Homeless Voice; The Passion

HOMELESS

McDonald’s Help Homeless Once Again

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his past weekend McDonald's fattened the wallets of 15 customers with milliondollar prizes, payouts from an instant-win giveaway in which anyone got a chance to win just for wandering into one of the fast-food restaurants on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. But, because the $15 million giveaway was sparked by scandal, few customers seemed aware they could become a millionaire.

"I don't know anything about it," said Sheridan Honore, a high school teacher eating at a Manhattan McDonald's, on the first day of the 2004 Instant Prize Giveaway. "Where are the game pieces?" (There were none.)

When Jessica Santiago, a student sitting upstairs from Mr. Honore, was asked what she knew of the giveaway, she gave a blank stare and slowly shook her head no.

The empty looks and confusion may seem odd in light of McDonald's marketing brawn and savvy. But they stem from the giveaway's genesis in 2001, when Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that popular McDonald's promotions based on the Monopoly game and the TV show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" had been rigged for six years.

McDonald's was not (Continued on page 4)

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“H

ere comes Peter Cottontail...hopping down the bunny trail….”

That is probably the most well-known of kids Easter songs.

And coloring eggs and having Easter egg hunts. I think just about all Christian churches have them.

I used to fill Easter baskets with candy (until the kids got older and then they got more essential items). Just like with the reindeer at Christmas, we used to put a carrot out for the bunny. I made bunny tracks with flour across the carpet...any thing that would make the day and occasion more fun for the kids.

When we grow up, we realize there is more to Easter than the bunny...just as we do with the other holidays or holydays. Which brings me to the question: what is the difference? It can be found in the letter of each word. Look at the word holiday. “I”, we, me, you are the center.

Basically, what will we do to celebrate and enjoy the day. Now look at holyday. Do you see the word

to no avail. Finally he decided that WHY? Why is this day so special? he should become one of them and What does it have to do with my life, show them what he had been talking perhaps how would it influence my about. Our Father head, my heart or had my life? My life in “I hope and pray this ingivenheaven us instruchow I treat myself and how I treat oth- Easter and Passover tions, but we had to be shown. Between ers. season, as well as the date of birth To me , death of Jesus Easter the crux of every day of the year and is that dash, the my religion. dash that was also Christmas and all of for peace in this written about. The Christ’s Passion world.” dash that is what would simply be you have done with the birth and sufferyour life, what you will be rememing of a very wonderful man. With bered for.

Jesus’ Resurrection is the Salvation We are always on a path of the world. The salvation of every person born. It is the proof that Je- somewhere, either coming or going.

As soon as I wrote the first sentence sus Christ is truly the Son of God of this article, I pictured the path that made man. God incarnate.

Jesus walked from the Praetorium to At one time, I had shared Golgotha, the place of his crucifixwith you all, a little story that my ion. And when I mentioned the friend, Germaine, told me one Easter eggs, I thought of life. The Christmas...how this man who had life that comes forth from the egg seen the birds out in the cold of winwhen it hatches or in the case of a ter tried everything he could think of human, when the egg is fertilized to coax them into the warmth and (Continued on page 5) shelter of his barn. He tried and tried

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he Passion. The passion of Christians is simple. Christ died bewhat? The Passion of Christ. Is cause I the writer of this article am there a passion to be Christworthless, I the writer am nothing, I the like? Does the word writer am as dirty describe the Passion of as they come, and the event that took place “Thank you Jesus, when for me to become when they crucified you were on the cross in pure it only can be Jesus? But today there done because Jesus is a passion to be con- severe pain you had the did not chicken out. troversial. Controversial Thank you, the power to snap your over what? killer of Christ, for fingers and remove Some of the doing what God's Jewish felt that Mel yourself form the pain.” plan was. Because Gibson’s film suggested you murdered Jeand blamed the Jews for his death. sus, people like me can gain entrance Some people said it told the truth, some into Heaven. Yes, some Christians will people said it was not antilook a Jew right in the face and tell Semitic. And some people said the them unless they believe Jesus was the movie blamed the Romans. I don't Son of God and that He died for their know what the film portrayed as of sins, they are going straight to hell. We yet, because I did not see it yet. In Christians had better be careful of our Lois' article she states we are all to judging Jesus’ relatives, the Jews. blame for the death of Christ. Whoever As a Catholic I was told to killed Christ is not important. give Jewish people the utmost respects The reason why Christ died is because the Jewish are the chosen peothe important part of the lesson to be ple of God. I was never once taught learned. The lesson to be learned for us that we should hate Jews. One last

