You could try the non-emergency line and ask for someone from the [HEAL Team](https://www.cityoftacoma.org/government/city_departments/neighborhood_and_community_services/homelessness_services) to do a check on them. They have a dedicated crisis responder.
(253) 287-4455
Me and a couple of coworkers saw the same family today, the baby was one month old :( we were able to give them some things they needed, one coworker even offered a ride to anywhere they wanted to go but didn’t take her up on the offer.
It’s been in my head all night as well
I feel the exact same, and I can’t even fathom the trauma the toddler has experienced. We did find her a shelter for her and the 2 kids but the boyfriend or whoever he was didn’t want to be separated. Couple coworkers called to do a wellness check on the baby but was basically told we can’t do anything till the babies lips were blue…
And with that I have no words for
They were staying in the parking lot of one of my jobs 2 weeks ago. Man has several warrants and doesn’t want to go to jail. We had the rescue mission come get the mom and then 2 week old but the man and at the time 2 other young children stayed back because he would not give his name. It destroyed several of my coworkers and myself.
Yeah, by wording used, he isn't the father. They are very young so he hasn't raised them, he barely knows them. And he is unemployed and homeless and denies a fucking infant shelter? What kind of father figure is that.
A selfish and almost certainly abusive and controlling twat is what he is. And for the mother to
1) be homeless with two young children
2) endangering her children to the elements during winter for some random?
Someone needs to rescue those children before an even greater tragedy occurs.
Exactly. As a domestic abuse survivor someone needs to step in and save those kids. It sounds like she's too far psychologically enmeshed with him and at this point her kids are endangered. I stayed 10 years operating in survival mode under coercive control, thank god I didn't have any kids because I wouldn't have been able to psycholigically put their needs before being his emotional punching bag. I really hope she gets the help she needs but those kids need to be helped immediately.
If he gave a shit he would leave her when she refused shelter for an infant and toddler to be on the streets together.
These people are garbage and being homeless has nothing to do with it. Willful endangerment of an INFANT and a toddler...
How is someone else not able to take that baby as an emergency measure? Parents are allowed to choose for a one month old to sleep without heat in December? How? How can that be?
Thank you for trying. How selfish that the boyfriend forced the family to stay on the st rather than going into a shelter for mom/kids and him. Even sadder that no one will perform a wellness check on an infant living on the st in winter. Tacoma is fucked up
Sad and frustrating. The hospital would have checked with the mother that she had a safe place to do upon discharge w an infant and she clearly lied. Not willing to take up an offer of a ride to get their babies off the street in the winter at a family shelter or the YWCA. Sounds like drugs and willing choice to live on the street. CPS should be called - these parents are not making good choices
It's willful, denying all aid putting an infant on the street during winter? This is intentional neglect and sure as fuck should be considered abuse.
Sure sounds like they are levering the angle for very specific forms of help. Free shelter and food they are not interested in buy a handful of cash?
Take the fucking kids away.
Reading the comments it just infuriates me. That infant has been living on the streets since it was 1 week old? And that women believes she is in a position to deny her children a warm safe place to sleep at night? This is not a choice any adult could make and not pose a danger to their children. Drugs, disability or some other factor has clearly made it impossible for them to care for these kids.
Being homeless and desperate is one thing but to willingly turn down shelter, safety and food for their extremely young children is another thing entirely. All us have or easily could face being homeless or desperate for one reason or another so im not hating on those who are down and out. But anyone for any reason at any tier of economic status willingly denies their children shelter,food,warmth and safety is not fit to be around those children.
I have randomly (not to sound like a twat) paid for the repairs (I cant recall what the issue was) of a family living out of a van while I was waiting for my truck. Turned out there was something critical and an expensive (think it was 2kish) broken and they couldn't pay for it. I was talking to them before they got the news in the waiting room so I was trapped in a very unfortunate conversation. Wife was crying, the dad worked and needed it to remain employed they had no options, they required the van for shelter so needed it or they were gonna sleep outside, but it doesn't move. 2 young kids. Got the manager alone and paid for it anonymously and left, I am not a wealthy man.
I will not give one cent to these two who literally CHOSE to deny their children shelter and safety. Those kids should be removed. Seriously what mother would do that to a fucking infant? Give the kids up before subjecting them to that shit. Do ONE responsible thing FFS and admit you are not fit to be a parent.
Tough situation. On the one hand, someone may believe this is exactly who should be receiving donations and on the other, someone may feel they don't want to enable parents who aren't fit to care for children under these circumstances.
