Letter to the Editor: Homeless Advocates Rally

DAVID HOLMES, San Clemente

There is a simple biological principle at work here. The environment of an organism (or population of organisms) is always changing; the climate can get warmer or colder, water, food or shelter can become scarce, etc.

If one or more of such changes make survival impossible, three responses can occur:

1. The organisms can die.
2. They can adapt to the new conditions.
3. They can move to a more favorable environment.

As we know, a few of “our” homeless do perish now and then. Sorry, but they were either unable or unwilling to adapt, as in get mental health help, get off the drugs and alcohol, and get a job and stop being a burden on our “wealthy community” (which, by the way, didn’t get that way by living under a freeway and depending on free handouts to get by).

What to do? Response No. 3 may be the best solution if, as Jacky Trani states, “People become homeless for economic reasons; the wages are not enough to keep up with the cost of living and housing,” etc.

So, how about if they solve both their and the city’s problem by moving somewhere where they can afford to live? Simplistic? Maybe, but it’s been working that way for millions of years, and let’s face it: nothing else has helped.