The Contributor, November 2008

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Vol. 1 • No. 8 November ‘08

All Profits Benefit Our Vendors

www.nashvillecontributor.org

Inside this Issue: Vulnerability Index t Be Meek ’ n !

Do

Implementation

BY JUDITH TACKETT judithtackett@hotmail.com

ark Center under Will Connelly’s leadership is changing its homelessness outreach approach, starting to engage a vulnerability index.

The vulnerability index was developed by Common Ground, a homelessness outreach and housing program in New York City.

Connelly, who leads Park Center’s homelessness out-

P ‘ L i L’ Ze k

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Vo te

Homeless Hillbillies.............12

reach team, invited Becky Kanis, director of innovations at Common Ground, to speak at a workshop at Nashville’s Downtown Partnership offices in September.

Kanis explained that the vulnerability index clearly identifies who the most vulnerable homeless individuals in the city are and helps providers to immediately step in and provide services.

“Homelessness is really lethal,” Kanis said. “I don’t think many people realize that.”

Continued on Page 4

Nonprofit Offers Permanent Housing to Tent City Residents

BY WILL CONNELLY will.connelly@parkcenternashville.org

rban Housing Solutions (UHS), a nonprofit that manages and develops low-income housing in Nashville, is offering permanent housing to at least nine current Tent City residents thanks to housing subsidies made available through the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency’s Section 8 program.

These housing units will be ready before the much publicized homeless encampment is slated for closure on November 1st.

Rusty Lawrence, director of UHS and a long-time mover and shaker in the Nashville service provider community,

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decided that UHS could help once he heard about the situation that Tent City residents are now facing. “This is a clear example of solving homelessness one person at a time.

That’s what [UHS] is all about.”

Once the residents move in to their apartments, case management services will be offered from a group of social service agencies including Mental Health Cooperative, Eckman/Freeman and Park Center. Other individuals and groups will also lend support to ensure the new tenants have what they need to ease the transition from camp life, retain their housing and achieve long-term stability.

More on Tent City...page 5

Who are We? ......................2

Leap of Faith: Americans Face a Stark Choice

Tent City ..............................5

(The Big Issue Australia)

Outreach ..............................4

BY RUDY LOHMAN AND TAMAR HEATH

Life........................................7 Now Hiring ..........................9 Save the Date ......................11 Street Interview ..................13 Hoboscope ..........................14 Scramble ..............................14 Crossword............................15 Provider Map ......................16

bama and McCain: Democrat and Republican; black and white; young and old.

Americans face a stark choice…at a difficult time.

The Greek columns are a worry. When Barack Obama made his acceptance speech in Denver as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee late in August he had fake columns as a stage backdrop.

What was he thinking? For sheer hubris, or simply delusions of grandeur, the columns almost matched Bob Hawke’s regal arrival by boat at Sydney’s Opera House for the ALP’s of-

O

ficial campaign launch in the 1987 Australian federal election. (Apart from anything else, the boat seemed unnecessary: at the time, Hawkey appeared convinced he could walk on water.)

The then-PM’s ensuing speech is remembered only for his claim that “by 1990, no Australian child will be living in poverty”. Wrong! But Hawke comfortably won the election: he hadn’t lost his popular touch. Obama today is much more of an unknown quantity.

With the election now imminent (4 November in the US) he is poised to become the first black US president. And yet, despite all his monologues and memoirs, there is still much about him that is unknown. His rival for the White House, veteran Republican John McCain,

has portrayed Obama as dangerously inexperienced, an empty suit. And you do have to wonder why anyone wanting to sell himself as a man of substance would agree to fake pillars as a backdrop for the most important speech of his life.

Can you make too much of columns? Of course. Yet presidential elections have swung on less. Legend has it that Richard Nixon’s five o’clock shadow counted against him in 1960, making him appear shiftier than his younger Democratic rival, John F Kennedy. Think of Michael Dukakis, George Bush Sr’s opponent in 1988, and you think of an embarrassed bookishtype in a borrowed helmet awkwardly posing in a tank for an ill-considered photo op.

Dukakis as commander-in-

chief? Not likely. Al Gore looked wooden and tetchy up against folksy George W Bush in the presidential debates of 2000; four years later, John Kerry ran against not only Bush but also the mixed signals sent by his extravagant head of hair.

Adlai Stevenson, unsuccessful Democratic candidate in successive elections in the 50s, once claimed: “In America, anyone can become president.

That’s just one of the risks you take.” But until now, nobody other than a white (many would say whitebread) male has ever been as close to the White House as Obama, the 47-year-old senator from Illinois.

Continued on Page 6

Our Editors:

Editorial Board: Tasha French President

Steve Samra Vice President

Mark Lemley Secretary

Tom Wills Treasurer; Director of Vending

Ray Ponce de Leon Lead Reporter

Will Connelly Administrative Director

Contributors: “Cowboy” Luttrell Vendor Recruiter

Tera Carringer Intern

Jeannie Alexander Jerry Andreasen Karren Andreasen Peter Cole Laurie Green Timothy Hall Brian Huskey Lindsey Krinks Ken Locke Judith Tackett Brandie Wooten

e Contributor Inc. P.O. Box 332023 Nashville, Tn 37203 nashvillecontributor.org 615-598-0061

Tasha French is a photographer and graphic designer from Huntsville, Alabama. She became interested in homelessness in 2002 upon moving to Nashville and working downtown.

She has since shadowed various outreach workers on the street, photographing and interviewing homeless individuals. This project can be found at: www.sanshouses.com.

Steven Samra is a homeless outreach worker who’s spent much of his life mired in poverty, homelessness and drug addiction. He kicked his drug addictions in 2000 went to college and has been able to steadily improve his lifestyle as a result. He runs two local blogs; stonesoupstation.blogspot.com and findsteve.blogspot.com and spends most of his time wandering the streets of Nashville with his dogs, Kialai and Kuma, trying to make the lives of the less fortunate a little better each day.

Mark Lemley is a frustrated writer, stunted musician, underdeveloped sculptor and successful coffee shop manager from Texas, or maybe California, depending on whom you ask. Mark moved to Nashville in 2003 and loves being close to downtown life and culture.

Mark is interested in the ways that downtown business interacts with those experiencing homelessness and hopes that The Contributor will be a positive voice in the downtown conversation.

Tom Wills is a local artist, Nashville native and a member of The Downtown Presbyterian Church where he and other artists have studio space. He has been volunteering for 13 years at the church's weekly lunch for the urban poor.

He was also a founding member of Belcourt Yes!, a non-profit formed to reopen the Belcourt Theatre in Hillsboro Village. He runs a blog reprinting two devotional texts chosen by theologian/poet Charles Williams: tomwills.typepad.com/thenewchristianyear Ray Ponce de Leon hails in equal parts from Detroit Michigan and Tampa Florida. Since childhood he's had a passion for telling jokes, drawing cartoons, and writing songs. Ray came to Nashville to become a country and western songwriter, but upon discovering a great dislike for country and western music, he turned his attention to writing an as of yet unstaged rock opera about his like-named predecessor Ponce De Leon. Formerly homeless, Ray likes living in Nashville because "hardly a day can go by where you don't make a new friend. There's jerks, like in every town, but the good people outweigh the jerks."

Will Connelly cut his teeth on the streets as an outreach worker for MDHA providing information and services to the homeless. He now assists homeless individuals in applying for disability benefits and housing through Park Center and the Mayor’s Homelessness Commission. To his embarrassment, his mentors are Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville because they once sang, “I don’t know much, but I know I love you.”

e Contributor • October 2008 • Page 2

Our Mission and Policy: The Contributor's goal is to provide a diversity of perspectives on the condition of homelessness and to highlight the contributions of homeless and formerly homeless individuals while providing a source of income. All of the vendors selling this paper are either homeless or formerly homeless.

