Sees injustice in lack of shelter for homeless | Bellingham Herald

Being homeless is not a crime, right? But if you break the law and are convicted, as an incarcerated prisoner you have the right to be fed nutritious meals, adequately housed in relative comfort and provided with medical treatment if you become ill. All free of charge.

If you are a criminal in an American prison you have more legal rights to nutrition, safety and general well being than innocent, law abiding citizens. Why is that?

Homeless people and their children deserve adequate shelter as much as criminals. Not having shelter is not a crime, they are not guilty of breaking any laws.

The prison industry makes a profit from providing long term housing to a large number of people. America houses 2.2 million prisoners every night and averages 610,000 homeless citizens. Here in Bellingham the one night point-in-time count numbered 553 homeless or unsheltered citizens.

We all deserve a safe place to sleep. It’s a necessity. We make sure the criminals in the supermax prison have comfortable bedding and they are all guilty law breakers. The homeless people I see everyday are as law abiding as anyone, they are not guilty of anything and are just as innocent as everyone else.

Why don’t we guarantee them a safe bed? If we can do it for the criminals, can’t we do the same for the innocent homeless child and her mother fleeing domestic violence? Why reward the ones who break the law?

Robert Loftin

Bellingham