Editor:
Deidre Pike’s article, “Waiting for Chinn” (Jan. 3), was excellent. It was good reading journalistically as well as very informative. She wrote so compassionately about Mrs. Chinn, the homeless and even Mr. Davenport, who must tidy-up after them. The beauty of conflict resolution is nonviolent conversation. This article presented the pro and con views of the homeless and the Seventh Avenue Shelter in a non-biased manner.
I believe we definitely need to support the homeless. Back in the 1960s, the “Diggers” of San Francisco helped all who asked. The “Diggers” gave away free food, clothes, even overnight “crash pads” from their Rolodex of willing homeowners. In this same manner, I see (and agree with) Mrs. Chinn helping all the homeless — those “by choice” (a small percent, I am sure) as well as those who have lost their homes, jobs, mental and/or physical health, etcetera. The homeless need help now — regardless of how or why they became homeless.
I am thankful to Gil Cedillo of the California Legislature. Praise God for the 2007 Senate Bill 2, requiring all California cities to establish a zoning area that allows emergency shelters. And thank God for philanthropist Henry Trione and Chuck Fernandez of Catholic Charities in Santa Rosa.
I hope our county and local folks will give financial as well as other help to the shelter when it opens.
Jeanne Mattole, Honeydew
This article appears in Eureka’s New Boss.
I notice all of you do gooders don’t live in
Eureka. Why don’t you have all this goodness
and shelters down in Honeydew or would that
hurt you marijuana farming?
Cedillo the writer of Senate Bill 2 also tried
to put a bill through to open the California
and Mexico border. He also tried to get a
bill through for all the illegal Mexicans in
California to have driver’s licenses.
We in Eureka are saturated with half way houses. I own property near where Chinn
wants to put her shelter. Believe me when I
tell you many of us don’t want it and have
the means to stop it. We cleaned up a high
crime area and we are not going to let it go
backwards.
Say NO to the bums and junkies.
The homeless need you in honeydew. We don’t need more here in our town. Why don’t you take your fair share. Why should it all fall on the backs of the residents and business owners of Eureka. Are you aware that there are families living close to this latest homeless shelter? Do you know there are tax paying citizens in our town, homeowners, the elderly that have worked hard and lived here and taken care of their houses in this neighborhood? Don’t we deserve a good and safe quality of life as those in the other towns in the county? Why should we be the chosen ones to take on more and more of this burden. How would you like it next to your home. All you thoughtful people from other towns, how would you feel if it it moved in next to you. You feel so charitable giving away our neighborhood. Be charitable and fair and take them into your neighborhood.
I too am a Eureka Resident.
To “Eureka Resident” regarding your comment…
“Are you aware that there are families living close to this latest homeless shelter?”…”Don’t we deserve a good and safe quality of life as those in the other towns in the county?”
Are you aware that homeless families are living without shelter? [Are you aware that you sound like a white “family” worrying about a black family moving in?]
EVERYONE deserves a good and safe quality of life.
As far as quality of life “as those in the other towns in the county”, you lose some of that just living in Eureka; it’s urban, not like Honeydew; it’s a city with businesses seemingly taking priority, not like Trinidad. People needing shelter are everywhere, in every town in this county, but too many people in Eureka who have what they need are bent on making sure people who do not cannot survive.
You and both the above commenters, in ‘good company’ with Davenport (who opposed a Veteran’s Center!), could cultivate the idea that we all deserve to be safe and have a good quality of life, act on it– instead of spewing this inhumane hateful stuff and perpetuating injustice and prejudice toward your fellow Eureka residents. …And PLEASE don’t tell me, in an attempt to defend your entitled opinions about who deserves shelter and who doesn’t, about how your (homeless) family came here 100+ years ago (and set up camp “close” to First Nations families).
DIGNITY for ALL!