It's A Complicated Issue

 I work in downtown Cleveland and it's no different than any other downtown in a city in regards of the homeless population. Most of the homeless population that I experience around the city of Cleveland ask for money, food and etc., if I have something, I'll give it to them but if I don't have anything they leave me alone. The homeless or the unfortunates around where I work are aggressive verbally. I don't think they mean to, but they are. It's interesting because some days they are really aggressive but the next day, they are so polite. I don't want to assume but my prediction is some of them have mental issues. Sometimes I feel extending grace to them but other times, I have to be firm with them and be slightly aggressive right back. For example, it was an unfortunate individual who wanted food and when an employee of the restaurant said no (in a polite manner), the unfortunate individual said FUCK YOU. The rest of the employees didn't want to have anything to do with him after that and rightfully so but during those situations dealing with unfortunates (hopefully nobody will get offended by that word), I feel bad by turning him away like that because that God's creation. I know he shouldn't have said what he said but at the same time, he is suffering internally and maybe externally. When I was working for Catholic Charities, they always told us that when people lash out, its not because of our doing, it's because of what they are going through.  I try to be empathetic every day, all day but at the same time, its hard. I think this is a deeper matter involving mental health in general and people who DO want to take their medication and people who DON'T want to take their medication vs.  the people who want to be better but can't afford the medication. Mental health is a complicated issue but in regards of the pricing of the medication that people seriously need, that SHIT should be simple and cheap.