Jesus struggles to carry his heavy cross up the hill; so he can be put to death for our sins.

thought, or should I say, one last “Thank You” to Jesus. Thank you Jesus, when You were on the cross in severe pain You had the power to snap Your fingers and remove Yourself from the pain. But You didn't, because You love each and every one of us.

-Sean Cononie scononie@homelessvoice.org

Page 2

Voice

HOMELESS VOICE

Happy Holidays to all. Many of us made a commitment at the beginning of the year to either do something extra or stop doing something we enjoy. Some of us held strong, some of us cheated, some of us didn’t bother to make a commitment because we knew we would not keep it. It is hard to give up something we love or enjoy. We must remember that we can be happy without outside help.

We must search for our inner peace. God help me to be strong. “I have been made weak, so I may become strong.”

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April, 2003

HEALTH

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While they wander in he occurrence of HIV/AIDS search of refuge during the days, is dramatically higher homeless people are exposed to the among homeless people extremes of weather and temperathan in the general population. Apture. Fatigue and weakness are comproximately one-third to one-half of mon legitimate symptoms that are people living with acquired immunemagnified during the struggle to deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the United States are estimated to be survive on the streets, especially for those who must either homeless or at all their imminent risk of “It is a valid argument carry worldly posseshomelessness. Median frequency rates that the use of intrave- sions during their daily walks to noof the human immunous drugs such as where. People with nodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes heroine and other drugs AIDS are preyed AIDS have been that can be broken down on with violence, especially on the found to be at least three times higher in like OxyContin and then first and third days surveyed homeless shot up in the arm is one of the month, when their government populations (3.4%) than in the general -way HIV is pread.” disability checks arrive. Some of the population (less than bad guys wait by 1%). Even higher prevalence rates (8.5% – 62%) have the post office because they know that the Homeless person has no been reported in various homeless address so they have their disability subpopulations, including adults checks come to the post office under with severe mental illness.

“General Delivery” they see them go Homelessness and to the window and get their blue or HIV/AIDS are widespread and interyellow envelope and then follow the secting problems that occur in both person to a check cashing store and urban and rural populations throughonce the check is cashed out the United States. Although the they are robbed of their commonness of HIV is likely to be money. This is the biggest highest in large metropolitan areas, crime on homeless people. there is evidence that the AIDS case Considering some HIV rate is increasing more in nonhomeless people are very metropolitan areas. Even among frail they have no means of persons known to be at highest risk protecting themselves. for HIV infection including indiAntiretroviral viduals who engage in intravenous medications frequently drug use without sterile syringes and/or unprotected sex with infected have debilitating side effects, such as recurrent and often explosive diarpartners — those without stable rhea, yet public bathrooms are scarce housing are more likely to be HIVand often locked to indigents. Some positive, wherever they may live. medications require refrigeration, Several logistical problems face which is unavailable to most homehomeless persons who are ill. Shelless individuals. Many of these drugs ters commonly require overnight have a high value on the black marresidents to leave early each mornket in some areas, and are frequently ing, with the doors opening again in stolen or sold. Despite their disprothe late afternoon. Waits in long portionately high risk for HIV infeclines are required to enter the shelter, tion and transmission, homeless peoobtain a bed ticket, and secure a ple have limited access to medical meal. Tuberculosis and other comcare, which delays the identification municable diseases are common in of HIV. Restricted health care access the crowded, poorly ventilated, doris also a contributing fact of homemitory-style shelters often found in less individuals progressing with the larger cities. disease. Homeless people have a higher prevalence of opportunistic infections and other medical conditions, including tuberculosis, thrush and other smaller infections that would not typically be life threatening to a person who did not have HIV. Homeless people do not adhere to complex HIV treatment regi-

mens present’s special challenges for homeless patients and their caregivers. Many homeless people lack regular access to food, water, and other resources needed to facilitate adherence. Mental illness and chemical dependencies present special challenges to developing and adhering to a plan of care.

