I’d like to take a moment to mention the bike lane for some reason.

So we are on similar grounds.

As you've seen, a person with drug addiction doesn't get better over night. But, if said person seeks help and sticks to that help, said person can live a stable life.

However, the person with dimentia, alzheimers, and parkinson's can't just go to AA meetings or stop taking a substance to get better.

How do you know what I am?

You are not a doctor neither, so we must dismiss your posts?

yes, many in the medical field categorize drug addiction as a disease. However, the disease differs in many important respects from the mental illnesses I listed. It doesn't take a doctor to notice that fact. The key word is fact. The only non-fact I have shared was my initial view of withholding empathy for certain homeless people.

and don't forget the other alt account Orangefan71, who has the same schedule and same laser-focus on pvd crime as previous floor.

How I feel? On what grounds do you label my comments based on feeling rather than empirical observation?

Also, what doctors consider drug addiction the same at all levels to parkinson's, alzheimer's, dimentia, and schizophrenia?

You are clueless.

I have actually spent time with homeless people. Have you? If so you'll find some are military vets. Others are civilizians who choose to live on the streets despite pleas from their family. Some have no option because they burnt bridges. There is no one size fits all.

Opioid addiction is not new. Your post appears to present it as such.

You should reconsider your views. Not all homesless people are the same. Some can, and do, make better choices that lead to a stable income and housing. Others can but don't. Others can't.

Obviously, my initial post "get a job; live where you can pay rent" is directed at people who can do both. Some people can't. They suffer from schizophrenia, parkinson's, alzheimer's, dimentia or another mental illness.

People suffering from drug addiction can get better. This situation differs from people suffering from the aforementioned diseases. Of course, the situation is even more complex when a person with schizophrenia is also an addict!

Thats an entirely fabricated story. I have lived here long enough to know exactly when parking enforcement is going to hit certain streets. They don't need to be called, and its hilarious you believe the cops when they tell you "blame your neighbors".

Last year protest was started by advocates and a senator. I found out about it and joined. I slept there and got up in the morning to go to work, then came back to teach a class and then went back to the camp to sleep. The worry was that the state would try to arrest houseless people and having “less vulnerable” people there would bring attention and not put people with limited resources in jail. It was weird to hear or this conspiracies, and then come back to the state house and talk to case workers, veterans, people who used to be houseless, and young people who were in the foster care system. Because of this criticisms, homeless folks decided to set up tents out there this year. If you want you can go out there and bring coffee in the mornings or food. Come and listen to their experiences. And not make shit up. Houseless folks set up tents all around the city all the time, and people don’t give a flying fuck. Maybe if they embarras the people mishandling housing funds, maybe then we will see something done.

I know people with all of the diseases listed above. And guess what - drug addiction doesnt "just get better". That's an ignorant, naive statement.

If you knew people with any of the diseases you mentioned, you would understand this. But its apparent you do not.

You aren't a Doctor. Drug addiction is a disease. Your feelings aren't facts.

Earth. How about you?

The alternative was a non-RI transplant con-artist who had no business trying to run for Governor.

McKee was an extremely weak candidate, but RI repubs ran a garbage candidate.

Sure, but an addict's plight differs from the schizophrenic's.

Addicts can attend meetings. People suffering from schizophrenia, alzheimer's, parkinson's and dimentia can't just get better.... medication only helps them so much.

If you know people with all the aforementined diseases then you will understand this intuitively.

But they won’t ticket unless you call the providence police number. This is direct quote from the providence police supervisor - unless you call PPD between 1-5am - no one is going to ticket a car. They aren’t driving around all night looking for ticketing oops. It’s purely a dispatched only situation.

Remember this happened last year after promises to find solutions were made. Everything was forgotten until this year. The approach seems to be “out of sight out of mind” and I think they are trying to keep it “in sight”.

You two are on the same side, fyi.

Affordable in this case meant 5% of units for people making $42,000 per year and 5% for people making $42,000-72,000 per year. You should watch the video with Joan Ryan’s smug face dismissing people testifying against it. Or how Goncalves talked about homelessness to justify pardoning taxes for this building. Our city council is just a bunch of puppets.

Parking enforcement is out every night, specifically looking for people parked on the street. The cops rarely if ever are ticketing parked cars.

You know addicts who get better, but they are never cured. Its always one bad day away from relapse.

You aren't a Doctor, your feelings aren't facts.

bro what WORLD do you live in? holy shit

> I have little empathy for people who make poor life choices then continue to make them then seek others foot the bill.

A profound percentage of the homeless in RI and MA became that way through no fault of their own through simply experiencing a medically traumatic event and subsequently trusting their doctor and their pharmacies who over prescribed them opioids during their recovery. Once that shit grabs hold, it's damn near impossible to live without a constant supply. Particularly when it does actual good for your physical ailments that just wont go away unless you take whatever drug it is you're addicted to.

This was by design, and the victims were lied to when it was purposefully advertised as non-addictive. Mix that with lack of support systems (i.e. family support)and in many, many cases, it can lead to a vicious, endless cycle of addiction that can plague a person right into homelessness.

I highly urge you to reconsider your view on homelessness. It's so much more complicated than simply telling them "Get a job" or "Stop doing what you're doing" without considering what needs to be done in order to get them on their way (safe injection sites, drug treatment centers, sober houses, compassionate job programs that invite those who have previous convictions or wrong doings, etc).

That's how you feel. You're not a doctor

Most elected democrats in RI are low key republicans. It’s an illusion that we are a blue state.

Right. I understand the optics of the situation aren't great, but jesus what else did you expect to happen? Shits about to get real cold real fast. Allowing people to camp out on marble and brick right outside the state house was just not an acceptable option when there are warming stations at just about every couple miles throughout the city and beyond.

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No. You are conflating two different types of phenomena.

Schizophrenia is a disease. People cannot avoid it.

Doctors have categorized drug addiction as a disease. It is avoidable. It can be overcome.

Try to overcome dimentia or parkinson's.

Have you ever known anyone with these diseases? I know addicts who get better then lead productive lives... and know people who eventually die from parkinson's, fade away with dimentia, and live in perpetual care with schizophrenia.

Sure, some addicts end up dead. But with help they can live better lives. The other three diseases differ in all respects. Even if someone takes meds for schizophrenia, said person is never really ok and must continue taking meds.

That's contrary to what doctors say. Your feelings aren't facts

Where's your PhD again?