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"LEGALIZE" THE RIGHT to SLEEP!
Every night thousands of people don't know where to go to sleep.
Sleep they have to, eventually, and in order to get some rest they
are forced to trespass, for which they are frequently penalized.
The homeless trespass where-ever they go most of the time, in fact.
When they move from place to place (they cannot well be denied
that--all "normal" people do that) they are somewhat safe. However,
when it comes to trying to get some rest (which "normal" people do
at their residence they own, or at places that they rent), they
become conspicuous, an object of scrutiny, and unless utterly
inured to their predicament, they are made uncomfortable.
As a result of all this, the homeless rarely, if ever, get a proper
rest. Even for the few, who go to spend the night in an "emergency
(a state of existence that for some is protracted to the day they
die) shelter", the place, usually, is not designed with providing
comfort to them in mind. Those who, out of choice, or out of
necessity, have to spend the night outdoors, have to hide from
being found by either the law enforcers, or other desperate people
who prey on the weaker ones, and there are fewer and fewer places
to hide. Not getting proper rest becomes a way of life. One's
senses become dulled, one's judgment suffers; tired people make
fewer wise decisions, and it is a short distance from being a
trespasser to being a criminal and/or a substance abuser. Who had
not any problems with the law, or was not a substance abuser before
becoming homeless, has a far greater opportunity to become so when
tired, and not being able to think clearly.
It is a conclusion that requires no great wisdom to make that the
society, as a whole, does not benefit from having any of its
members not being able to make sensible decisions about their
lives. It should also be wholly unnecessary to point out the great
advantages of having a society of people who are able to get a rest
needed for their functioning well.
Mistakenly, many people think that the right to sleep is implicit;
that it is a right that does not have to be legalized. Many think
so, till they find out otherwise, either first-hand by becoming
homeless, or becoming awakened to the needs of others (a less and
less happening occurrence).
Sadly--it feels indecent to point out a truth--but there are such
that benefit from others' misery, undoubtedly, otherwise how could
such an injustice (a thing very obvious to a sane mind) persist?
Why not follow reason and legalize the right to sleep? Imagine a
society where everybody had an explicit right to rest! It would be
a beginning of a new, saner era.
CREDIT and DEDICATION
© - "ModelEarth"; re-producing of the
above is permitted only without changing of the content.
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