While it is important to prescribe HIV therapy for homeless patients desiring treatment who have demonstrated regularity in their daily routines, it is just as important to assure the most effective alternative care (i.e., prophylaxis and treatment of co morbidities) for all HIVinfected patients, including those with more chaotic lives.

Social support is an essential component of HIV care for all patients who are homeless, many of who lack family or friends to help them cope with the added stress of serious illnesses.

Comments of the Homeless Voice

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s one could see, when a Homeless person has HIV/AIDS, it is a harder disease for them and much extra special care must be given to these clients. Not only does the disease hit them harder than people who live indoors or who have a support group to help cope with their disease There are also greater chances for those infected to spread the disease with having no access to condoms or because they have unprotected sex for money in order to have a place to stay or eat a normal meal. Experts in the Homeless community state there is a greater need to teach safe sex practices even when it is a Christian or faith based provider.

Yes we much teach abstinence. You have heard the word.

And how many of us who teach abstinence really practice it? How many of us who teach safe sex always practice it?

We hear these famous words: we did not have sex for several months to make sure we were not going to catch anything off each other. Or, what about these words, “I wanted to get to know him or her better before I had sex with them because I did not want to catch anything.” Or, we used safe sex for the first several months but now that we know each other better it does not matter. Here is a good one “there is a cure now so why use condoms.” THERE IS NO CURE! It is pure magic that Magic Johnson is alive today. Yes, there is medication to prolong your life a little longer and yes, you may live an extra 20 years. But the medication is not guaranteed. The medication that is

To: Our Supporters Stop by our shelter anytime and check out what we do.

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prescribed can make you feel as if you were dying, THERE IS NO CURE! Parents, you had sex when you were younger so talk to your kids.

It is a valid argument that the use of intravenous drugs, such as heroine and other drugs that can be broken down like OxyContin and then shot up in the arm, is one way HIV is spread.

The reason why HIV is transmitted by intravenous drug use is because people use dirty needles.

This means that one person who has HIV shoots up and then a noninfected person uses the same needle and then gets the HIV virus. When they are living on the streets they most likely will have dirty needles.

For those who are not living on the streets there is a chance they too will be using dirty needles. Some drug addicts argue that they always use clean needles, however, when someone is high on heroine their ability to use a clean needle goes away because they are high from the drug and in most cases will fail to make sure they are using a clean needle.

Also it is sometimes difficult for the drug user to get clean needles because of the demand. With these arguments some communities pass out clean needles for those who use drugs. This type of program that gives away needles is titled "Harm Reduction."

Some experts agree this is one way of controlling the spread of HIV and other disagree saying it enables the drug user. Even the ones who argue that this should not be done, agree that the cost associated with indigent HIV care is high and causes a burden on the community because taxes go up to fund these programs. For the people who believe that it enables the drug user to continue to use may believe in human compassion; however, they still feel passing out the needles will do more harm. Others feel that stopping the infection rate of HIV is the correct thing to do. Here at the Homeless Voice we believe that the harm reduction model is the best answer for the community. The money that is being spent on indigent HIV medication can be spent on anti-drug programs and most importantly HUMAN COMPASSION is always the correct thing to do. What do you think? Email you comments to: cleanvsdirty@homelessvoice.org Written by Sean Cononie.

Some of the data and wording for this story was taken from various research projects; and the data was contributed to this story. To respond to Sean you can email him at: scononie@homelessvoice.org.

Voice

Page 4

HOMELESS VOICE

I

Serious Issues for Our Patient Population

ndividuals with schizophrenia are vulnerable to a number of problems that can undermine the quality of their lives.

