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‘Better than giving free ride’

Being idle promotes feelings of inadequacy and depression

Editor, The News:

Re: Housing: So what happens next? (The News, April 1).

Instead of proposing to purchase a town-centred, established property or a building lot, consider buying a farm land – there are a few for sale around here – and get them to work for their keep.

Being idle promotes feelings of inadequacy and depression. Add drug addiction to that scenario and those feelings are stronger.

Being productive and growing food to share within a community environment might be part of a bigger answer.

It’s better than giving people a free ride, which could encourage them to continue down a road that will inevitably end in sorrow.

I know how some of you may respond, so let me add, no, I don’t exactly have sympathy for the majority of those in question because I’ve have seen too many ultimately return to bad habits and environments, primarily because they have lost self respect and esteem they may have once had and are being mollycoddled by well intentioned, frequently misguided individuals.

Give them back their will to live life to its fullest by actually doing something beneficial rather than providing free needles and drugs.

Give them an opportunity to regain their self respect and esteem, but more importantly a reason to want to.

Carmen Borthwick

Maple Ridge