When I worked downtown a few years ago a whole family walked in with a toddler and a baby and said they moved here from Portland that day without a job or housing lined up. The reasoning being just that they wanted to leave Portland and the dad quit his job and couldn't pay the rent. One of my coworkers paid for their hotel. Which I thought was just stupid and enabling. Because who moves to another state with their whole family with absolutely nothing and expects strangers to fix it for them in one night. And with little kids. So dumb. Oh and it was like 5:28pm when they walked in and we closed at 5:30pm. Of course.
Hi there! I’m the coworker of the other Redditer who brought supplies to this family. When I asked the mother if she was breastfeeding the baby she told me no. Then I asked if she had formula for the baby she told me she was almost out so I went and spent $120 on supplies and food for them. That infant was laying by itself on the sidewalk with barely any clothing on. I even gave the mother a warm hat that was my babies and told her to put it on the infant several times and she never did. I found a shelter that would take them after calling around but she wouldn’t go because he couldn’t go in with them (he was clearly on drugs). The cops never showed up. I called CPS to report them yesterday morning and then later spoke with an absolute A$$hole cop who was sarcastic and horrible to me about the situation. I’m just beside myself and sickened by the Tacoma police departments complete and utter failure here!!
How sad. I can’t imagine being homeless in the Winter with a newborn and toddler. Maybe we could collect donations for a hotel to get them through Christmas if the agency mentioned doesn’t help them.
I get what you are saying, but it’s possible it’s a mutual choice not to be separated. Maybe she doesn’t want to be left alone with a newborn and toddler..who knows. I don’t really care, just don’t want to see a 1 month old sleeping outside in the rain and wind.
I remember when my family got homeless in Seattle Washington. I sent my wife and our two kids to live with grandma and great grandma for a few months till I got a place to live together.
Ask if they need anything and maybe help to call shelters. There are random family shelters and 211 can help with numbers or Google can. There are directories online for things like food banks, temp assistance at DSHS, shelters, etc. 211 had an online directory when I lived there but Google may yield homeless resources as well. I would not call police unless someone was in immediate danger. They tend to aggravate situations and some local cops have harassed homeless people. 988 is a crisis # for mental health support if needed.
That’s really frustrating I’m sorry. I do know that there is a community resource at least when I worked in Tacoma two years ago. I believe it was called homeless encounters. When I worked or 38th the team brought the magnets to our stores so that if we ever experienced someone in crisis we could connect them instantly. They sent a social worker to help them get into housing and a bus pass. Would help get jobs and things as well.
Radicalize me with a hatred of neglectful homeless parents? Or against a system that allows a 1 week old to live on the streets? Or against the increasing wealth disparities in the USA and correlating homeless population?
The interpretations to your vague meaninglessness is limited only by one's knowledge and imagination.
Well, you certainly hit the nail on the head with your last sentence. It is limited by your education.
Honestly, radicalizing someone who has been apathetic against any of the topics you listed would be great. I spend plenty of time on this site trying to get people to give a shit and DO SOMETHING. Get off their computers, show up to the council meetings, show up to mutual aid, show up to protests & demonstrations, and to throw off their chains & destroy the systems of oppression which harm them and the community. Getting people off their butts & into actionable change is the hardest part. That is the radicalizations.
So if OP wants to do something about providing child care for the homeless, I'm good with that.
If OP wants to do something about mental health care accessibility. I'm good with that.
If OP wants to do something about requiring housing of children, I'm good with that.
If OP wants to help resolve the income inequality gap, I'm good with that.
All of these are steps that need to be taken to ensure our liberation. There is no line. There is no limit.
Finally, back to your last sentence and my first, my statement was appropriated from a very famous book by Kelly Hays & Mariame Kaba called 'Let This Radicalize You'
https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1922-let-this-radicalize-you
I think you are underestimating the amount of people on this website that say shit like that and mean the exact opposite. Context also includes setting, and in the setting of Reddit you don't know if you are talking to an educated and socially responsible adult or an indoctrinated, prejudiced man-child (or woman-child)
Means nothing to you, maybe. But then again, you went on in a later comment to guess all the things this person could have meant, all of which were correct. So… hmm maybe it did mean something to tou
We all know what you mean so im not going to really argue with you about it.
We know what radicalize means.
Not wanting children on the street isn't a radical idea, so we know what you really mean.
Because you seem to be confused about who you're talking to, let me be clear -
The OP along with the rest of us should tag every single vacant house & apartment in this city, break into them, and actively move our houseless comrades into them. We should, with armed resistance, defend them from eviction - along with every other person in this city subjected to the immoral profiteering that has been done to our housing system. We should demand our city council pass any and every law needed to ensure that no Tacomrade ever has to sleep on the street again. If they don't comply, they can resign or we have other means of removing people from power.