Editorials and features in The Contributor are the perspectives of the authors. Submissions of news, opinion, fiction, art and

poetry are welcomed in hopes of providing a diversity of perspectives on the issues of homelessness and poverty.

The Contributor reserves the right to edit any submissions.

Submissions and requests to volunteer, donate or purchase ad space or subscriptions can be emailed to: thecontributorstaff@gmail.com Or mailed to: The Contributor P.O. Box 332023 Nashville, TN 37203

Our Vendors’ Rights: Central to The Contributor’s Function as Media A Primer

BY TOM WILLS Director of Vending WillyWonkaIs@gmail.com Contributor Vendors have rights.

Our vendors have the right to sell The Contributor for profit on the pubic sidewalk.

They have the right to do so without licenses or authority from the government.

They have the right to speak and / or to use signs.

They have the right to sell free from harassment by passers by, property owners, or officers of the law.

And, they have this right as long as they respect the rights of others.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The vendors of The Contributor are upholding a grand American tradition, granted to them by the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This is the freedom of the press. It is more than just the right of “we the people” to write and to publish freely, but also the right to freely distribute that which “we” have printed.

While, the distribution of newspapers cannot infringe on the rights of others, such as the right to private property, the right to sell newspapers in the public space free from government interference is a solid American tradition. So solid in fact, that Thomas Jefferson felt that the newspaper was more important to the freedom of the country than the government itself.

Jefferson wrote: “[W]ere it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”1 Nashville’s own Metropolitan Code of Laws governs street vendors and street musicians dictating where they can and cannot work in the public space. But, these laws are carefully worded to avoid infringing on the rights of the press. For instance, Chapter 13.08.040 of the Metropolitan Code of Laws was amended in on Sept. 15th, 1998 to not apply to “Vendors exclusively engaged in the sale of newspapers, magazines, periodicals or other such written items … and who do not utilize a cart, wagon, or any other mobile device or vehicle to sell such written materials.”2 The Contributor is a Street Newspaper. A Street Newspaper is defined by the North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA) as, “a newspaper that primarily addresses issues related

to poverty and homelessness and is distributed by poor or homeless vendors”. Thus, our mission is not only to educate by word and image, but also to introduce our readers to the poor and homeless members of their community who sell the paper.

This is also partaking of an inherent role that media plays in a free society. As Marshal McCluhan eloquently states, "The press is a group confessional form that provides communal participation."3 This is to say that we have the duty as journalists to engage the issue of poverty communally. And this begins with our vendors greeting you on the sidewalk, in the public sphere offering to sell a copy of The Contributor for a buck.

We invite you to participate in this exercise in media, which one of our founding fathers found to be more important than government itself. Buy a copy. Write a letter to the editor. Subscribe.

Write an article yourself. And, respect our vendors’ rights. They are sacred to our country.

1 Letter to Colonel Edward Carrington, Jan. 16, 1787, taken from The Life and Writings of Thomas Jefferson, eds. A. Koch and W. Peden (New York: Random House, 1944), pp.

411-12.

2 ORDINANCE NO. O98-1191 3 Understanding Media (Cambridge: MIT Press, 1964), p. 210.

.VENDORS.

Vendors of the Month Congratulations to our vendors of the month: Jerry and Karren Andreasen. eir diligence, innovation, team-spirit and kind conversation has led them to record sales and we are glad to have them on board. Look for their articles in this issue, and for them vending on 3rd & Broadway.

Goal-Driven Vendors of the month aim for the future

BY JERRY ANDREASEN Vendor of the Month Homeless Writer thecontributorstaff@gmail.com This is not the end, my friend, but only the beginning for us here.

We must take each day and live as if it will never end.

We make choices in life that ultimately decide for us the path we run in life. But we can create our own direction if we only choose to.

We must want more than we need in order to have. Look at it this way. If I set my goals high, I’ll never achieve them. If I set them too low, I’ll achieve them but still not have what I need.

So you ask, “How do I know?”

Well, I don’t know for you, but in my case I look at what I need and at what I would like to have. I find a common ground to dig in to and go for it. That way, I can reach my goal, get what I need, and have just a little extra each day. That’s a bonus!

Yes, I said “each day,” because I have learned that we must take each

day as it comes, one day at a time.

Because then and only then can we make it in life.

Most of the time we give up because we set unattainable goals for ourselves. Then we get discouraged when we are unable to reach them.

However, if we just do it one day at a time, and go for the little bonus, after a while we will see them add up more and more. We will feel better about ourselves and set our goals higher and higher each day, reach them, and so on and so on.

The reason my wife and I started to sell The Contributor was only for extra change, even though we could eat and get clothes and find almost everything we needed. But then we sold and sold the paper, and we became less and less dependent on some system to go and find food.

Then our goal was to use the paper for clothing and food, and that worked. We have plenty of clean clothes and food to eat and even extras, like the other day when we went to The Dollar Store and got new socks and underwear. And re-

member how I told you about the bonuses? We went to Mike’s Ice Cream for a cone of homemade ice cream. Now, that’s a bonus!

So now you might ask us what’s next. Well, for us we’re still selling The Contributor paper, but now we’re saving 50 cents on each dollar to find enough money to rent a place to get off the streets. Then our next goal will be to help someone else with the paper and teach them how to set goals they are able to reach.

So wish us luck, pray and (most of all) when you see us come up and buy a paper. Or just wish us luck, because just knowing someone cares enough to stop by and say “Hi” makes it so much easier to reach our goals.

Thanks for reading this and keep on reading The Contributor.

We will keep you updated on where we’re at and most of all when we reach our goal. After all, when we do it’s because of you. So thanks so much for being a “contributor” in our life.

Blessings upon you. Thanks!

Note to Downtown Businesses: The Contributor Vendors are Your Alternative to Panhandlers

BY TOM WILLS Director of Vending WillyWonkaIs@gmail.com The word on the street is that downtown business owners are fed up with panhandlers setting up shop outside their doors. Guess what? The Contributor is your alternative.

I can almost guarantee you that if a Contributor vendor sets up outside your storefront, panhandlers will eventually move somewhere else.

Not only is The Contributor offering homeless and formerly homeless persons a legal, constitutionally protected alternative to panhandling, it is offering business owners protection.

No we are not looking for “protection money”. We are not the mob.

We are your guardian angels. We are your friend on the street, offering your customers warm smile and an alternative to the panhandler.

The Downtown Partnership has lobbied on your behalf with a “Please Help Don’t Give Campaign”. They have even chipped in to buy bus tickets for homeless persons to leave town with the help of the local police. A new anti aggressive panhandling law is on the books. “Quality of life” citations from Metro Police have risen dramatically in the past year. Yet your problem still remains and Metro’s courts

are swamped with petty cases that ruin lives.

Why is this? It is because your customers intrinsically want to help and they want to give. The question, “Hey buddy, got a dime?” is as American as apple pie. So is the guilt and shame of inequity. The American dream is not a reality for everyone, yet.

Empathy is stronger than any panhandling law. So, as long as your customers “hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal,” they will give to a person in need.

If Americans will give, regardless of your pleas for them not to, why not invite a Contributor Vendor to work outside your shop, restaurant or bar?

The story of The Contributor Vendor is the story of the American dream. These men and women are courageous enough to work for themselves. To stand for their constitutionally protected right to sell papers on the sidewalk, and to earn money rather than to beg for it.

Your customers will want to support them, and will see the advantage of buying from our vendors over giving money to those that merely ask.

And maybe, just maybe, those that merely ask will see the value in becoming a vendor. And your support will help one of them make a change rather than just ask for it.

e Contributor • November 2008 • Page 3

.OUTREACH.

