An antidote to crassness... What happens when an idol falls.

Some times I really like reading the Boomer Chronicles she manages to be funny, or make me look at things in a way I don't normally. Her posts are often small, almost always a nice read. Except for a few days ago, when she made a very crass comment. Suggesting that a homeless person could survive by living in the parking lot of a Whole Foods and live off the free samples of food being given out. The comments from regular readers also missed the horror of homelessness. Instead of discussing how close many people are to the edge, the thread discussed if Trader Joe's or Costco would be a better place to live.

Not me, already angry about the comments I have been reading aimed at me from all over the web. And here I was reading a post from someone I admired, making fun of being homeless. At first I wondered just how far from reality she was living? As a resident of JP, did she not see the problem? Think about how close many of the people handing out those toothpicks at Whole Foods or Costco. Many at best are a paycheck from the edge themselves. I wanted to yell, 'Next time they hand you a toothpick, talk to them!'

Are you so far away from reality that homelessness sounds like a fun break from life? Personally, as someone who has a collection of unpaid medical bills that are beyond the pale. That dwarf my beloved Barbie collection. The one that will be on the market worldwide, as soon as I can afford the listing fees at Ebay. One that has already shrunk thanks to the freelisting service that is Craigs list.

I sold two dolls today that got me something I was really looking forward to, pet food.

Today there was a new blog post, a semi apology to the 'commenter' who found her comments crass. This person, this blogger I once admired, even had advice on how to help people who were being strangled by health care bills. She recommended a little known movie. Not how to donate money (like the money people could save by not shopping at Whole Foods) to a place that help people keep their homes. Or afford health care. No, just watch this movie, because feeling bad about a problem is...

USELESS

The funny thing is that before I became this sick, back when I was just sick with lupus. Before, when I was as healthy as a person who lives in Connecticut could be, I always donated to the groups I am now going to for help. Every time I put on a shirt for the Vernon -2- Vernon bike ride (sadly gone now) I laugh. It was a fund raiser for the arthritis foundation. To help make a drug I now take more affordable to the people who need it. Like me.

And my idol had fallen. So I made a comment to the post. Then it occured to me that since BC screens all comments she has the choice to let the world see my comment, or delete it. Just for the record, I allow comments and refuse to screen them.

So here is my comment, just in case anyone wandering over wants to take a look.

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An antidote to crassness...

So you not going to say anything to me personally, even though I have a name, one you might half remember. We meet at the Povo event, where I guess I will never be forgiven by the blogging powers that be in Boston for asking how many of the BPTB were from here.

A quick click on my name would have sent you to my blog, where your readers could get a look at a local person about to loose it all due to medical bills. A second click would have brought your readers a link to the Boston Globe story about me, and the many people beside myself struggling to hold on.

Instead, of mentioning a movie you watched, you could have listed all the wonderful agencies attempting to help people keep their homes, or recover from homelessness. Some thing local, because watching a movie about people with health care problems, does absolutely nothing to help people with health care problems.

People can learn more about the problems of homelessness by visiting masscap Not sure thought, they might ask you to do more than just watch a movie. Unless you think that was enough