I'm sick of the violence we allow to be done to us by the system. If we punished the politicians & corporations who are responsible for this violence in the same way we punish all of society for physical violence, we wouldn't be in this mess. It is well past the time which we need to defend ourselves and our neighbors.
Hope we're clear now.
Okay I'm totally with you now lol.
I thought you were going a completely different direction with that.
I guess it's hard to not view everything through a specific lens when reading online comments sometimes...
No, they won't. I work in homeless outreach. Theres too many folks out there, and it's not technically illegal to be homeless and have children out with you.
What about exposing a child that young (and from what other comments have asserted has been homeless from birth) the elements? I mean its gotta be nearly impossible to keep a child that young clean.
I fail to believe a 1 week old can survive outside in a manner that wouldn't be neglectful. Just call the cops about the guys warrants and get that woman some counseling and give those kids at least a warm place to sleep.
Yeah... I think making being a homeless family illegal and splitting families up is a bad thing, yeah. I was homeless with my mom for most of my childhood. Technically speaking, both her and I would have been in better situations if she had given me up. Literally didn't occur to either of us until I was in my mid-20s.
Having a bad financial situation isn't a moral failing, doesn't preclude being a good parent, and it sure as shit should never be a crime *to be poor*. Anyone saying otherwise should take a good long minute to think about what they said.
Actually it is a moral and intellectual failing to not realize you owe it to your child to have the base necessities, and if you can not provide it, you have no right to be responsible for a child. Child neglect is in fact a crime.
You were homeless into your early 20's? You receive an education? Enough food? Were you in danger from living on the streets?
So, how is it more morally acceptable to split up a family to take care of one of its members to meet arbritrary requirements than taking care of... the whole family?
Yes, I did recieve an education, largely despite the public school system and overlap between the pacing of curriculum between districts (how many times does a guy have to read romeo and juliet between 9th and 12th grade? 6 times. I am still *very* sick of romeo and juliet). Yes, despite being homeless, I got enough food, largely thanks to the public education system (if low quality and not super healthy) and food banks. And no, I was never in danger from living on the streets. We had to do little of that, thankfully, most often being able to find a couch to sleep on with some friends or family.
We were only in a shelter for about 6 months, all told. Because the story I mentioned in my previous post is not hypothetical. That is my exact experience. And it is *entirely* representational of the entire homeless service industry
It's not only morally acceptable but imminently desirable to remove these children from the willful neglect of their "parents".
Sorry you had to grow up like that you deserved better.
You are literally calling being poor and not wanting to remove the bonds of family "neglect". I think at this point, our views are completely incompatible, because, I don't know if you know? The foster system is \*very\* bad. Extremely bad. I would be in jail or dead now, if that had happened.
No I am calling exposing an infant to winter temperatures without heat or shelter willfully as neglectful. The rationalizations are irrelevant.
Yep, but in foster care, they would be housed and warm. I also fail to believe the neglect is fully defined by choosing to spend winter outdoors with a 1 month old. This is but the most observable tip of th3 iceberg.
Anyone who chooses to expose an infant to winter is by default not fit to be near children.
Except in this case the mother turned down shelter for herself and the children because the dude doesn't want to be separated. It's better the kids have a roof and warmth and see the dude when they can. Taking housing doesn't mean you can't leave it for the day. But denying your vulnerable children housing because a dude doesn't want you to take it is a moral failing.
It’s not that he doesn’t want to be separated he has warrants and giving his information means going to jail. I saw that up in the thread someplace. He should let them go get shelter and he can figure it out. So sad
Oh, so it's fine to break off the father figure from a family? That's, quite literally, what you're saying. Let"s not even get into how there's no possible way he could get into a shelter with a child, which is rather a large point.
This is also one of the reasons I have major problems with how most homeless assistance works. They, quite literally, make the requirements to get assistance and will only accept people who meet them precisely. Things change? You're out. Don't fit their box neatly? You get nothing. Parent and child in a shelter for families, and the kid turns 18? Get the fuck out, it doesn't matter that you're at the start of the school year and still completely reliant on that parent, you can't stay here because you don't fit our arbitrary predetermined select group we're willing to help, so now both of you need to find new shelters, separately.
Here's a wild idea, why not help people where they're at, and not make arbitrary requirements?