Off the Streets Back Onto the Streets

BY MARK LEMLEY writemarklemley@gmail.com Robert Haygood spent the beginning of his life as an addict. He wants to live out the rest of his life as an inspiration. "I like to read success stories and I think I am one" Haygood says, "I'd like to be an encouragement to those people who have been in my situation. What I've been is homeless."

Haygood spent almost 40 years on and off the streets and in and out of prison. Beginning in his twenties, Haygood struggled with addiction to alcohol which eventually progressed to hard drugs. It was an addiction which kept him homeless. He calls himself a "chronic relapser" who could clean himself up for a few months, but could never maintain sobriety.

He came to Nashville in 1999 with the intention of getting sober and off the streets for good. It came, but it didn't come easily. After a brush with death due to alcohol abuse and physical neglect, Haygood finally had his moment of clarity. "I didn't quit because I wanted to," he says, "I quit because I had to."

After realizing the severity of his problem, Haygood was able to achieve his goals. With the help of Nashville service organizations, he got off the streets and moved into subsidized housing at the the James Robertson Apartments. He discovered the keys to sobriety when he finally committed to Alcoholics Anonymous. "People tell me 'it's a miracle that you're sober.'" Haygood says, "I tell them 'No, it's a miracle I'm not dead. Everything else I've had to work for.'"

These days Robert Haygood still spends his time on the streets. However, now his goal is to lend a hand to

American Homelessness in the New Millennium PART 2

BY BRIAN HUSKEY thecontributorstaff@gmail.com

The beginnings of a “grate” society

Robert Haygood. Photo by Tasha French those he meets. He helps people who struggle with the problems he knows best: addiction and homelessness.

Haygood encourages people experiencing homelessness to "take advantage of every resource you can find." A strong advocate of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, Haygood loves to connect people with the program that will serve them best.

"I meet people on the street and they don't have a clue where they’re sup-

“Vulnerability Index” Continued from Page 1 Generally, the most vulnerable individuals are people with the most co-occurring risk factors who have been homeless for the longest.

The vulnerability index is created with help of a survey that determines whether a person has been more than six months homeless AND experiences at least one of the following: • Suffers from an end stage renal disease; • Has a history of cold weather injuries such as frost bites; • Suffers from liver disease or cirrhosis; • Has HIV/AIDS; • Is over 60 years old; • Has had three or more emergency room visits in the prior three months; • Has had three or more ER or hospitalizations

e Contributor • November 2008 • Page 4

posed to get help," he says.

In his spare time, Haygood is taking classes at Nashville College of Business & Technology. In November, he will graduate with an associate’s degree in business office management.

Haygood encourages anyone dealing with addiction and homelessness to contact him. You can reach Robert Haygood at 615-568-6913.

President John F. Kennedy had a severely mentally ill sister, and he championed the Community Mental Health Center Construction Act. The legislation was designed to release mentally ill persons from the custodial care of state mental hospitals to any “less restrictive environment,” with their ongoing care to be provided by outpatient community-based “mental health centers.” Noted research psychiatrist Dr. E. Fuller Torrey (1988) claims that no feasibility study was done, no pilot project was conducted, and there was no evidence that the care of mentally ill persons could be shifted from state hospitals to such community-based care. The centers — non-existent at the time the bill passed in October 1963 — were woefully inadequate and provided no care whatsoever for the chronically mentally ill. It was the beginning of deinstitutionalization and, according to Dr. Torrey, “the signpost to a ‘grate’ society” (p. 138).

In the fifteen years that followed, more than 500,000 people

in the prior year; and • Is “tri-morbid”, which means he or she is mentally ill and abuses substances and has a chronic health condition.

6. Analyze data; 7. Brief the community on findings; and 8. Develop a housing action plan based on the results.

The goal of the vulnerability index is to identify the most vulnerable homeless people and place them into permanent supportive housing (housing with wraparound services) in order to prolong their lives.

Connelly told the close to 60 workshop participants that he would call on them to participate in conducting surveys with the local homeless and help Park Center create an accurate vulnerability index. The index will identify individuals with a picture and name, so that outreach workers can find them once housing has been located.

So far, Park Center and other local outreach workers have helped individuals on a “first-come-first-served” basis. The vulnerability index is designed to create a more targeted effort and has shown wide success in New York City, New Orleans, Santa Monica, Los Angeles

Basic steps to implement the vulnerability index include: 1. Convene community stakeholders; 2. Identify an area of focus; 3. Train surveyors; 4. Conduct a baseline count; 5. Administer surveys (preferably during early morning hours);

were released from state mental hospitals. Though some of the frail and elderly were “transinstitutionalized” to nursing homes, most were released to boarding care homes or to the streets. In addition, many Vietnam War veterans returning from service with significant mental health needs became homeless (Baum & Burnes, 1993).

Several other factors impacted the late 20th-century increase in homelessness, including urban renewal movements that reduced available housing for the poor; the loss of jobs as the United States shifted from a manufacturing to a service-based economy; and a significant upsurge in the use of cocaine in the 1970s and 80s — particularly the more potent, readily-available, and cheaper form, known as “crack” — which exacerbated what had also become a key contributing factor to homelessness: drug addiction (Baum & Burnes, 1993; Blau, 1992; Kusmer, 2002).

In July 1988, President Reagan signed the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act and established eighteen new programs to assist homeless people. Since its inception, billions of federal dollars have been spent waging a campaign against homelessness.

Continued on Page 5

and other communities across the country.

In addition to helping people who would likely perish in the streets, the vulnerability index serves as a social and political tool to justify outreach programs and measure success.

Park Center is a local nonprofit agency that serves adults with mental illness who live in Middle Tennessee. Its services include housing, job training and outreach to Nashville’s homelessness population.

In addition, Park Center has a contract with the Metropolitan Homelessness Commission for SSI/SSDI outreach efforts. Under that nationally recognized program, Park Center helps homeless individuals sign up for benefits.

.TENT CITY.

Tent City: A Consideration of

“American Homelessness” Continued from Page 4

Nonviolent Resistance and Updates

The McKinney Act continues to address a social problem that is almost four hundred years in the making.

BY LINDSEY KRINKS glennlr@gmail.com he opening of John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath takes place in the ravaged farmland of Oklahoma after the Dust Bowl of the 1930’s. In its deadly wake, drought ensued and soil became too dry for roots to anchor. Because the farmland was no longer capable of producing crops, tenant farmers and their families were unable to turn a profit and were forced off their land to wander the streets and highways of America.

With the only prospect of work over a thousand miles away in California, the families set off, condemned to a life of homelessness. Instead of finding “a land of plenty” in California, the migrant families found the state unwelcoming, overcrowded, and destitute. With the only option of shelter being crude encampments, the families did what they could to survive in the face of abject poverty, violence, and starvation.

Consider now Tent City: The story unfolds in downtown Nashville, where hundreds of people who have found themselves homeless go in desperation or in hope of finding help. Instead of finding compassion, they find that they are generally unwelcome, greeted only by signs on every window that read “Please Help, Don’t Give.” Many are criminalized, charged with erroneous accusations. The homeless community is forced out of downtown to wander the alleys and riverbank for a place to rest their heads without risk of arrest. Their best option of shelter being an encampment dubbed “Tent City,” the people settle, build homes out of donated and discarded items, and do what they can to survive.

For the families in Grapes of Wrath who lived in migrant camps, being evicted from these camps was often a death sentence that threw them back into the role of homeless and starving wanderers. It is no different for the residents in Tent City who live in self-sustaining homes, who have built shower and kitchen facilities, who can't bear the idea of being forced to wander the unwelcoming streets once again.

Left with the question, “What should we do about the looming closure of Tent City?” we must turn our gaze to what has already been done. We have all observed or participated in rallies with signs and slogans, chants and matching t-shirts.

We know that rallies and protests have done much to shape our history, but we also know that we grow weary of the same old demonstrations.

Thankfully, many resisters have followed in the path of creative non-violent resistance; what Gandhi called “satyagraha” or civil disobedience.