This issue focuses on some of the most tragic outcomes that are associated with the disease.

These include depression during the course of the illness; suicide that is related to depression or psychosis; incarceration; and homelessness. Other problems that could be added to this list are violent or aggressive behaviors and substance abuse.

The management of depression is an everyday issue for patients with schizophrenia and the clinicians who treat them. At any given time, as many as 25% of these patients will describe themselves as depressed. Depression can occur when patients are experiencing an acute relapse of their illness or when an individual's psychosis has been stabilized on medication. However, the approach to depression in these different phases will differ.

When depression emerges during an acute psychotic episode, the focus of drug treatment should be on the psychosis itself. In the

Caring

great majority of cases, the individual's depression will improve as the psychotic symptoms improve.

Patients who become depressed while psychosis is stable will often benefit from the addition of an antidepressant medication.

As noted in most research, as many as 10% of individuals with schizophrenia will end their own life. Some of these suicides are related to the same factors that are associated with suicide in individuals who do not have schizophrenia. That is, there is an increase in the likelihood of suicide when patients are depressed, when they are living alone, and when they are drinking excessively. Other suicides are more directly related to the illness itself. Patients who are experiencing command hallucinations or frightening delusions may attempt suicide. Others may become hopeless or demoralized when they realize that they are suffering from a seri-

It is not enough to tell someone how much you care Then when you are needed, you can't find time to be there Caring for one another is a wonderful thing to do Many lives can be touched and changed in so many ways by you When you reach and go that extra mile, what fulfillment you feel as a frown turns to a smile Take time to care in your life each day And that song in your heart will never go away.

“As noted in most research, as many as 10% of individuals with schizophrenia will end their own life.” ous and chronic illness. All of these potential causes of suicide can be addressed by family members and clinicians when they are aware of them. Unfortunately, some patients with schizophrenia are poor describers of their internal experience. They can suffer silently since they are unable to articulate the pain that they are experiencing.

Issues such as incarceration and homelessness are more difficult for clinicians to address.

The extraordinary number of seriously ill patients in our prisons is probably a relatively new phenomenon. As noted in this issue, incarceration, substance abuse, and homelessness are problems that tend to occur in the same individuals. Unfortunately, rela-

(Continued from page 1)

implicated in the scheme, which centered on a worker at an outside company that had administered the promotions until then.

Within two weeks, however, the chain moved to make good by giving a total of $10 million to 55 random customers. Winners included a day laborer in Florida who had recently been homeless and sleeping on cardboard boxes.

Unfortunately for McDonald's, and fortunately for this weekend's winners, it turned out that $10 million was not enough to match the scope of the fraud.

"We made a commitment to return this money to our customers that should have been part of the prize pools," said Douglas Freeland, United States marketing director for McDonald's. "With the second giveaway, we will have done that." If the company seemed to do so quietly, Mr. Freeland said, it was because of a deal in January that

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tively little is known about the characteristics of these individuals. As a result, Jim McQuire from this MIRECC and Robert Rosenheck from the MIRECC in New England are studying the needs of seriously mentally ill patients in jail. The goal of this work is to develop new strategies for improving the lives of this growing population of patients.

-Stephen R. Marder

settled a lawsuit brought by two McDonald's customers in 2001. The suit argued among other things that the $10 million makeup giveaway that year essentially benefited McDonald's. "As part of the settlement, we could not make this into a promotion," he said. "These customers had already participated in the promotions."

To spread the word without seeming to make hay, McDonald's last week used understated television commercials, newspaper ads, posters in its restaurants and slips placed in some customers' bags.

That explanation did not satisfy Mr. Honore, the high school teacher. "The fact that they're not telling anyone says to me they don't really care," he said. "What are they so afraid of?"