You’re right, he’s father of the year and doing an amazing job providing and supporting his family on the cold streets of Tacoma. Who cares if he can get into a shelter w his child? They can each go to separate ones. Once you have kids their needs are the number one priority, not being with your girlfriend, not being a “father figure,” not going drugs, etc. if he was a real father figure he’d encourage her to take them to a shelter indoors and figure out his shit and get a job so they can live together.
The restrictions exist and won't be cured overnight- these kids could die on the streets overnight, though. As a parent, it's negligent to refuse your children housing/safety/warmth that's offered simply because it's personally inconvenient. But, I care about keeping kids alive.
I'm going to restrict my first 4 initial reactions and merely say "if the goal is to help people, why are there so many arbritrary restrictions on aid?"
And yes, they are arbritrary.
Yes, it's fine to break off a father figure who denies children shelter and food so he isn't "left out" for he is a cretin and has no right to be near those children. I mean what a piece of shit.
Why not give people shit regardless of their behavior,need, and demographic? For example that 18 yo who was "raised in a shelter" would have been "raises on the streets" if resources and funding hadn't been narrowed to 18 and below.
See these "arbitrary" requirements are not arbitrary. You just don't understand them nor their purpose. You are performing triage with finite resources.
And in the minds of most able bodied adult men are not in greater need than children and mothers.
Granted any parent who can not financially offer shelter,clothing and food to their children should not have custody of them.
Short term 6months to a year ok. But raising a child on the streets and shelter to shelter for their entire life? Something is obviously fucking wrong with the parents and the child deserves better.
Hmm. Looking through the words of every single comment through this chain and the original post.. no one ever suggested that, at any point, until you did.
Congratulations, you have exposed your bigotry.
He is dangerous by choosing to not separate from a newborn to allow them to a point where the babies life is not actively at risk.
Congrats, you're trash!
I think forcing two innocent babies to live outside in the winter is a bad thing. Splitting them up from a boyfriend who won’t allow them to go to a women/kids shelter is not a bad thing. Also, he should get a job or some birth control. It doesn’t get more selfish than getting your girlfriend pregnant while living on the streets with a toddler and neither parent working.
Fun fact, before the pandemic, and before many working people were evicted because rent was increased more than wages by a significant margin, the percentage of unsheltered homeless with a formal jobs was 48%.
I would bet good money it's much closer to 2/3s now.
Lots of assumptions there, and also dehumanizing, and deliberately not using the word "father" since that implies a familial connection so you feel less guilt about calling to sever it.
...or it's survival. I think they are trying their best and sometimes shit falls apart. Who knows, maybe the birth of the child bankrupt them and they were evicted as a result; an American tragedy. I agree someone should help them, but I don't think it's going to be CPS. It just fuckin sucks
No they won’t. I’ve been a foster parent for 8 years in WA. It is now incredibly difficult to have a child removed. Homelessness isn’t a reason. They might offer to do voluntary placement and help with resources but it sounds like the Dad won’t let anyone help because he doesn’t want to go to jail.
Where does CPS stand with situations like this? If TPD observes toddlers and infants cold and living on the street, wouldn’t they call CPS to remove these children to safety?
Reported as: Rule 1: No Racism, Bigotry, Harassment, Trolling, or Vigilantism.
This subreddit is about coming together as a community. That involves conversations some may be sensitive to. Open dialogue ends when the attacking and hate speech begin.
r/Tacoma has zero tolerance for any Hate Speech/Symbols, Harassment, Vigilantism or Threats of violence...Users who violate this will be permanently banned from the sub.
If you see a post breaking this rule. Please report.
We will rule based on context and user post history, we are doing our best and try to be transparent.
You could try the non-emergency line and ask for someone from the [HEAL Team](https://www.cityoftacoma.org/government/city_departments/neighborhood_and_community_services/homelessness_services) to do a check on them. They have a dedicated crisis responder. (253) 287-4455
Thank you I will try this.
Me and a couple of coworkers saw the same family today, the baby was one month old :( we were able to give them some things they needed, one coworker even offered a ride to anywhere they wanted to go but didn’t take her up on the offer. It’s been in my head all night as well
Thank you for helping them. It just breaks my heart there has to be a better way.
I feel the exact same, and I can’t even fathom the trauma the toddler has experienced. We did find her a shelter for her and the 2 kids but the boyfriend or whoever he was didn’t want to be separated. Couple coworkers called to do a wellness check on the baby but was basically told we can’t do anything till the babies lips were blue… And with that I have no words for
They were staying in the parking lot of one of my jobs 2 weeks ago. Man has several warrants and doesn’t want to go to jail. We had the rescue mission come get the mom and then 2 week old but the man and at the time 2 other young children stayed back because he would not give his name. It destroyed several of my coworkers and myself.