This approach robs the oppressor of power, draws attention to the injustice(s) at hand and seeks to

T

change the heart and actions of the perpetrator. number of encampments across the city that are in Jesus told poor debtors that when they are sued for worse shape than this one, which means that there their outer garments in is an even greater urgency court, they should hand for us to act quickly and over their inner garments creatively on behalf of res(or underwear) as well, idents everywhere.) Then thus bringing shame to we must conspire, or “plot the accuser. When India good” as Shane Claiborne was oppressed by British would say. What if hunWHO: CONCERNED CITIZENS control, a salt tax was imdreds of people brought a FOR TENT CITY posed, which made it difcopy of their house key cctcNashville@aol.com ficult for the Indian and their home address 615-497-0447 people to make and oband handed them over to tain this basic necessity. the Mayor’s office with a WHAT: A RALLY TO In the spirit of “satyaletter demanding that SAVE TENT CITY graha,” Gandhi and huntheir own homes be bulldreds of others marched dozed before the homes of WHERE: THE STEPS OF THE over 200 miles to the the Tent City residents?

METRO COURTHOUSE coast and began to make What if the residents of salt from the sea by hand.

Tent City sent invitations WHEN: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24TH In the Rwandan genocide to city officials, police offiFROM 3:00 PM TO 5:00PM of the 1990’s, members of cers, businessmen, stuthe Hutu militia stormed dents and other WHY: PROVIDING & a Catholic school, decommunity members IMPROVING A PLACE TO manding that the Tutsis inviting them to a campCALL HOME IS BETTER THAN DESTROYING IT. be identified and slaughout on the eve of their tered. To the befuddleeviction and a sun-rise On Friday, October 24th, a whole ment of the militia, the breakfast the following lot of concerned folks will gather to proclass replied in solidarity, morning? What if instead tect, preserve, and improve a place re“there are no Hutus and of finding violence, filth, ferred to as Tent City. There, on land Tutsis here; only and degradation (as the that Metro Nashville neither owns nor Catholics.”

Nashville Scene writer, has any use for, many of our neighbors What would it look Brantley Hargrove, asand fellow Nashvillians have found a like to apply the princiserted), the Nashville place to call home — even if only for a ples of these models to community found clean little while. And they are not alone, for the context of Tent City? living spaces, well-built many of their spouses and pets are there How can we bring to light shelters, dumpsters, portas well. At Tent City they remain tothe injustice of destroying a-potties (which are curgether. homes in a way that berently there), and From folks living at Tent City, you wilders the powers that residents willing to work will hear why this place is so important to them. You will hear from clergy, combe and disrupts the set for the betterment of their munity leaders, and others, why they course of events? First, conditions? stand together with the folks living at we must examine the Is providing and Tent City. planks in our own eyes, maintaining housing not a And you will be asked to particirealizing that we are all a better solution than depate in a very unique and compelling part of the system that stroying it? Are the reactivity that will let our Mayor and all makes such injustices maining residents of Tent our city officials know just how imporpossible. In the words of City not better off in a tant and vital it is to us that all have Thomas Merton, “If you shelter or tent than on the housing. No matter the type, we all delove peace, then hate instreets? Are there not serve a place to call home. justice, hate tyranny, hate other areas and neighborSo we need you! Join us and bring greed — but hate these hoods in Nashville that a key. Yes, bring a key. We will take that things in yourself, not in are in greater need of “rekey and with your help, we will all make another.” Next, we must form?” As of October 8th, our voice and our point loud and clear. understand that the probeight of the most vulneralem of homelessness is ble Tent City residents one of great complexity; have been put on a fastone that will not be solved by simply keeping this Continued on Page 11 particular encampment open. (There are, in fact, a

Please join us for a Rally to Save Tent City!

Contemporary disaffiliation, policy, and societal attitude To understand the nature of contemporary homelessness it is helpful to examine a current working definition of “homelessness.” Although the term itself describes a major characteristic of the condition, it fails to acknowledge that those who find themselves without housing also suffer from a peculiar state of being: a radical disconnection from the primary social support structures that provide functional normalcy for domiciled persons, such as families, jobs, church, and community.

American social policy and public attitude about contemporary homelessness have been largely driven by the definition proferred in the 1980s by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: The term “homeless” or “homeless individual or homeless person” includes: (1) an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. (2) An individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is (A) a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill); (B) an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or (C) a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

The term “homeless” or “homeless individual” does not include any individual imprisoned or otherwise detained pursuant to an Act of the Congress or a State law (Barak, 1991, Baum & Burnes, 1993).

Continued on Page 6

e Contributor • November 2008 • Page 5

. LIFE. “Leap of Faith” Continued from Page 1 The big question, the one that won’t be answered until votes are counted, is whether a sufficient number of Americans are prepared to make this a truly historic election by opting for Obama over McCain, now 72, who would represent a much safer choice for conservative voters – albeit the oldest man ever elected president (three years older than Reagan in the 1980 campaign).

Then again, this was always going to be a historic election, at least for the Democrats. They ended up agonising over a choice between the first black candidate and the first woman, Hillary Clinton. Near the mid-point of last year, Clinton was on our cover (Ed#279). The question we posed was: “Is Hillary the next President Clinton?” The answer is no – well, at least not yet. (If Obama doesn’t make it, 2012 won’t seem too distant for Clinton, or perhaps even daughter Chelsea, already touted as a politicianin-waiting.) And its worthwhile going back to our Hillary issue to see how things have changed in 16 months.

Last year, Clinton was favoured to wrap up her party’s nomination without too much fuss. As for the Republicans, it looked like a contest between McCain, the straight-talking Vietnam war hero, and former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

So what happened? Giuliani was first to drop out. He polled well…until he started campaigning. Then he discovered that, outside New York, people did not warm to his abrasive style or his self-portrait as a hero of 9/11. In retrospect, Clinton’s mistake was to underestimate Obama – certainly the impact of his promise of change. She planned to blow him out of the water early, certainly by Super Tuesday in February, and seemed unprepared for the protracted trench warfare that ensued as he notched up victory after victory in the primaries, especially in the smaller states. Clinton simply could not peg back Obama, who was especially successful with younger voters. But the battle for Democratic nomination was not officially over until August – much later than had been expected and five months after McCain had wrapped up the Republican nomination.

One paradox of this election is that although the campaigning seems to have gone on forever – close to two years for the main contenders – things have had a habit of occurring suddenly and unexpectedly. The nature of the race changed the instant McCain named Sarah Palin, then the littleknown Governor of Alaska, as his running mate last month. This was a choice nobody saw coming, and one that almost certainly would not have been made had Clinton been the Democrats’ candidate. Psephologists were still trying to deconstruct the Palin nomination (opinions on which

have ranged from inspired to calamitous) when the collapse of the US financial system changed everything, not least the race for the White House.

Context is crucial in these elections. Candidates are compared not only to each other, but also to current or past presidents. In 1976, for example, Jimmy Carter offered a down-onthe-farm alternative to the sleaze of the Nixon/Ford era. Four years later, with US hostages still being held in Iran, Ronald Reagan offered something stronger. As one of his aides, Ed Rollins, wrote later, Reagan was “the right man at the right time. After Jimmy Carter, the country was desperate for someone who could reassure them that their kids would have a better life than their grandparents.

Reagan was able to make the country feel better about itself.” As a two-term president, Rollins argues, Reagan cast himself as “the cheerleader-in-chief, who could pull the country out of its sense of self-doubt”.

