Editor, The News:
Re: Maple Ridge ‘tent city’ quieter than provincial campground, pastor finds.
It is easy to condemn that which we do not understand.
On the surface, we see individual failures – people who made poor choices, and deserve the position they are in.
But when you embed yourself into their position, you see differently; you see a societal failure, whether it be a lack of parenting or people in authority not doing there part, or a lack of means to truly rebuild their lives.
When you listen to each story, and hear how they have been systematically failed by people who have as much power over their lives as they have, you see the need to let go of judgments and make an honest effort to give each human the right to regain a life of dignity and respect.
Within the Anita Place homeless camp, you see a people who care for each other, and love each other – a real family.
Looking from the inside out, you see hatred, judgment, and no real chance at redemption.
How can we expect a person to want to join a society in which all they see is malice and contempt?
We cannot sincerely say we want to help these people, and in the same breath insult them. The two are not compatible, and if placed together, the speaker must be rejected.
To help them is to show them a better way at doing life, and this I deem to be a failure on our part.
And until we can correct our faults, they will remain a broken people within a broken society.
Nathan Sands
Maple Ridge