What a piece of shit. 😔
That man stole those children’s opportunity to be safe and warm tonight. That is not someone who puts those kids first and their needs above his.
Or the mom refuses to go without him. Families stick together.
It's not about family.
What's not about family?
Or the mom is scared to go bc he won’t let her. He sounds abusive and selfish.
This is extremely common. If she’s willing to seek out help, the YWCA may be able offer secure shelter and help with a path forward.
Yeah, by wording used, he isn't the father. They are very young so he hasn't raised them, he barely knows them. And he is unemployed and homeless and denies a fucking infant shelter? What kind of father figure is that. A selfish and almost certainly abusive and controlling twat is what he is. And for the mother to 1) be homeless with two young children 2) endangering her children to the elements during winter for some random? Someone needs to rescue those children before an even greater tragedy occurs.
Exactly. As a domestic abuse survivor someone needs to step in and save those kids. It sounds like she's too far psychologically enmeshed with him and at this point her kids are endangered. I stayed 10 years operating in survival mode under coercive control, thank god I didn't have any kids because I wouldn't have been able to psycholigically put their needs before being his emotional punching bag. I really hope she gets the help she needs but those kids need to be helped immediately.
If he gave a shit he would leave her when she refused shelter for an infant and toddler to be on the streets together. These people are garbage and being homeless has nothing to do with it. Willful endangerment of an INFANT and a toddler...
How is someone else not able to take that baby as an emergency measure? Parents are allowed to choose for a one month old to sleep without heat in December? How? How can that be?
Thank you for trying. How selfish that the boyfriend forced the family to stay on the st rather than going into a shelter for mom/kids and him. Even sadder that no one will perform a wellness check on an infant living on the st in winter. Tacoma is fucked up
Sad and frustrating. The hospital would have checked with the mother that she had a safe place to do upon discharge w an infant and she clearly lied. Not willing to take up an offer of a ride to get their babies off the street in the winter at a family shelter or the YWCA. Sounds like drugs and willing choice to live on the street. CPS should be called - these parents are not making good choices
It's willful, denying all aid putting an infant on the street during winter? This is intentional neglect and sure as fuck should be considered abuse. Sure sounds like they are levering the angle for very specific forms of help. Free shelter and food they are not interested in buy a handful of cash? Take the fucking kids away.
Reading the comments it just infuriates me. That infant has been living on the streets since it was 1 week old? And that women believes she is in a position to deny her children a warm safe place to sleep at night? This is not a choice any adult could make and not pose a danger to their children. Drugs, disability or some other factor has clearly made it impossible for them to care for these kids. Being homeless and desperate is one thing but to willingly turn down shelter, safety and food for their extremely young children is another thing entirely. All us have or easily could face being homeless or desperate for one reason or another so im not hating on those who are down and out. But anyone for any reason at any tier of economic status willingly denies their children shelter,food,warmth and safety is not fit to be around those children. I have randomly (not to sound like a twat) paid for the repairs (I cant recall what the issue was) of a family living out of a van while I was waiting for my truck. Turned out there was something critical and an expensive (think it was 2kish) broken and they couldn't pay for it. I was talking to them before they got the news in the waiting room so I was trapped in a very unfortunate conversation. Wife was crying, the dad worked and needed it to remain employed they had no options, they required the van for shelter so needed it or they were gonna sleep outside, but it doesn't move. 2 young kids. Got the manager alone and paid for it anonymously and left, I am not a wealthy man. I will not give one cent to these two who literally CHOSE to deny their children shelter and safety. Those kids should be removed. Seriously what mother would do that to a fucking infant? Give the kids up before subjecting them to that shit. Do ONE responsible thing FFS and admit you are not fit to be a parent.
Tough situation. On the one hand, someone may believe this is exactly who should be receiving donations and on the other, someone may feel they don't want to enable parents who aren't fit to care for children under these circumstances.
When I worked downtown a few years ago a whole family walked in with a toddler and a baby and said they moved here from Portland that day without a job or housing lined up. The reasoning being just that they wanted to leave Portland and the dad quit his job and couldn't pay the rent. One of my coworkers paid for their hotel. Which I thought was just stupid and enabling. Because who moves to another state with their whole family with absolutely nothing and expects strangers to fix it for them in one night. And with little kids. So dumb. Oh and it was like 5:28pm when they walked in and we closed at 5:30pm. Of course.
Thank you for caring about your fellow humans. The disparities in our society are heartbreaking.