But the uncertainty of the early 80s was nothing compared to the present economic, social and industrial malaise in the US. Even before Wall Street folded, George W Bush appeared to have the Worst President Ever title sewn up. Iraq and Hurricane Katrina had seen to that. Now the bookies aren’t even taking bets. The problem for McCain, despite his attempts to portray himself as an independent maverick, is that he’s the candidate of the President’s party. He’s a Republican, just like Bush, whose status as a lame-duck leader was made clear when Congress (at first) rejected his bail-out package for tottering financial institutions. In a show of bipartisanship, Bush then met with both aspiring presidents. Maureen Dowd, acerbic columnist for the New York Times, commented that this meant “Sitting at a table in the White House with the two men who want his job, either of whom would do a better job, given that nearly everyone in the country thinks things are going horribly.”

One upside to this election is that either Obama or McCain will surely be an improvement on Bush. The financial crisis has tilted the contest Obama’s way: foreign affairs, one area in which the more experienced McCain has the edge, has been pushed out of the media spotlight. And ‘experience’ can be another word for ‘age’.

Whenever the two are together, as in the debates, Obama has looked more vigorous and self-assured. Growing doubts about McCain’s ability to last the distance, if elected to the White House, partly explain the media’s scrutiny of Palin. Alaska is one thing, but how would this ‘hockey mom’ go running the country?

McCain has been on Capitol Hill for 25 years, Obama for less than four.

He only came to national attention with a rousing speech at the 2004 Democratic convention. He talked about hope: “The hope of a skinny kid

e Contributor • November 2008 • Page 6

with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too.” He’s come a long way since then: now he’s offering change as well as hope. But the deeply conservative core of the US, all those voters who preferred Bush to Gore and then Kerry, could yet get McCain over the line in a close finish. If so, Obama, for all his lofty rhetoric, could yet rue those damn pillars…

Election 08 – by the Names and Numbers “Any American who is prepared to run for president should automatically, by definition, be disqualified from ever doing so.” – Gore Vidal

Costs (Amounts in $US) * In January 2007 Federal Election Commission chairman Michael E Toner estimated that the 2008 race would be a $1 billion election, and that to be taken seriously, candidates needed to raise at least $100 million by the end of 2007. * Candidates collected large donations via their own websites, as well as sites like YouTube, MySpace and Facebook. On 16 December 2007, Ron Paul (R) collected more money on a single day through internet donations than any other presidential candidate in US history: over $6 million. * In August 2008 alone, Obama raised $66 million in August 2008; McCain had to scrape by with $47.

French Kisses This election can be said to have begun in November 2006, when John McCain announced the formation of a presidential exploratory committee. It’s still going…and going. Meanwhile in France, they chose a new president in just two months last year: 19 March (2007): Official candidate list announced by the Constitutional Council – 12 candidates.

9 April: Official campaign starts.

20 April: Official campaign ends.

21 April: First round of voting starts.

25 April: Official results of the first round announced. No candidate obtains a majority.

27 April: Official candidate list for second round announced.

2 May: Nationally televised debate between the two candidates.

5 May: Second round of voting started.

10 May: Official results of the second round announced.

16 May: Expiration of the term of President Jacques Chirac. Nicolas Sarkozy assumes office.

– Not so hard, is it?

By Ruby Lohman and Tamar Heath Reprinted from The Big Issue Australia © Street News Service: www.street-papers.org

“American Homelessness” Continued from Page 5 The more recent HUD definition of “chronic homelessness” is more succinct. A "chronically homeless" person is defined as an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more, or has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years (Nashville Metropolitan Government, 2004).

Neither definition, however, mentions the disaffiliation that is the most salient characteristic of homelessness throughout American history and is manifested so vividly among “street people,” who are now the source of much public angst on the issue. The definition offered by Baum and Burnes (1993) is therefore much more encompassing and accurate: “We define the homeless as those persons whose ability to function in ordinary social and economic interactions has been so impaired by their disabling conditions that they are socially alienated from their various support networks and society’s institutions and are unable to maintain independent housing” (p. 119).

With an appropriate definition as a starting point, we may begin to examine the radical social disconnection acutely experienced by mentally ill and addicted people who become homeless and the major issues that underlie their alienation.

Interpretations of the principal causes of homelessness have been variously identified as falling into six major groups: addiction, mental illness, lack of marketable vocational skills, family disruptions (e.g. domestic violence, youth runaways, or elderly/disabled persons who lose family support), institutional/public policy (e.g. deinstitutionalization and discharge policies), and market forces (e.g. housing affordability, employment shortfalls, and economic recessions) (Barak, 1991).

Additionally, Barak (1991) argues that the emerging effects of global capitalism, social policy formation, and competing class interests are among the major factors that influence the contemporary manifestation of homelessness.

In a landmark study of homeless people in Los Angeles in the 1980s, Koegel, Burnham, and Farr (1988) affirm several factors cited

by Barak, demonstrating that 40% of homeless people surveyed

reported separation, divorce, or a breakup of a relationship with a significant other; 30% reported situations in which someone on whom they depended for financial support was no longer willing/able to help; 50% reported alcohol or other chemical abuse as being a significant factor in their current occurrence of homelessness; 25% had been recently incarcerated; and 90% had occurrence of at least two of these factors simultaneously.

Based on data collected by homeless social service providers, the Nashville Coalition for the Homeless concluded that learning disabilities (e.g. dyslexia, attention deficit disorder), educational deficiencies, and life skill deficiencies were also pervasive among homeless people. Perhaps most sadly, the Nashville Coalition for the Homeless also cited intergenerational poverty — two or more generations dependent on public assistance or charity for basic living needs — as a major contributor to an attitude of hopelessness among non-domiciled persons (Nashville Metropolitan Government, 2004). All of these elements are interrelated to the disaffiliation shared by people who are homeless.

Alcoholism and addiction Several studies on the incidence of addictive disorders among the homeless suggest that as many as seventy-five percent of nondomiciled persons are chemically dependent, and roughly forty percent cite alcohol as their drug of choice, significantly higher than the ten percent figure that is now widely accepted as afflicting the population at large (Baum & Burnes, 1993). Homeless alcoholics drink more, are less likely to be married or have children, and tend to be more isolated from any family they do have (Koegel, Burnham, & Farr, 1988). As a direct result of their alcohol abuse, they also suffer from elevated rates of cardiovascular, neurological, and gastrointestinal disorders, as well as infectious diseases such as venereal disease and tuberculosis (Torrey, 1997).

Anyone who has suffered from the disease — as an alcoholic or family member of an alcoholic — can attest to the disruptive, debilitating, and progressive effects of the disease. The downward spiral induced by severe alcoholism disaffiliates people in two ways.

Continued on Page 9

. LIFE.

The Pets of Tent City Death (Again)

BY LAURIE GREEN Southern Alliance for Animal Welfare SAAW/Nashville P. O. Box 23535 Nashville, TN 37202

615-474-8390 laurie@fixyourpet.org www.fixyourpet.org ent City has been in the news lately. However, I feel that there were voices not heard, and I would like for mine to be.

The one thing missing from our efforts to help the homeless and those who live in Tent City are the pets.

Where do they fit in this puzzle?

Many who are homeless became so after becoming pet owners. And they made a decision to hold onto their pets, even as their lives played out in the streets that they used to drive on. As someone who spent many years hearing the lame excuses people give as they are handing you a pet they hold in (what seems to be) the same regard as yesterday’s news-

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paper, I have to admire this. Many receive pets from fellow homeless people as they head out of town in search of another chance. And the rest find a homeless animal as they trod up and down our city streets. God knows they are everywhere, both homeless people and animals. That they find each other should not be surprising.

Owning a pet is not practical when you are homeless. I know this because I have worked with the folks living at Tent City for about 6 years now. My group gets the animals fixed and vaccinated; we also provide collars, leashes, flea treatment and pet food. But I have observed that the number of pets that are treated pretty well is on par with those living in “real” houses. Home ownership does not make you a good pet owner, and the lack of one does not make you a bad pet owner.

