Kathy Anderson
Member since Jul 2, 2013
Recent Comments
Re: “The Marsh Eviction's Lone Protest Arrest: A Grandmother Who Stood Her Ground”
This city lies so often about the homeless and what they are able to do for them. The money they have said does not exist to help them was used to evict them, and more will be spent in police actions of arresting them, cleaning up the trash and court costs when they are again sued.
Re: “A Morning Emergency in the Palco Marsh”
Most people that are housed are totally ignorant of what is going on in the minds of the people living on the streets. No one really cares about them and that is why they are not housed. People fall through the cracks of society every day without a safety net in place to catch them all. There is little responsibility taken for this sick condition and so people like Kim Bergel do not know how to interact because her authority won't allow her to respect personal choices that she assumes she would never make. After all no one would ever want to live in a tent and be left alone and shoot heroin that is put on the streets by people she looks up to to make a profit off of human misery. She criminalizes people, as do the rest of city government, instead of allowing them opportunities for self improvement. They build upon the penal system of prisons where prison guards are locking up their neighbors and destroying families. What is being done is nightmarish. There is a better way.
Re: “The Ripple Effect”
Thad is a really nice guy and I hoped he would do a good job in representing my plan for Tiny Houses in Eureka, but there are a few mistakes in his reporting that are crucial to the understanding of what I and FOLLAIN are all about. Firstly, I did not ever expect to get a million dollars. It was the amount on the paperwork but I was not expecting that. To buy the property that I had hoped to find for a Tiny House community it would have taken more than the $179.000. that I received. Secondly, I do not serve 2 meals a day to people who walk into my house from the streets. My son and I invite 1-2 people onto the property as they agree to build a Tiny House for themselves, then remove it to a legal site. While here they eat with us and have use of the washer/dryer, bathroom, etc. I work with Pastors of churches and street advocates to help people in extreme health emergencies, but discourage people from thinking this is "day center", it is not and is not designed to be so. That type of work is for group efforts, not that of a private residence. I respect and understand the concerns that people have in my neighborhood for "traffic" on our sidewalks and will not disturb this quiet neighborhood. The rest of the article is a mish mash of one man's observations and it would be pointless for me to try to point out the errors. I wanted to show the people of Eureka that I did not take the money my attorney was able to secure for me and run off to the Bahamas or spend on some other trivial pursuit, I am working with it to secure a safer and more sane community. FOLLAIN is Gaelic for HEALTHY-WHOLESOME-SOUND. In the end this property will be inherited by my children and grandchildren who have suffered with me in this world and deserve what we all do, land on which to live a life of hope for the future.
Re: “Multiple Agencies Push Homeless Campers to a "Safer" Place”
I studied Chemical addictions in the 1990's as a result of my husband dying and my own life addictions and family members alcoholism, etc. I was particularly interested in the history of addiction to Methamphetamine and Heroin and also the criminalization of Cannabis. What I found out changed my whole approach to poor people and the plight of the addict. Since WW2 and especially Vietnam the use of drugs has exploded because there are more drugs in the country. Why is that you ask? Because our government has gone into all the world and gained control of these chemicals and uses the Black Market to fund it's secret missions. The addict is just a cog in the wheel of the machine that means to control the whole world. Ask yourself why the War on Drugs has not eradicated drugs from our streets. Study the phenomenon and then quit treating poor people like dirt! Poverty and addiction is a red light blinking on and off at us everyday telling us to stop what WE as a country are doing to our own people. Punishing addicts for being addicted is like punishing a child for not being grown up....it's counter productive. Housing First! has proven that when an addict is placed in housing with a worker that comes by and helps them pay their bills and keep nourishing food in the place will after 1 year most likely than not be healthier and drug free or at least using less. Get an education folks and quit being so mean! Another note to this whole subject of homelessness; most if not all have been severely abused in one form or another. They need compassion, NOT you further abusing them!!!
Re: “A Dangerous Playground”
The city of Eureka was not trying to clean up this area in 2011 when I fell there. As a matter of fact the city attorney, Nancy Delaney, denied that the city knew anything about what was going on back there and that is why I brought forward the suit against them. The city does not put forth any effort to make sure that there is enough housing for people in poverty and instead criminalizes and terrorizes them with police harassment, and then they lie to cover for their egregious disdain for homeless people. Sometimes it takes hitting the pocketbook to make changes happen for the best, that's what courts are about in our fair country, justice. If it helps any I am using my less than half of the money won (attorney and other fees took up more than half) to build Tiny Houses for people who need them. For Ms. Strattnor....you have no idea what you are talking about until you have experienced homelessness. Before you speak about them walk in their shoes, or without shoes as some of them.....and remember "Pride goeth before a fall".
Re: “'Not a Police Problem'”
I'm encouraged by Chief Mills comments. He seems realistic when acknowledging that a clean and sober camp would probably not be well used. I prefer to house people then work with them to become healthier and more secure in their surroundings. Many people will decide on their own, once sheltered and secure, to change their lifestyle to a healthier one. I hope the Tiny House movement that Opportunity Village has been successful at for 2 yrs now will become available here in Humboldt. I am doing my small part to make that happen.
Re: “Prelude to a Sweep”
Whoa Linda...placing the load of responsibility for telling advocates that homeless people could live in the marsh on John Shelter is unfair. City government workers, police, social workers, homeless advocates, family members, etc. have been telling people to camp out there for 30 years. Like me, most did not know how unsafe the situation was in the kilns, and the adjoining cement piles. The population was being managed to a certain degree by regular patrols of people in authority for many years. It's not like this all of a sudden happened in 2011. My hope for 25 years has been that we would have a designated campground or 2 or 3 in Humboldt County to meet the housing needs of those in deep poverty. There is no reason why this cannot happen, but like Chief Harpham told me one day "there's not enough people who care enough to make that happen". Sadly I know it is true. The fact that people hate others is why there is a growing number of hate crimes on homeless people. These are the most vulnerably exposed people in our city and they are kicked around and told they are unworthy of a night of legal sleep. The cops steal their possessions, including their vehicles and dogs because they get tired of seeing them every shift. Business owners don't want them around because they are bad for business, but where can they go? If you knew there is a place hidden away from the public that a person can put up a tent without being noticed wouldn't you suggest it to someone who needs to hide away and rest? Or are you one of those who doesn't care what happens to them as long as they just go away? We need a legal campground or 2 or 3. NOW!