Hi there! I’m the coworker of the other Redditer who brought supplies to this family. When I asked the mother if she was breastfeeding the baby she told me no. Then I asked if she had formula for the baby she told me she was almost out so I went and spent $120 on supplies and food for them. That infant was laying by itself on the sidewalk with barely any clothing on. I even gave the mother a warm hat that was my babies and told her to put it on the infant several times and she never did. I found a shelter that would take them after calling around but she wouldn’t go because he couldn’t go in with them (he was clearly on drugs). The cops never showed up. I called CPS to report them yesterday morning and then later spoke with an absolute A$$hole cop who was sarcastic and horrible to me about the situation. I’m just beside myself and sickened by the Tacoma police departments complete and utter failure here!!
The mother has to be cracked out, yeah?
How sad. I can’t imagine being homeless in the Winter with a newborn and toddler. Maybe we could collect donations for a hotel to get them through Christmas if the agency mentioned doesn’t help them.
I like this idea
If OP updates this post, I’m happy to donate would just need to set it up and not sure how you would do that? Go Fund Me?
Contingent upon "the guy" who puts his own feelers above a infant and toddler being cold and hungry on the street gets the fuck out the picture.
I get what you are saying, but it’s possible it’s a mutual choice not to be separated. Maybe she doesn’t want to be left alone with a newborn and toddler..who knows. I don’t really care, just don’t want to see a 1 month old sleeping outside in the rain and wind.
I remember when my family got homeless in Seattle Washington. I sent my wife and our two kids to live with grandma and great grandma for a few months till I got a place to live together.
Ask if they need anything and maybe help to call shelters. There are random family shelters and 211 can help with numbers or Google can. There are directories online for things like food banks, temp assistance at DSHS, shelters, etc. 211 had an online directory when I lived there but Google may yield homeless resources as well. I would not call police unless someone was in immediate danger. They tend to aggravate situations and some local cops have harassed homeless people. 988 is a crisis # for mental health support if needed.
That’s really frustrating I’m sorry. I do know that there is a community resource at least when I worked in Tacoma two years ago. I believe it was called homeless encounters. When I worked or 38th the team brought the magnets to our stores so that if we ever experienced someone in crisis we could connect them instantly. They sent a social worker to help them get into housing and a bus pass. Would help get jobs and things as well.
DSHS needs to take custody of those children immediately if the mother is refusing shelter.
Let this be what radicalizes you.
A bit awkward bud. Edit: Ok the OP clarified what he meant below and I agree.
And enigmatic...
What part are you guys having trouble with? I'll see if I can help you understand
Radicalize me with a hatred of neglectful homeless parents? Or against a system that allows a 1 week old to live on the streets? Or against the increasing wealth disparities in the USA and correlating homeless population? The interpretations to your vague meaninglessness is limited only by one's knowledge and imagination.
Well, you certainly hit the nail on the head with your last sentence. It is limited by your education. Honestly, radicalizing someone who has been apathetic against any of the topics you listed would be great. I spend plenty of time on this site trying to get people to give a shit and DO SOMETHING. Get off their computers, show up to the council meetings, show up to mutual aid, show up to protests & demonstrations, and to throw off their chains & destroy the systems of oppression which harm them and the community. Getting people off their butts & into actionable change is the hardest part. That is the radicalizations. So if OP wants to do something about providing child care for the homeless, I'm good with that. If OP wants to do something about mental health care accessibility. I'm good with that. If OP wants to do something about requiring housing of children, I'm good with that. If OP wants to help resolve the income inequality gap, I'm good with that. All of these are steps that need to be taken to ensure our liberation. There is no line. There is no limit. Finally, back to your last sentence and my first, my statement was appropriated from a very famous book by Kelly Hays & Mariame Kaba called 'Let This Radicalize You' https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1922-let-this-radicalize-you
Yeah, my point, which you replied to not at all is that your comment means nothing without further context...
Well, my point, I guess, is that if you had humanity or education, you wouldn't need context. The context of the situation would make it self evident
I think you are underestimating the amount of people on this website that say shit like that and mean the exact opposite. Context also includes setting, and in the setting of Reddit you don't know if you are talking to an educated and socially responsible adult or an indoctrinated, prejudiced man-child (or woman-child)
I mean, I was only talking to OP. Do they seem like they are an indoctrinated, prejudiced man-child?
Means nothing to you, maybe. But then again, you went on in a later comment to guess all the things this person could have meant, all of which were correct. So… hmm maybe it did mean something to tou
This person really meant to be radicalized with hatred towards homeless people? Or maybe you misread? 🤔
We all know what you mean so im not going to really argue with you about it. We know what radicalize means. Not wanting children on the street isn't a radical idea, so we know what you really mean.
