http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Wed, 14 Mar 2007 07:31:20 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/03/08/034553.php#comment-560123 Unfortunately, the mental hospitals did a major population dump in the late '70's anticipating a large number of "group home" settings to take in their patients. It didn't happen. The Reagan recession of the early eighties added legitimate folks and families to the lot, and we saw the beginning of an underclass in America. A permanent one. I was part of that underclass for a time, combatting the bitterness that overcame me. I managed to get out of that underclass, but have never forgotten the time I spent in it. Now I see that same kind of underclass coming here to Israel, created by the same type of dog-eat-dog economics and selfishness that has gripped America for almost three decades. Another sick export from the American paradise... Brad, you do not have to be nuts to be homeless, as the homeless fellow in your essay was. Things can happen in your life to leave you stranded with nothing but a car and the sky for an address. Something you should always bear in mind. 560123@blogcritics.org Wed, 14 Mar 2007 07:31:20 EDT