While strolling down the glamorous and glittery Las Vegas "Strip", the signs of wealth and prosperity are just about everywhere. When tourists arrive at this desert oasis, they are too overwhelmed by the lights and entertainment to notice the problems that the city was unable to hide. The forgotten are the homeless, even in the nation's "City of Entertainment". Our society's frustration has led to perceive the homeless as inevitable. But I don't believe that has to be true. If we look closer, we can see that there are three distinct classes of the homeless can be found in any American city. The victims of tragedy and crime make up one class of the homeless and are usually respectable people that are able to improve their situation quickly. Next, are the homeless that have accepted their class in society and are satisfied with the life they live. Last, are the homeless that have become a menace to mankind by conning and harassing the productive members of society. It !.
is sad to comprehend the number of people who fall into one of these categories, but action must be taken to get them off the streets.
First, the homeless who have been subject to crime and tragedy are the least of society's problems. These people are usually just temporarily reorganizing their lives and eventually will solve their own problems. This class of homeless are not the ones that beg for money on the streets or work for a day here and there on a subsistence basis. They are stand-up, respectable people that have enough dignity to not publicize their difficulties. As long as they behave in this manner, there is a mutual understanding. Our government has established several programs to aid the homeless and this particular class uses them for their intended purpose. They use a few of the services provided by the average taxpayer and benefit from them by getting off the streets. After all, that is the goal of such programs.