No, being a homeless pet owner is not practical. The traditional homeless shelters will turn you away. But I feel that separating them is neither compassionate nor humane. We need some alternative to keep them together, these homeless humans and

their pets. This is what Tent City provides, in all of its less than ideal surroundings. By improving and regulating Tent Cities, we can keep the non-traditional homeless together.

Maybe keeping human beings and their pets together is not on your list of priorities in what makes up quality of life for a city, but maybe we need to redefine quality of life. Maybe keeping them together will be what it takes to lift them back up and into a home of their own. And maybe separating them will take away every inspiration they might still have to give the 9 to 5 life another chance.

To the Mayor’s office, the ball is in your court. Many of these homeless pet owners already have their priorities in place. In your list of what makes a great city, please don’t forget the ones at the bottom. I think giving them a lift to the top is the ticket to a great city. We need to save Tent City.

Yes, it needs improvements, but saving it is our first step, a very important step on the way to a great city.

Bumvertising?

BY TERA CARRINGER crunkedup4christ@yahoo.com hile businesses across the country continually search for new and unique places to advertise, Benjamin Rogovy of Seattle, Washington, has found by far the most intriguing: the homeless. Rogovy’s company, Bumvertising, is essentially just that. As businesses buy ad spaces on park benches, Rogovy contracts those often found sitting on the benches. Companies in need of advertising contact Rogovy who, in turn, hits the streets to find homeless men and women willing to make some extra profit. The companies pay Rogovy, and Rogovy pays the homeless, making everyone happy, right? Wrong. Although the homeless receive benefits, many fear that the homeless are being exploited, and many find the word “bum” offensive. With both sides weighing on me, I decided to call Rogovy to ask him a few questions.

I was surprised to find the twenty-five-year-old entrepreneur, who has been referred to on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show and served as a guest on numerous radio shows, as rather down-to-earth and eager to answer my questions honestly. Upon asking him his thoughts on homelessness in general, he responded that

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“education is a large factor,” and that it is a problem that “cannot go ignored.” He also stressed that although he did not have a solution to homelessness — he does not pretend to be a solution to the problem — he found The Contributor to be a terrific idea. This, of course, got the interview off to a great start.

But I wanted to know about the use of the oftenderogatory word “bum.” “The dictionary term for the word “bum” is a person who supports themselves through the help of others. I simply took that term and used it.” He indeed had me there, and I began to feel more confident that he was more into helping the homeless than stripping them of their dignity.

However, I was still concerned about their wages.

He explained that he hires the homeless as independent contractors and only offers contracts to those that already have signs, which say phrases such as “need money for food.” Once they are ready to officially “bumvertise,” the ad sign is attached to the bottom of their regular cardboard sign. On top of the donations he or she receives, a bumvertiser can make between five and ten dollars a day with the added signage. Bumvertising in a more heavily trafficked area yields a higher dollar amount per day.

Continued on Page 11

BY WILL CONNELLY will.connelly@parkcenternashville.org

f you visit Nashville’s emergency shelters or meal programs, you won’t see too many senior citizens. If you do, it is likely that you won’t see them for long.

Housing for homeless seniors is a little easier to come by, thanks to Social Security benefits that kick in and offer a meager but stable income that can pay rent and alleviate some of poverty’s hardship.

There are also a number of housing providers that only accept housing applications from individuals aged 55 and older, and other housing providers give older folks “priority” status, which helps their applications move along a little faster.

Housing providers also seem to prefer older tenants. Older tenants have usually shed the air of invincibility that accompanied them in their younger years. They are seen as better tenants, because they are “tired” of street life and are easier to manage.

Exiting homelessness in your golden years, however, is more likely caused by death than by obtaining housing. Homelessness is lethal. There’s no question about it.

People who experience homelessness for long periods of time do not usually reach the retirement age of 62. If you do reach that age, you are often riddled with chronic health problems and are more likely to be victimized by violence. Standing in long lines to wait for meals or climbing stairs to get to shelter beds become huge obstacles, so you make a choiceless choice and choose to sleep on the streets, where victimization is more probable.

Research shows that homelessness leads to an average life expectancy rate of between 42 and 52 years. I have never experienced homelessness. I do not consider myself to be an expert on homelessness, but over the past 5 years in my duties as an outreach specialist, this suggested life expectancy rate seems to hold up.

Our small homeless outreach team at Park Center has witnessed

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too much death in too little time.

Yesterday, I received a phone call from a police officer telling me that Roger (not his real name) — one of my old clients — is in Vanderbilt Hospital after experiencing severe head trauma from what looks like a brutal physical attack. Doctors do not expect him to live.

Roger may have caused the fight, he may have “had it coming,” but he should not have been there in the first place. When I met Roger two years ago, he had been homeless for over 20 years. Roger is a veteran with an alcohol dependency and a diagnosed mental illness. Alcohol helps him relax and sleep.

The drink makes the voices in his head go away. He sleeps on the streets and won’t go near a shelter, because the crowds of people make him feel uncomfortable. Emergency shelters also remind him of prison, and some of his current mental health symptoms first occurred when he was in a prison cell.

Roger and I decided that applying for Social Security disability benefits would be a good idea.

Sober or not, Roger could not work. His mental health symptoms were too severe and often untreated. Roger filed his application and was eventually approved for disability benefits. For the first time in over twenty years, Roger had a stable income of $630 per month and health insurance. More importantly, Roger had hope. This young kid (me) actually followed through and assisted him. Now housing was not some dream. He had an income. Although he was still living on the streets, things were better.

Roger’s goal was to get into safe and permanent housing and then work on his admitted “drinking problem.” Roger did not believe he could stop drinking while he was still living on the streets. He was just trying to survive, and the bottle was one of the few things that gave him comfort, despite also leading to multiple jail stays for public intoxication and emergency room visits at the Veterans Administration (VA).

Continued on Page 13

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.LIFE.

Better Than Tunica Everyone Says...

BY REV. KENNETH M. LOCKE Pastor The Downtown Presbyterian Church 154 5th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37219 (615) 254-7584; www.dpchurch.com thecontributorstaff@gmail.com Have you watched the television advertisements for the casinos in Tunica, Mississippi? Everyone is having a great time dancing and drinking and eating delicious food. And no one ever loses at poker or roulette.

In the 22nd chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven. He describes how a king once wanted to throw a wedding banquet for his son.

The fatted beasts were killed, the champagne was chilled, all was ready.

This is a fantastic banquet, better than the best buffet or nightclub at Tunica.

But when the guests were told it was time to party, they refused to come. Again they were urged to come to the banquet. Everything was ready and the champagne was starting to get warm. But they still would not come.

In fact, this time they beat the messengers and even killed some.

Enraged, the king killed those who refused his invitation. (Remember, this is a parable. It is not to be taken too literally.) Then, the king sent his servants out to the main roads to round up anyone they could find.

The good, the bad, the evil, the liars, the wicked, the thieves - everyone was brought to the feast. It did not matter what kind of person you were. If you were breathing you were brought in.

And everyone had a good time.

They ate. They drank. They danced the night away.

Except one man. He clearly was not there to enjoy himself. He proved it by deliberately wearing his work clothes instead of his nice clothes.

Everyone else tried to spruce up and look good. This man put on his dirtiest, oil-stained overalls and scruffy shoes. When the king saw this man he was furious at him and had him forcibly thrown out of the party, never to return.

As I say, parables are not meant to be taken too literally. We need to look at the large point. We need to see

the big picture.

The kingdom of heaven is like a huge feast. Cheeseburgers, steaks, good wine, deserts like you can't believe. Even dancing until dawn. Better than anything at the nicest casinos.

But some people do not want to go.

And that is fine. But understand everyone is invited. The good, the bad, the evil, the liars, the wicked, the thieves - everyone is invited.

