WHY? Life on the Streets for Many

Today, by the time a child is a senior in high school, 70% have already tried alcohol. 50% will have tried some type of an illegal drug. 40% have smoked tobacco or used a nicotine product. 20% of children will have used a prescription drug for a nonprescription use. Despite these numbers, we look at the broken who live on the street with discourse in thinking, "They choose their addiction which landed them on the street." The relation to childhood drug or alcohol use to adult addiction is overwhelming.

The environment around a teen greatly impacts teenagers choosing to experiment with drugs or alcohol. Violence, physical abuse, sex abuse, emotional abuse all play a role in the temptation of alcohol and drug use. Personality traits such as ADD and ADHD also increase the likelihood of a child trying something that will have a negative impact on them.

If a child experiences trauma at a young age and / or becomes addicted to drugs or alcohol, it will change the growth pattern of the prefrontal cortex. That said, the impact will last a life time. Addiction can soon set in and life is forever changed.
The other side of addiction:

On top of the above information, addiction equals a lack of human “meaningful” interaction. In other words, the addicted may interact with other users, but at a very surface level while clean or sober.

Furthermore, the addicted man or woman who lives on the street usually has zero healthy relationships nor knows how to form one while addicted.

So, could adult addiction be a combination of child trauma, lack of relationship? My thought would be yes.

Why? The damaged prefrontal cortex, that was damaged in childhood, is the planning region of the brain. It is where personality and expression originate from. Most importantly for continued use of negative behaviors, the prefrontal area is where decision making takes place along with moderating social behavior.

Knowing how sections of the brain function further verifies that addiction and lack of social interaction and healthy relationships go hand in hand. Especially when you dive into damage to the brain caused by childhood trauma followed by alcohol or drug use.

Many on the street do not know how to have positive connections with other human life. More so, their brain does not know how to cope with life without medicated help. The addicted brain related to childhood trauma does not know how to navigate behavior and life.

Of course, it is much deeper than my above words once you mix in mental illness and depression. That is an entire book on information.

Too Tired

She sat alone inside a small city bus shelter too timid to use the bench. It was as if she had been told one thousand times before to not sit on the bench, it was for "riders."

As she tried to talk she could not stay awake. In between words she would fall asleep, never completing a sentence.

The Bible remained open as she lacked the strength to turn the pages.

“Tired, tired with nothing, tired with everything, tired with the world’s weight he had never chosen to bear.”

— F. Scott Fitzgerald, "The Beautiful and Damned"

Argue about Conspiracy

If you like to argue and get nowhere, then search out this fella in Washington DC. He is parked inside his tent of humanity across from the White House. You may even agree with him, but he will still find at least one conspiracy theory that proves you wrong – which would prove him wrong if he agrees and then disagrees with you.

“People’s minds are changed through observation and not through argument.”

— Will Rogers

Below: Same tent, different person on shift in year 2015, February.

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Corea or Korea?

Standing in front of the White House with signs in hand mentioning North Korea and South Korea spelled as "Corea" is no mistake.

Sure, I could have read deeper into the small protest of two, but I was more confused as to why “Korea” was misspelled – or was it?

The accepted push for such a change from “K” to “C” was given the nod of Korean Scholars and Politicians as a drive to make the English spelling begin with the "C" instead of the "K."

But why?

The thought was that the Japanese changed what was originally a "C" to a "K" at the start of their 1910 to 1945 occupation because the "J" in Japan comes after the "C" in what may have been the original English spelling and Japan would not stand for such... Therefore, Japan went with the "K."

Looking back to year 1890, Korea was spelled "Corea" on the cornerstone of the British built embassy in Seoul. Early evidence in English books, maps and other printed material also display a "C" instead of the "K." The change to the "K" came on strong in 1910 and the rest is history.

Daniel the Marine

People don't always look as you may assume they should look: He has met past presidents, worked with troubled youth, served our country in the armed forces, helped prison inmates, led a church and more.