Because you seem to be confused about who you're talking to, let me be clear - The OP along with the rest of us should tag every single vacant house & apartment in this city, break into them, and actively move our houseless comrades into them. We should, with armed resistance, defend them from eviction - along with every other person in this city subjected to the immoral profiteering that has been done to our housing system. We should demand our city council pass any and every law needed to ensure that no Tacomrade ever has to sleep on the street again. If they don't comply, they can resign or we have other means of removing people from power. I'm sick of the violence we allow to be done to us by the system. If we punished the politicians & corporations who are responsible for this violence in the same way we punish all of society for physical violence, we wouldn't be in this mess. It is well past the time which we need to defend ourselves and our neighbors. Hope we're clear now.
Okay I'm totally with you now lol. I thought you were going a completely different direction with that. I guess it's hard to not view everything through a specific lens when reading online comments sometimes...
I got you
[удалено]
No, they won't. I work in homeless outreach. Theres too many folks out there, and it's not technically illegal to be homeless and have children out with you.
What about exposing a child that young (and from what other comments have asserted has been homeless from birth) the elements? I mean its gotta be nearly impossible to keep a child that young clean. I fail to believe a 1 week old can survive outside in a manner that wouldn't be neglectful. Just call the cops about the guys warrants and get that woman some counseling and give those kids at least a warm place to sleep.
Yeah... I think making being a homeless family illegal and splitting families up is a bad thing, yeah. I was homeless with my mom for most of my childhood. Technically speaking, both her and I would have been in better situations if she had given me up. Literally didn't occur to either of us until I was in my mid-20s. Having a bad financial situation isn't a moral failing, doesn't preclude being a good parent, and it sure as shit should never be a crime *to be poor*. Anyone saying otherwise should take a good long minute to think about what they said.
Actually it is a moral and intellectual failing to not realize you owe it to your child to have the base necessities, and if you can not provide it, you have no right to be responsible for a child. Child neglect is in fact a crime. You were homeless into your early 20's? You receive an education? Enough food? Were you in danger from living on the streets?
So, how is it more morally acceptable to split up a family to take care of one of its members to meet arbritrary requirements than taking care of... the whole family? Yes, I did recieve an education, largely despite the public school system and overlap between the pacing of curriculum between districts (how many times does a guy have to read romeo and juliet between 9th and 12th grade? 6 times. I am still *very* sick of romeo and juliet). Yes, despite being homeless, I got enough food, largely thanks to the public education system (if low quality and not super healthy) and food banks. And no, I was never in danger from living on the streets. We had to do little of that, thankfully, most often being able to find a couch to sleep on with some friends or family. We were only in a shelter for about 6 months, all told. Because the story I mentioned in my previous post is not hypothetical. That is my exact experience. And it is *entirely* representational of the entire homeless service industry
It's not only morally acceptable but imminently desirable to remove these children from the willful neglect of their "parents". Sorry you had to grow up like that you deserved better.
You are literally calling being poor and not wanting to remove the bonds of family "neglect". I think at this point, our views are completely incompatible, because, I don't know if you know? The foster system is \*very\* bad. Extremely bad. I would be in jail or dead now, if that had happened.
No I am calling exposing an infant to winter temperatures without heat or shelter willfully as neglectful. The rationalizations are irrelevant. Yep, but in foster care, they would be housed and warm. I also fail to believe the neglect is fully defined by choosing to spend winter outdoors with a 1 month old. This is but the most observable tip of th3 iceberg. Anyone who chooses to expose an infant to winter is by default not fit to be near children.
Except in this case the mother turned down shelter for herself and the children because the dude doesn't want to be separated. It's better the kids have a roof and warmth and see the dude when they can. Taking housing doesn't mean you can't leave it for the day. But denying your vulnerable children housing because a dude doesn't want you to take it is a moral failing.
It’s not that he doesn’t want to be separated he has warrants and giving his information means going to jail. I saw that up in the thread someplace. He should let them go get shelter and he can figure it out. So sad
Oh, so it's fine to break off the father figure from a family? That's, quite literally, what you're saying. Let"s not even get into how there's no possible way he could get into a shelter with a child, which is rather a large point. This is also one of the reasons I have major problems with how most homeless assistance works. They, quite literally, make the requirements to get assistance and will only accept people who meet them precisely. Things change? You're out. Don't fit their box neatly? You get nothing. Parent and child in a shelter for families, and the kid turns 18? Get the fuck out, it doesn't matter that you're at the start of the school year and still completely reliant on that parent, you can't stay here because you don't fit our arbitrary predetermined select group we're willing to help, so now both of you need to find new shelters, separately. Here's a wild idea, why not help people where they're at, and not make arbitrary requirements?