All God asks is that we be there ready to party. All God asks is that we be there ready to try and enjoy ourselves. All God asks is that we really be a part of the Kingdom of Heaven: loving, forgiving, caring.

Now how does that apply to us? Well have you ever seen someone calling themselves a Christian but who was deliberately keeping on with their old ways? Have you ever seen someone calling themselves a Christian but who was making no effort to kick their drug addiction or stop their constant drinking? Have you ever seen someone calling themselves a Christian but who still kept on stealing and starting fights? Have you ever seen someone calling themselves a Christian without making any effort at all to stop lying or deceiving others? Probably. These are the people who are not ready to party.

They do not want to change clothes.

In fact, they do their best to be as disgusting as possible. They have come to the party but they are not there to party. Just cause a ruckus.

Jesus says the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fantastic party. Living in love with God and others is better than even the best buffet at Tunica.

But we cannot really be a part of it without changing. And that means changing more than our clothes. If we are going to really love God and love those around us we have to let go of lying and stealing and cheating and our addictions. We cannot do both any more than we can go to a party in our worst, dirt-smeared work-clothes.

God is calling us to something special and if we are going to be a part of it we need to treat it like it is something special.

Do not treat being a Christian as something ordinary or common.

Make it special. Change your self.

Enjoy it. It is better than the bright lights and endless buffets of Tunica.

e Contributor • November 2008 • Page 8

No, I’m not talking about a minimum wage working program to get from point A to point B. We’ll show them what they need to know, show them how to get it, and Everyone says give me a better help them before, during, and after. idea, or even an idea at all, and let’s We’ll have food, shelter, work, and see what we can do. clothes. And we’ll have social workSo here it is. Are you ready? If ers to work with each one. How can someone would get a building big we get there if no one gives us a enough, rent it, buy it, or even do- chance? nate it to me, this old man would You say, “Get a job.” I say, “Give show you how to put a big dent in me one.” You say, “Get up.” I say, homelessness in Nashville.

“Give me a hand.” You say, “I don’t Notice I said, “put a big dent” know how.” Ask me, I’ll show you. I in it. I’m not one of those people know the way, if you’d look. who believes we can end homelessCall me, and see that you and I ness with a good idea, not even can make a difference. Just call me with a really great one. and tell me, or come and see me. I But here’s my idea. If you have will show you that one person can an old building that’s been sitting make a difference with just an idea empty for a while, how about let- and some elbow grease. ting my wife B y and I have it. the way, I’m That’s right. I “You say, ‘Get a job.’ I not begging said, “have it.” say, ‘Give me one.’ You for me, but Donate it to us for those and we’ll paint say, ‘Get up.’ I say, ‘Give that need it, put up walls, me a hand.’ You say, ‘I someone like fix plumbing, me to stand replace win- don’t know how.’ Ask up for them. dows, what- me, I’ll show you. I know My wife and ever.

We’ll I love everymake office the way, if you’d look.” one, but we’ll space, a launalways be dry room, a there to fight the fight for the someclothing room, and labor services, times forgotten ones. We know. so men can work with sleeping We’ve been there too many times. quarters.

To sign up and get turned down by You know, everything in one the system is good in a way. But it’s place. No running to get what they broken from being stretched too need. It would all be there, in one far, for too long. So help me help place, under one roof. Yes, it would them. be a lot of work, but if you have a In case you are wondering, building to donate or rent to us re- “Does he think this will work?” The ally cheap, we’re ready to do what- answer is, “No, not if we don’t try. ever it takes. To help someone else And, yes, I know it will work, beis a really great gift, and you’ll be cause we’re willing to make it work, blessed. with love in our hearts and the We seem to know that with sweat from our hands, as we do God all things are possible. My wife what needs to be done.” So let’s get and I, with lots of volunteers who started today. are willing and able, are just waiting Remember, it costs nothing to for your call so we can start. If care. So give a smile. Give a hand. nothing else, tell me I am crazy. But Give until it hurts, but give. And we call. I want to know what you think. thank you so very much. Thanks I’ve thought this through, and with for reading this idea. Let me know what we have planned, we can soon. I’m downtown every night house up to four hundred full-time. with my wife, selling The ContribuNo drinking. No drugs. No in-and- tor, so come see us if you care to. If out. Only 60, 90, or 120 day pro- nothing else, buy a paper, smile, and grams, from the streets to a job, to tell me I’m nuts. an apartment, and on their own.

BY JERRY ANDREASEN Vendor of the Month Homeless Writer thecontributorstaff@gmail.com

Personal Thanks To The Belcourt

BY JERRY and KARREN ANDREASEN Vendors of the Month Homeless Writers thecontributorstaff@gmail.com (Editor’s note: From September 14th – October 2nd The Contributor sponsored From Tramp to Vagabond: A History of Homelessness in Film at The Belcourt Theatre in Hillsboro Village. Vendors were welcomed into the theatre to sell The Contributor and to introduce films.)

Many thanks to The Belcourt from my wife and I and all the other vendors of The Contributor for allowing us to set up our table there to sell our papers. It allowed us to meet and greet the customers who came for the film festival which gave us real hands on experience with The Belcourt’s public so they could see what the paper means to us.

We Would like to thank the staff most of all for making us feel right at home each and every night. We enjoyed the films: The Chaplin Shorts, Boudu Saved From Drowning, The Grapes of Wrath, Miracle in Milan, Sullivan’s Travels, That Tennessee Beat, Midnight Cowboy, Bound For Glory, Vagabond, Dark Days, Agile Mobile Hostile, City Lights and The Warriors. (Editor’s note: The Warriors was not sponsored by The Contributor as a part of the series. Rather it played a midnight movie slot during the festival, and provided everyone an interesting perspective on what it means to be away from home.)

So as you can see we have had so much fun at The Belourt, and we would say if you missed it, “So sad, too bad!” But hey, keep on coming. You never know who or what is at The Belcourt Theatre. And this we must say, “Really great staff! Lot’s of fun, good food, lots of popcorn with butter, lots of laughter and some crying (probably from laughing too hard!)”

Thanks also to Tom Wills for the trailer at the beginning of each film. It reminded me to laugh.

But most of all, we want to thank all of you who came out supported us by watching the films and buying tshirts and newspapers. From the very bottom of our heart we thank you an hope to see you all again very soon.

But, until then, remember if you’re out and you see us on a corner, we probably have the new copy of The Contributor waiting just for you. So, stop and say, “Hi” and pick it up.

“EXTRA – EXTRA” “READ ALL ABOUT IT” SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR “CONTRIBUTORS!”

.LIFE. “American Homelessness” Continued from Page 6 First, unable to continue working or maintaining functional relationships with others, alcoholics drift away into isolation, becoming homeless or staying homeless for longer periods.

Second, as their addictive behavior worsens, family members and friends lose patience, get angry, and cease providing financial support and other assistance such as food, shelter, and clothing. Additionally, as managed health care has made treatment for addiction increasingly difficult to access, the homeless alcoholic is thus rejected by the most critical element of assistance. Being a street drunk with nowhere to turn for help amounts to a modern day “pariah” status in America (Baum & Burnes, 1993).

Addiction to other chemicals such as cocaine, opiates, and methamphetamine manifests with even greater problems: dramatically higher use rates among young homeless persons, increased risk of exposure to HIV/AIDS, and the criminality often associated with Schedule IV drug abuse, such as prostitution and theft (Baum & Burnes, 1993). Additionally, heavy crack cocaine use can result in a debilitating, fullblown paranoid psychosis that makes them aggressive, fearful, and sometimes violent. Cocaine abusers also frequently experience exacerbations of mood disorders and disruptive behaviors characteristic of antisocial and other DSM-IV Axis II personality disorders (Nadelson, 1999).

In an existence that becomes consumed with obtaining ever-increasing amounts of drugs, hardcore users are prone to the same disintegration of affiliative bonds as alcoholics.