His name is Daniel Kingery and he travels the country picking up trash while displaying his sign “CleanHonestGov.com.” The website is a mix of his views, ideas and information on the government.

Originally from Iowa, the 2007 Presidential candidate goes from state to state talking to anyone who is willing to listen.

The former U.S. Marine was once the owner of several junkyards and a laundromat in the past, according to the “The Rock Island Argus” Newspaper. The paper also wrote in '07 that he stayed in the Kansas City Mission for a short period, and has served jail time for various contempt of court sanctions regarding disagreements with various city or community officials.”

To say he has seen some interesting things while being homeless would be an understatement.

In 2018 the 58 year old Kingery was homeless in the area of the White House. There, he has sat through extreme weather conditions, religious protests, public demonstrations, and white pride marches... He was not said to be a part of the rallies, protests or marches – only at the right place at perhaps the right time to witness history unfold in a small way. When interviewed by “Street Sense Media” reporter Christian Zapata he stated, “He looks at such events as opportunities to “learn from those who might be an enemy or have been taught to be one.”

“When they judge you, yawn.
When they misunderstand you, smile.
When they underestimate you, laugh.
When they condemn you, ignore.
When they envy you, rejoice.
When they oppose you, prevail.” 
― Matshona Dhliwayo

SURVIVAL: He came to the Washington DC

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SURVIVAL: He came to the Washington DC area in the early 2000's for a construction related job. He told me the job went well, he got an efficiency apartment and life was good. The market eventually went sour in 2008 and the job was cut, the apartment was yanked away and life led him to the streets.

Some of us overcome obstacles while others only survive, grasping at the strings of the rope to remain afloat.

42 Year old Gail Carriger stated during an interview, “I suspect it may be like the difference between a drinker and an alcoholic; the one merely reads books, the other needs books to make it through the day." I think that sums up the difference of surviving verses living.

Take the picture, now go "F" yourself

As I approached him I tried to start a conversation, but it was not going anywhere. I lifted my camera to my eye and he said, "Take the photo!" I clicked and I heard, "Now go F*$# yourself!" I smiled and said thanks - will do, or something along those lines. 

"You can't please everyone, and you can't make everyone like you." - Katie Couric 

Acid poured on my legs

I had to lean in close to hear her as she was very soft spoken, but friendly. “Why do you have a walker,” I asked with curiosity? She said, “A homeless woman poured acid on my left leg, I spent 32-days in the hospital and my muscle was fully exposed.” She told me that she too was homeless at the time, but is now staying at a shelter in Washington, DC.

Airline service workers want 5-cent fee added to tickets to cover insurance costs

Commercial aviation helps to create some 11-million jobs in America. If that is not enough to get your attention, I don’t know what will?

While in Washington D.C., I stumbled upon a major protest on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House. The wind was blistering cold and I struggled to take photos without my gloves on, but I wanted to make sure I captured the emotion that was stirred up by the workers who were asking for help to cover the cost of their personal medical insurance.

The group of airline industry service workers were asking for the airline companies they work for to add a nickel to the cost of every ticket sold in hopes of acquiring better health insurance for their families. The group suggested that an additional 5-cents added to every ticket would cover the cost of their family medical insurance plan, which right now is unaffordable for many. Their website stated, “We will be forced to pay the Obama Care Income Tax Fine for declining to purchase this un-affordable insurance.” That 5-cents per ticket, according to the protestors, would cover their expense.  

I walked in close for these shots as I was using my small 23mm fixed lens Fuji X100s. Those who were protesting seemed to be too busy shouting what they felt was needed for their family to even notice my encroachment into their personal space. Several police officers asked me to step back as they began making arrests while the crowd deliberately blocked the flow of traffic in the area of Pennsylvania Avenue.

After 15 or more protestors were arrested, the chants continued. The big question that lingers, will that additional 5-cents be added to the cost of an airline ticket and if so, will it be noticed by the traveling public? Only time will tell.