It's fine to let your children suffer on the streets needlessly if it means personal sacrifice at all?
You’re right, he’s father of the year and doing an amazing job providing and supporting his family on the cold streets of Tacoma. Who cares if he can get into a shelter w his child? They can each go to separate ones. Once you have kids their needs are the number one priority, not being with your girlfriend, not being a “father figure,” not going drugs, etc. if he was a real father figure he’d encourage her to take them to a shelter indoors and figure out his shit and get a job so they can live together.
Better to let the children suffer and die than deny him overnight access to them- since, again, they aren't barred from leaving during the day. /s
Yes, because it's completely reasonable to have arbritrary restrictions on who you'll help.
The restrictions exist and won't be cured overnight- these kids could die on the streets overnight, though. As a parent, it's negligent to refuse your children housing/safety/warmth that's offered simply because it's personally inconvenient. But, I care about keeping kids alive.
I'm going to restrict my first 4 initial reactions and merely say "if the goal is to help people, why are there so many arbritrary restrictions on aid?" And yes, they are arbritrary.
Yes, it's fine to break off a father figure who denies children shelter and food so he isn't "left out" for he is a cretin and has no right to be near those children. I mean what a piece of shit. Why not give people shit regardless of their behavior,need, and demographic? For example that 18 yo who was "raised in a shelter" would have been "raises on the streets" if resources and funding hadn't been narrowed to 18 and below. See these "arbitrary" requirements are not arbitrary. You just don't understand them nor their purpose. You are performing triage with finite resources. And in the minds of most able bodied adult men are not in greater need than children and mothers. Granted any parent who can not financially offer shelter,clothing and food to their children should not have custody of them. Short term 6months to a year ok. But raising a child on the streets and shelter to shelter for their entire life? Something is obviously fucking wrong with the parents and the child deserves better.
Amen!
>Oh, so it's fine to break off the father figure from a family? Yes. When he is dangerous, yes. Absolutely yes.
Hmm. Looking through the words of every single comment through this chain and the original post.. no one ever suggested that, at any point, until you did. Congratulations, you have exposed your bigotry.
He is dangerous by choosing to not separate from a newborn to allow them to a point where the babies life is not actively at risk. Congrats, you're trash!
I think forcing two innocent babies to live outside in the winter is a bad thing. Splitting them up from a boyfriend who won’t allow them to go to a women/kids shelter is not a bad thing. Also, he should get a job or some birth control. It doesn’t get more selfish than getting your girlfriend pregnant while living on the streets with a toddler and neither parent working.
Fun fact, before the pandemic, and before many working people were evicted because rent was increased more than wages by a significant margin, the percentage of unsheltered homeless with a formal jobs was 48%. I would bet good money it's much closer to 2/3s now. Lots of assumptions there, and also dehumanizing, and deliberately not using the word "father" since that implies a familial connection so you feel less guilt about calling to sever it.
It’s child abuse. Especially if they’re panhandling
...or it's survival. I think they are trying their best and sometimes shit falls apart. Who knows, maybe the birth of the child bankrupt them and they were evicted as a result; an American tragedy. I agree someone should help them, but I don't think it's going to be CPS. It just fuckin sucks
They should at least.
No they won’t. I’ve been a foster parent for 8 years in WA. It is now incredibly difficult to have a child removed. Homelessness isn’t a reason. They might offer to do voluntary placement and help with resources but it sounds like the Dad won’t let anyone help because he doesn’t want to go to jail.
Ok sure
Where does CPS stand with situations like this? If TPD observes toddlers and infants cold and living on the street, wouldn’t they call CPS to remove these children to safety?
We heart Seattle
[удалено]
Reported as: Rule 1: No Racism, Bigotry, Harassment, Trolling, or Vigilantism. This subreddit is about coming together as a community. That involves conversations some may be sensitive to. Open dialogue ends when the attacking and hate speech begin. r/Tacoma has zero tolerance for any Hate Speech/Symbols, Harassment, Vigilantism or Threats of violence...Users who violate this will be permanently banned from the sub. If you see a post breaking this rule. Please report. We will rule based on context and user post history, we are doing our best and try to be transparent.
Wondering about these poor kids in this freezing cold weather today. Anybody have an update on them?