A homeless man’s feet in Astin, Texas.
On November 21, 2013 Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont asked for and was granted permission to address the United States Senate regarding an issue of national shame of “homelessness and hunger in America”.
“Mr. President, next week, Americans across the country will gather with family and friends to celebrate a national tradition, Thanksgiving. Some will give thanks for their good fortune or health over the past year, while others will simply be thankful to see their loved ones together in one place. What most of us will take for granted, however, is that we will have a meal to eat and have a home in which to gather. Far too many Americans will not have that luxury. During this time of reflection, and in honor of National Homelessness and Hunger Awareness week, I would like to take a moment to speak about those who are all too often overlooked, the homeless and the hungry.”
“Each and every day, millions of Americans face the uncertainty of when their next meal will be or when they will be able to feed their family. On any given night, a disgraceful number of Americans face the uncertainty of not knowing where they will sleep. Sadly, many have nowhere to turn”, he said.
“These Americans live in both large States and small, in urban centers, and small, rural towns across the country. These are men, women, and children who live, work, and attend schools in our communities without the basic needs of food security and a place to call home”, said Senator Leahy (source: Congressional Record http://thomas.loc.gov).
See video: Forcing a homeless and mentally ill man on the street to do impressions for food http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ9_duvLMWc
See video: The new homeless – the working poor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obho7uBg3-A and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl0_fmBkG0s