-Nat Ives New York Times

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Page 5

April, 2004

NEW LIFESTYLES

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couple of weeks ago I did some community service at the Helping People In America Foundation for the Homeless for a community service project. I didn't think very much of the people at first, but through out the course of the day I found that some of the people were just like me. There was only one thing. They were down on their luck, they were less fortunate than me. I bonded and became very close with one particular person. His name was Sean Cononie, the man who took the first step and started it all, the man who saved many lives. He taught me many things, one of them was how to do his job. Though I have only talk to him a few times, I feel that I have known him for a decade. Sean is a wonderful person and so are most of the people at the shelter. The one day

(Continued from page 1)

and grows in stages from an embryo to a fetus to the birth of the baby.

It also reminds me that the egg is also food. In the Catholic faith, the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus...The Egg of Life.

When I was on pilgrimage to Israel, I visited Jesus’ birthplace, the Mount of the Beatitudes where He said, “Blessed are the poor…….”, the Mount of Temptation , the Upper Room where He had his Last Supper, walked the Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Cross, the path of suffering and love, to the place where He was crucified and buried. This is marked by the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the most holy place in Christiandom.

I wondered, tonight, if we would love and praise God in such a way that we do , if it hadn’t been for Jesus’ Passion and Death. We seem to always need some touch feely thing to help us to understand and believe something. Talk about the “shock and awe” of the movie, the Passion (which I haven’t seen yet, but will), what could have been more awesome than the realization that Christ had risen from the dead?

Our heavenly Father, our Creator, however we look at Him in our mind or heart or religion, has time planned to the nth degree. If one millisecond is changed, everything would be altered.

It is a fact that Jesus was a Jew. His family and friends who loved Him were Jews. His “friends” and family who distrusted and ridiculed Him were Jews and so was the population who was fearful of him.

Think of the “leaders” of today who incite riots and cause problems.

People are easily led sometimes, by the someone “in charge.” The Romans did the physical crucifixion, even though Pilate washed his

I spent doing community service has made me think about how I would be if I became homeless, and it has changed my outlook on the less fortunate one hundred and ten percent. So, every time I see someone wearing a homeless voice tshirt asking for money, trying to do his / her job, I try to give them some loose change. Maybe you should take a trip over to one of the Homeless Voice Shelters and it will give you a different view of these wonderful people. Trust me , it will.

-Logan Justin

Logan Justin(L) with Our Friend Johnny(R).

hands and passed the situation right back into the lap of the people, led by the scribes and elders. Yes, the Jews chose the release of Barabbas over Jesus, and called for his crucifixion; prophecy is now fulfilled and history is made. Think about it carefully, WE ARE THE ONES WHO CRUCIFIED HIM. Our sin is what drove those nails into His hands and feet. And it was His love for us that allowed it. It was His Father’s Will that demanded that His children would have a means of salvation. He is a selfish God in that He wants us all to Himself, no sharing. He is a loving God who not only forgives us when we repent, but once He forgives, it is done and over with. God doesn’t make mistakes and He doesn’t hold grudges. We shouldn’t either, don't; you agree?

Tied to Easter is the feast of Passover. There would not be Easter with out Passover. Remember how the change of one instant will change what is to come? Passover commemorates the miraculous Exodus of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt, which is considered one of the most important moments in the development of the Jewish people.

The Jewish people were slaves, and they wanted to be free. The Pharaoh had decreed that all Jewish male babies were to be killed because he felt that the Jewish people were becoming too strong. Passover, Pesach, marks the birth of the Jewish people as a nation led by Moses over 3000 years ago. I read that God gave Moses 613 commandments. “Of these, 365 were “thou shalt not’s” one for every day of the year and the remaining 248 were “thou shalt’s” corresponding to the parts of a man’s body*.” Over the years, of course, they had been abridged.

