Bees and the Unsheltered?
Spring is here, so are bees and flowers. Most people know little about bees. They also know little about the unsheltered. To many, they are both a nuisance hanging around where they are not wanted. Worse, buzzing bees and the disheveled unsheltered seem downright scary.
I didn’t know much about bees. Not until we found out that Violet was seriously allergic to them. For most people, an occasional bee sting causes only a local reaction (e.g., a welt at the spot) unlike Violet who can get a whole body reaction (e.g., trouble with breathing). Living in a wooded setting as we did at the time, a setting that is also attractive to bees, it was inevitable that our lives were going to cross. We learnt to live with them being around.
Bees. There are all kinds of bees and wasps, just as there are many kinds of unsheltered and for many reasons. There are the delightful bumble bees that are big and bumble around pointlessly. Carpenter bees drill holes in wood. Yellow jackets like the idea of hanging around food and people eating food. Typically, their homes are in less trodden areas. Then there are the hornets and common wasps that build different styles of nests. If their nests get knocked down at inception (e.g., deck railings), they leave. Like us, bees can become testy on a hot summer day or if we bump them. But bees like most unsheltered, mean no harm, regardless of our perceptions.
The unsheltered. People become unsheltered for all different reasons. Abuse, drug addiction, a history of poverty, and mental or physical health challenges are among them. While we may not know any one unsheltered, we may know someone dear to us who would have become unsheltered but for timely intervention. Some prefer an unsheltered life, but many are unsheltered because they cannot afford shelter — whether or not they are employed — as housing shortage is acute and costs have become prohibitive in cities across the world. For the foreseeable future, there will be a certain percentage of the population that is unsheltered for one reason or the other, so city planning just needs to take them into account. Planning also needs to be cognizant that “one size fits all” solutions will not work.
No, the unsheltered can’t be treated like bees. Unlike bees, the unsheltered don’t sting. And unlike bees that can disappear into the woods if their nests are knocked down, the unsheltered cannot just disappear if their encampments are removed. They have to be some place where basic amenities are accessible. Telling them they can’t be unsheltered before offering them any alternatives is not right. The New York Times reports that recently the city council of San Jose in California unanimously voted to clear a city park, though there’re not enough beds to accommodate all displaced. The Times also reports that the city of Frisco in Colorado has a parking area where bathroom facilities are available and where locally employed people are allowed to shelter in their vehicles, a questionable solution that is perhaps better than driving them out.
When we encounter the unsheltered in person or hear of a municipal legislation related to them, we need to remember this first and foremost: They are human, and they deserve to be treated with dignity. A lack of affordable housing is a problem. Unsheltered people are not.
Happy May Day!
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
If you wish to be included in the mailing list to receive VijayViolet writings as they are published, please email vijayviolet2020@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line. To unsubscribe, write mail with Unsubscribe in the subject line. There will be no unwanted mails. Your email will not be distributed.
