Earlier this year Abbe Pierre, the voice of the homeless in France, passed-away at a hearty 94 years of age. His passing raises some pressing questions including who, if anyone, will be his successor. Pierre had a long, distinguished history that included a stint as a member of the French resistance during World War II and a now-famous call for charity for the homeless during a bitterly-cold 1954 winter. He was a prominent public figure and a tireless advocate for kindness and charity to the less fortunate. Given his great reputation in that country it would be tough to find someone who could follow him.
We might also ask the question in this country -- who is our voice, or face, of homelessness? This is a question of even greater importance in light of research which strongly suggests that human beings consistently demonstrate greater sympathy for the plight of individuals over and above groups. It would seem that someone is needed, but whom? There are some folks with extensive experience being homeless who share their experience through blogs (including the "View from the Sidewalk" out of Greensboro, NC and "The Homeless Guy" from Nashville, TN) but neither have claimed an interest in serving as the voice (or tireless advocate) of an under-served population. There are numerous, and prominent, groups which work to provide representation for the homeless and a large number of individuals who work tirelessly in communities but no figure of national stature.
We'll continue thinking on this some and try to provide some possible answers in the future. If any of our readers have suggestions along these lines we welcome hearing them in the comments section below.
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