This is a as much a celebration of their spiritual freedom as the physical liberation from slavery. Their religion is a beautiful one, full of tradition, just like mine. One of

“Each culture and religion is just as wonderful in the eyes of God as the one we hold in our hearts.”

the highlights of this 8 day celebration is the Seder Meal. It too, is filled with tradition and symbolism. Briefly each food on the plate is symbolic. Haroseth, A mixture of chopped walnuts, wine, cinnamon and apples that represents the mortar the Jewish slaves used to assemble the Pharaoh's bricks. Parsley (dipped in salt water), symbolizing Springtime, it is dipped in salt water to remind us of for the tears of the Jewish slaves. Roasted egg, another symbol of spring, shank bone, symbolic of the sacrificial lamb offering, and bitter herbs, reflects the bitter affliction of slavery. During the Seder 4 glasses of wine are poured to represent the 4 stages of the Exodus: Freedom, deliverance, redemption and release. A fifth cup of wine is poured and placed on the Seder table as an offering for the Prophet Elijah, and if I remember correctly there is a complete setting and empty chair closest to the door awaiting his arrival. Years ago, one of the local rabbis officiated, if that is the correct term, at a Seder given at St. Maurice Catholic Church.

There is one more little tid-bit I would like to share. A friend of mine once read a piece in which the word God was spelled as g-d and was really concerned. He thought that there was a problem until I explained that is how the Jewish write His name. I was mistaken as to the reason and just found out recently from another friend… “My understanding is that the ancients, and today's orthodox, felt and feel that to mention God by name was the ultimate in disrespect to the most divine of beings, vis-a-vis they would hyphenate and drop the mid-

dle letter so that they could refer to God without really saying the name.*” So, you see, each culture, each religion has it’s own customs and traditions. Each culture and religion has had it’s time of hardship and persecution. Each culture and religion is just as wonderful in the eyes of God as the one we hold in our hearts.

My aunt used to have a saying: People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Is that what Jesus wrote in the sand?

God holds each and everyone of us in the palm of His Hand and Jesus died for each and everyone of us. If he did this, then who are we to condemn another for anything.

I hope and pray this Easter and Passover season, as well as every day of the year, for peace in this world. It begins with each of us...one step at a time...to open our eyes and minds and hearts to anyone and everything that we feel needs changing...the tax laws, Medicare, college tuition, school problems, global warming, etc. etc., this list goes on and on. Don’t snub your nose at the rich and famous or the poor and homeless because…

There but for the Grace of God or g-d go I. -Lois Cross

Attributes (*) Abbott, Arnold P., “WHEN IN DOUBT… BLAME A JEW”

we need reporters, Call the Homeless Voice 954-410-6275

Voice

Page 6

VOICE UPDATE

HELP PAY OFF OUR MORTGAGE We need just 40,250 people to send in a check for $20.00, Or 1,610 people to send in a check for $50.00, Or 8,050 people to send in a check for $100.00, Or 805 people to send in a check for $1,000, Or Just one wonderful person or business to send a check for the entire $805,000.00 Remember the donation is tax deductible!!

Please send your checks to:

The COSAC Building Fund P.O. Box 292-577 Davie, Florida 33329 We do thank you

O

ur campaign still exists. If we can’t get the mortgage paid off, we would love an interest rate of about 6 percent on the outstanding balance. This would save us about $2000.00 a month. Our mortgage payment go down from $8400.00 a month to approximately $6400.00. We would need the remaining balance financed over 30 years. So, if anybody can find us a mortgage, please let us know.

WE NEED gift certificates for Publix or Winn-Dixie Call 954-925-6466

We Need Reporters, Call the Homeless Voice 954-410-6275 • Talk to your Human Resource Manager about how you can donate money to help the homeless thru a payroll deduction for the COSAC Foundation

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Lets have a PEN N Y DRIVE Get together w ith your friends at w ork and church and school It can be lots of fun and don’t forget Those pennies add up to dollars

Page 7

April, 2004

NATIONAL NEWS

(CBS) The economy is not producing nearly enough jobs to replace the ones that are being lost to a cheaper workforce overseas.

And CBS News Correspondent Anthony Mason reports the job tide is not likely to turn.

Lisa Pineau got the news that her job was being "transitioned" to Toronto in a letter from her boss.

"It's been a real jolt," she said.

A computer programmer in Plano, Texas, Pineau soon discovered she was not alone.

"Everyone I know in and around Dallas is either being offshored or thinking about it," she said.

