lump them all into one category…the victims of rich republicans, which accounts for about zero percent of the reasons why these people are on the road.
I know we have a lot of homeless people around Chico and i think its that way all over california. we had a lot of homeless around Compton where i used to live. I dont know what the answer is to help them I just think its sad. What I want to know is why are so many people out of work? i am worried about my future cuz theres no good paying jobs for high school grads in Chico. I always thought I woud be a democrat when i turned 18, but maybe that is not my best choice? I just dont know what to do but things on here helps me to understand current issues.Thank you everybody. Nicki
Very few are needy. I routinely walk around the streets of Chico striking up conversation with these travelers about where they are from, what lead them to the streets etc. Most of them say they are living the dream. They don’t want to be stuck in a nine to five with a mortgage. They are mostly young well nourished people and very much able to work. There are plenty of room in the shelters to get most of these travelers off the street but they don’t want to go by the no drinking and no drug rules.
Editors NOTE: She is my kid.
Cassandra I’m glad you chose to tell us about your experiences. I’ve noticed that most people on the streets are far from starving. There are a number of people with mental disorders and I’d prefer they were somewhere safe.
Libby’s notion that supply side economics “caused this mess” is priceless, the desperate cry of a desperate progressive during the worst recovery since the decade long bad one after the crash of 29 and for the same progressive reason. Government is not the answer; it is the problem!
I don’t mind young people taking time to travel and explore if they mind their manners and don’t disrupt or discourage commerce for the stores.
I don’t much appreciate pan handlers and disrespectful jerks who litter, trash bathrooms, bully and scare people, get into fights, and worse. They should be encouraged to move on…an ordinance of some sort should do the trick if enforced.
I have given regularly to local shelters proving that Libby’s knee jerk opinions are often just biases or bigotry based on her own assumptions about conservatives. Tacky tacky tacky!
Well said, Jack!
Nicki, can we call you nicki?
at your age you should make finishing your education your first priority and along with that a plan to acquire the skills and training you need to qualify for a good paying job. These are important years in your life, make the best of them before it gets really complicated and expensive with family and financial obligations.
The California job situation isn’t that great but your chances of getting a good job improve if you make a plan and stick to it. Websites like this and this can be useful when trying to decide on a career path.
As far as your political affiliation goes, take your time to decide. One simple questions might give you a basic idea of which side of the political spectrum you prefer:
Should the federal government be very big, as it is now, so that wealth can be spread around and directed from Washington DC or should the federal government be smaller and more efficient, providing the basic duties laid out in the Constitution and leaving more power in the hands of the people and the states?
If you prefer the former you might be a Democrat but if you lean toward the latter it’s likely you are closer affiliated with the Republicans.
You are living through tough times. If there are still plenty of Americans who value freedom and the opportunity it affords them we have a good chance of improving conditions in the next few years. If instead we continue down a path of redistribution and dependency on the federal government I don’t think the middle class has a chance. That would lead to an elitist society where power remains in the hands of a few. Most socialist countries are like this.
I happen to believe we are still a nation filled with independent people of grit and determination who want to be the masters of their own fate. I think the middle class will rise again in America and a whole new era of liberty and shared abundance will be the result.
Glad to hear we are useful to young people like you. I hope to you can look past the contentious bickering to find real value for yourself.
Nicki I helped put 3 girls through high school and trust me when I say, high school is not enough anymore for a decent job unless you are extremely lucky. That doesn’t mean you must go to a 4 year college, but at least take a look at the outstanding skilled worker training you can get at the junior college level. Of course there are also many other places that provide excellent education to prepare you for a career besides a ju co. Unfortunately, high school, as you probably know by now, really isn’t able to give you the specialized classes you’ll need to find a decent paying job. In today’s world $15 an hour will barely allow you to support yourself, minimum wage is just a training wage, not a living wage. $25 an hour is where you want to be looking and to that you need a 2 year degree. For example respiratory therapist, LVNs, and RNs start out around $22 and go up. I know one RN that makes $100 an hour when she’s on overtime or holiday pay. So a little sacrifice up front prepares you for a lifetime of better rewards. The next trick is to learn how to properly manage that decent money you make. My Dad often would say, “Its not how much you make that counts, it’s how much you save.” Truer words… The Kahn Academy has a great online program right now to help teach you how to handle money and save for security. I know this is probably more information than you were asking for, but hey, consider it a windfall…you’re lucky day.
Torres Shelter, Jesus Center, Chico Youth shelter, etc., they are all on line and still looking for that “check” Libby is wanting and willing to send, but they can’t seem to locate it, could it still be in your check book?
Wait, hold on? Harold, are you saying that Libby has probably not “ponied up” up her fair share to support those homeless shelters she claims to support and demands we support? Oh no! I’m stunned. Gee, I suppose the next thing we’ll discover is she didn’t volunteer at any shelters during Thanksgiving or Christmas? Please let us know if you don’t see Libby standing on the volunteer side of the serving line this year.
I usually never say this in public, but because liberals are always accusing us conservatives of being curmudgeons, I want to let folks like Libby know at least I gave $70 in advertising for the Chico shelters. That was money that came right out of my pocket for a poster campaign to solicit money for the various shelters in Chico. I felt it was for a good cause and I may give another $30 to make it an even $100 by January…we’ll see how my Christmas shopping goes.
I’ve given big fat checks to several shelters over the years. It pains me to say that since my business, and therefore my employees and their families welfare are at stake I have not been able to be as generous over the past few years.
Trickle up poverty, the system we are currently experiencing, does nothing for those in need of shelter, the poor, the working poor, or the lower and middle classes. In fact it has been devastating, with more people on food stamps and in poverty than we’ve seen since the great depression! The very wealthy, the 1%, have been the only beneficiaries of this economy.
Nicki, go check out Butte Community College’s career/transfer center. You’ll find staff and counselors there that will provide you with educational and career guidance. They even have aptitude and personality test that will help you decide on a career and the required courses to earn a certificate and/or degree.
Community colleges are not that expensive and they do have financial aid available for those who qualify.
Word of warning, be very careful about any private vocational schools. Most are very expensive and their credits/units will not be accepted at any community college or four year university, because they are not accredited/meet state standards.
Good luck, you can do it.