R-E-S-P-E-C-T

While on the mission to complete this multimedia project, one of the things that has really stuck with me is the lack of respect that surround the homeless. On a street corner where a homeless person is struggling to stay warm, they are rarely given a second look. Most people think they are just one of those lazy people who are unwilling to find a job so they rely on other people to give them money. Don’t they realize that each one of those individuals has a story, a circumstance, that got them where they are today and that they are still human beings like the rest of us and deserve to be treated with respect?

Before this I probably wouldn’t have even thought about this issue. My mother works at a prison so I’ve always been told to steer as far away from homeless people as I can because of their dangerous reputation. Now that I’ve spent time with homeless people, even families, I’m realizing that even a smile or a kind word can have a positive impact on them. Why can’t we just have a little compassion and instead of casting them out of society, treat them with the respect they deserve?

Tags: Homelessness, respect