Outsourcing consultant Michael Corbett says "offshoring," the trend to send jobs to low-wage centers like India and China, is now growing 20 percent per year.

"I think we're really in the middle of a very fundamental transformation of business, of work, of careers," he said. "I think we need to assume it's going to be very painful."

It could be both painful and irreversible. With consumers demanding lower prices and investors demanding higher profits, business is under relentless pressure to cut costs.

American workers may be among the most productive in the world, but they also make on average $16 an hour, and benefits add another six bucks on top of that, reports Mason. A foreign worker with comparable skills comes at a fraction of the cost.

"Protecting jobs leads to job destruction, because if we try to prevent outsourcing, it'll just

make American business less competitive in the world market.

And that will lead to overall job destruction. So for me there's no choice here. We have to outsource," said Marc Andreesen, head of the California-based software company "Opsware," which helps businesses cut costs by automating.

Andreesen says he plans to hire workers in India or Brazil.

"By doing that, what I want to be able to do is get more bang for the buck out of those jobs, so that I can grow faster and so I can hire more people in the U.S.," he said.

Ironically, in this global shift, some Indian companies are now even off-shoring their jobs to China, which means the tech job Lisa Pineau lost is going so far away, it's probably never coming back.

"It's just left a sour feeling in my stomach," she said.

After more than a year of looking, Pineau is thinking about buying a sandwich shop.

Comments of the Homeless Voice merican Express has taken the word American out of its credit card. Some people who complained told the Homeless Voice the card should be called the India Express. When customers call the customer support line to go over credit card balances their call is routed to India where an English speaking person tries to assist them. However cardholders have been complaining of the service they are getting. Although they speak English they are not familiar with American terminology and slang words. In some cases this upsets the cardholder. Mr. James Russon, a former card member of American Express claims he closed his account as soon as he found out that the person he was speaking too was living in India. "I am not prejudice, I don't want my personal charges to be available to people in foreign countries and

A

"Protecting jobs leads to job destruction, because if we try to prevent outsourcing, it'll just make American business less competitive in the world market."

Marc Andreesen, software company owner

the level of service is something I do not agree with.

I had to repeat myself over and over for the person to understand I was talking about a ‘charge back’ the person only knew the word ‘dispute and not charge back.’ Besides I don’t want my business over seas.” Some experts agree that it may save the big business millions of dollars and makes the investor get better returns on their profits. Not only saving money it allows the American company to have a lower end price to the consumer.

When this happens it places more money back in the economy helping the over all economy.

But on the other hand, it creates a large amount of unemployment taking a toll on the over all economy. Alice Funston, an unemployed mom of two blames the Bush Administration. She said, "I voted for President Bush and he has done nothing but give away my job as well as thousands of jobs to overseas people. I am an American and my job was lost to a person who pays nothing for this county. Not only does the person not pay anything back to America, but our tax dollars usually end of up protecting the foreign land as well as giving large amounts of aid. Who is giving my family aid? Surely not President Bush.”

We at the Homeless Voice feel that jobs should not be placed over seas and that if American workers need to compete to overseas prices than the

whole scheme of things must change, starting with affordable low cost housing. If housing is cheaper where an American can get more bang for their buck on their housing they would be able to take a lower wage. Services and goods that are needed no matter what, such as utilities, medicine, and health insurance as well as gasoline should be less expensive. If these items cost America less, than wages could be a little less so jobs won’t be sent over seas. No matter what, if we respond one way it affects another part of the economy. If we respond another way it too also affects another part of the economy. It is a problem that neither the Democrats nor the Republicans can fix without affecting something else. It is easy to criticize, but to fix the overall problem requires a whole new concept. We here at the Homeless Voice do cure certain socioeconomic problems, however, we really have nothing more to offer other because what ever we suggest will affect somebody else. Is there an answer? One answer is to maybe only allow a very small percentage of over seas jobs.

Cast your vote, Should American businesses be allowed to ship their work over seas? If you have any idea to prevent this from happening or a way to solve the problem email us nojobsoverseas@homelessvoice.org Source: CBS News

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