Think of the homeless

December 9, 2008

Dear Sir,

"... Sir, can I have a quarter, just 25 cents so I can buy a cup of coffee?"

"I had nothing to eat, just a coffee!"

"You got some change to spare? Please, for a sandwich, some change you can spare?"

Please — let me shine your wheels for a couple of dollars!?

"I had nothing to eat today! My brother, I am hungry, buy me some food please!?"

In the streets and the parks I sleep during the day, when the sun warms my back I find peace from the dark of night which I am afraid of.

They don't let me sleep in the night, it's unsafe, I could be robbed, beat up or drenched with cold water. It is demeaning and it hurt my mind and body when they are cruel to me.

My wardrobe is rags or at the best what the Salvation Army and some good folks provide. They do care.

My place during the day, the side walk is my yard, the corner, the niche and bus stop my home, the bench is my bed but the lawn will do too, a piece of newspaper or cardboard as blanket to keep me warm when I sleep during the day!

The night is my domain, I can move about without being seen, it lets me dig deep into the barrels of trash and consume whatever you have left to rot, that smells so bad but you disposed.

I never mean harm or to impose on you or society but I am down and see no other way out — I am at the bottom of the ladder that all of us climb and few of us slip, fall and never regain hold able to lift up and rise again. We check the bottles you throw into the road for the last swallow that keeps and holds us about.

My head is down, my soul is empty, my stomach is growling, my body is aching and with no hope in sight certainly the future is not so bright.

You look at me from the corner of your eyes and your thoughts are the same day after day, what a bum, terrible to look at terrible to see. What have I done to you and what has the country done to you or for me?

I don't know who the Premier is and I don't care he ever says "Hello" and has not even a penny to spare. So how could I care when the world is not aware, the message is clear we have gone to the dogs. Politicians and the people no longer care.

My hair is long and dirty, I have not had a bath in so many months. I can't even remember how long it has been. I got no need for it now as the wind is cold and dampness settles in. Blankets and cardboards I seek and wish for, some change for tea or coffee to drink. Some food, a meal would be fine but I settle for less and hope for something even better, oh wouldn't it be nice.

I may be gone from here and faces may change. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone of us, my misery will not end that I am certain of.

Humbly I beg you to think for yourself, when there is no bottom where will the ladder stand when you seek to climb to the top.

AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LADDER

Argus and Madoff

December 19, 2008

Dear Sir,

I would like to invite your readers to look at these two links.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081219/madoff_scandal_whistleblower.html

http://money.cnn.com/2008/12/16/news/madoff.hedges.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2008121710

The fact that Argus had invested in Madoff may not be just "bad luck", it may be that Argus did not do the proper due diligence when investing our money. There may be grounds for a class action suit against Argus, to recover the losses in the pension funds.

PENSION LOSER

City of Hamilton

End sex discrimination

This was sent to Governor Sir Richard Gozney and the Human Rights Commission and copied to The Royal Gazette.

December 20, 2008

Dear Sir,

I am writing once again to the Bermuda Human Rights Department to convey the fact my Bermudian husband and myself are being grossly discriminated against by the Bermuda Government because we are a married gay couple/partnership.

The never-ending discrimination of sexual orientation still continues by the Bermuda Government. Gay people along with straight people all over the world are becoming increasingly tired of the fact gay people are treated as second class citizens before the law. This fight will not stop until governments recognise their responsibility to treat all people equal before the law within choosing a life-partner to love in peace and harmony.

My husband and I have been together for seven years in a committed loving relationship which has been wonderful with the exception of dealing with the Bermuda Government and its discriminatory policies.

My husband and I continue to be grossly discriminated against by the Bermuda Government for being a gay married couple. This poses huge issues; specifically immigration. The Government of Bermuda does not accept our partnership because of our sexual orientation. Clearly discriminatory and contradictory to the FCO audit recently conducted within 2008.

We are very confused and concerned that there is absolutely no talk within the Bermuda Government about the Human Rights of Bermuda including same-sex discrimination protection. Again, The FCO made this clear to the Bermuda Government this past year in their report. We are now entering 2009 and my Husband and I are still being treated as second class citizens in Bermuda because we are gay. We are not alone. We have witnessed countless hate crimes within Bermuda because of sexual orientation. Until the Government of Bermuda sets in place policies to protect its gay, lesbian and transgendered community we will continue to see all levels of unjust behaviour.

This is a cry for help from countless voices of Bermudians unable to communicate with the Government for fear of having a friend find out they are gay, straight or transgendered.

The gay, lesbian and transgendered community would like to know the plans and time-lines of the HRC and the Bermuda Government to comply with the FCO recommendations regarding same sex discrimination protection laws being put in place.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

NAME WITHHELD

City of Hamilton