Once an individual begins to use crack cocaine, for example, they contribute less to household budgets, steal from family members, and become increasingly argumentative (Jencks, 1994). The very nature of their particular addiction can produce other factors, such as felony incarcerations and AIDS infection, which can further isolate an individual from family, friends, and other social supports (Baum & Burnes, 1993).

Next Month: Mental Illness

Seeking Part-Time Paid Intern e Contributor is Nashville’s street paper.

"Street Newspaper" is a term for a newspaper that focuses on the issues surrounding homelessness and poverty, and is sold, on the street, by homeless and formerly homeless individuals as an alternative to panhandling. is intern positions is: 1 day per week 10am - 3pm with lunch break from Noon-1 Position will be paid on a contract basis. $120-$150/month Our office is located downtown with free parking available.

We print a monthly paper to accomplish the following: • Provide a diversity of perspectives on homelessness • Highlight the contributions of homeless and formerly homeless contributors • Provide vendors with a source of income All of the vendors selling this paper have experienced homelessness and they keep the profit from each paper that they sell. We start them out with free papers, and, if they like selling, they return and purchase their supply from us for 25¢ each, sell them on the street for $1 and keep the profit.

Additional skills of interest: • Strong writing skills • Macintosh platform experience a plus • Photoshop and Quark experience a plus • Journalism experience a plus • Modest understanding of HTML

Duties will include: Typing handwritten articles, editing articles, subscription mailing, vendor database maintenance, paper sales to and interaction with vendors, simple errands in the downtown area, emailing, researching laws and grants, MySpace maintenance Position may include journalistic article writing and/or advertising sales if interested.

Please send letter of interest with detailed qualifications to: thecontributorstaff@gmail.com ~~~~~~~~~~~ e Contributor

Applicant should possess: • Knowledge and interest in issues surrounding homelessness • Strong editing skills • Strong communication skills • Strong computer skills • Strong internet research skills • Deadline-oriented work ethic

Sharing diverse perspectives on homelessness.

Providing genuine opportunities for advancement. thecontributorstaff@gmail.com www.nashvillecontributor.org P.O. Box 332023 Nashville, Tennessee 37203

e Contributor • November 2008 • Page 9

.LIFE.

e Contributor • November 2008 • Page 10

.LIFE.

Mercury Court Report

and we could not do it without them.

Mercury Court resident Eddie Morgan provided the beautiful artwork for the invitation.

Ray: I will be interviewing him next.

BY RAY PONCE DE LEON Formerly Homeless Writer thecontributorstaff@gmail.com

_______________________________ The following is an interview with Eddie Morgan, artist and Mercury Court resident.:

The Mercury Court staff is in high gear preparing for its biggest fund raising event, the Art Works for Change silent auction and art competition. I am interviewing Brandi Ghergia, Director of Administration, and Georgia Copeland, Development Associate.

Ray: As you know, I wrote an article about last year's auction. How did it turn out?

Brandi: Last year we raised over $5000 and for the high school winner, Israel Cortez, it was a big boost to his self esteem, according to his teacher.

Ray: Tell us about the school competition.

Brandi: Again there will be a juried competition for high school students. The deadline for artists submitting their work is 5 pm, November 11th.

Georgia: This competition gives high school students of Nashville an opportunity to exhibit their work and have it seen by philanthropists, business men and women and the established community artists. They can also win prizes while supporting a great cause in their city.

Ray: Can you explain the different categories of the competition?

Pictured with Brandi and Georgia is co-event planner, Pamela McIntosh, Director of Residential Education.

Photos by Ray Ponce de Leon Georgia: The three categories of entry for the art competition are: photography, three-dimensional pieces and painting/drawing. Prizes will be awarded in all three categories, as well as a grand prize! We hope for the pieces to pertain to this year's event theme, "Off the Streets."

On the website: (www.urbanhousingsolutions.org) people can find Entry Forms for the art competition, and also information on sponsorship of the event, securing tables or other information.

Ray: Is there anything different about this year's auction?

Brandi: Yes. Last December, the auction was held at the Parthenon. This year it will be at the Uptown 162, across from Standard Restaurant on Rosa L Parks Blvd. (formerly 8th Ave) on December 2.

“Bumvertising?”

Continued from Page 7 Rogovy also added that he makes sure that they have water and even gets certain foods that they like in addition to the cash they make from bumvertising.

I was almost ready to get my bum on the Bumvertising train, when I asked him how much his company yielded per year. Of course, as many other companies, he could not disclose this information. However, since 2005, Strategic Domination has been the second major company to advertise with Bumvertising. The free gaming site has seen a significant increase in players since advertising using Bumvertising and Rogovy is approached several times a week from other companies wanting to advertise through the homeless.

I quickly found my next question, “What would you say to those who would accuse you of

The Standard will be doing the catering. Another big difference is that community artists will take home 50% of the winning bid and will donate the other 50% to our resident services.

Ray: What are the prices for attending the auction?

Brandi: $500 for a table; $50 per ticket. There are lots of opportunities for sponsorship publicity and table purchasers will be recognized.

We expect 300 guests this year!

Ray: Anything else you would like to tell the reader?

Georgia: All of the money raised will go to support resident programs and services at Urban Housing Solutions. Several residents from Mercury Court and men from the Academy program will be volunteering and participating in the event

making a commodity off of the homeless?” He quickly responded, “We do not exploit the homeless, as some of our critics claim. No one forces them to advertise, and they enjoy it. Many times when I contract one man, he will tell us where to locate friends of his who would want to advertise as well. It is very important to realize that we are not a charity, we are a business…we help the homeless, but we also gain from it as well.” While it seems that the homeless who “bumvertise” certainly take pleasure in their work and indeed benefit from Rogovy’s company — as one can read in the testimonial section of www.bumvertising.com — one has to wonder if there are those who do not benefit.

Seattle’s homeless newspaper Real Change, like Nashville’s The Contributor, is a hand up, not a hand out. After the initial gift of a set amount of newspapers, homeless vendors can purchase the weekly newspapers for 35 cents apiece (the cost helps with the printing) and make a profit of 65

Ray: Eddie, how long have you lived at Mercury Court?

Eddie: One year and seven months. From the mission to here thanks to somebody who cares. I now have a place I can call home.

Ray: What would you like to say to those who are still on the streets?

Eddie: I hope I can inspire somebody else to step forward to higher possibilities.

Ray: You have a real nice apartment, as this picture shows.

Eddie: It does not have to look like a motel…make it look like home.

“Tent City” Continued from Page 5 track to housing (and will be housed

by November 1st) thanks to Park Center’s Homeless Outreach team, MDHA, Urban Housing Solutions, and many others. Several other residents have found places to go, but the reality is that a number of people remain, and if services cannot be found to improve their conditions, their homes and possessions will be razed and disposed, leaving them, like the homeless families in Grapes of Wrath, to wander the unwelcoming streets once again.

As Dorothy Day, the founder of the Catholic Worker movement, would say, have mercy on us all, Jesus of Gethsemane — the city officials, the police, the residents of Tent City, and on all of us who have not worked hard enough for justice on earth as it is in heaven.

Save the Date!

Homeless Happenings

October 24 • Rally to save Tent City. Metro Courthouse 3-5pm

November 1

cents per paper sold. Real Change offers an alternative to panhandling, by providing honest work while informing society of homeless issues. Real Change, like The Contributor, looks to the day when their current vendors will be off of the streets — and in homes. Bumvertising, however, works through the homeless who panhandle and does not offer an alternative. In some cases, Bumvertising may actually encourage people to panhandle, rather than try to do an alternative form of work, such as being a paper vendor.

Although the “Adopt a Bum” portion of www.bumvertising.com displays Rogovy’s genuine concern for the morale and self-confidence of every bumvertiser, at the end of the day, if his workers found jobs that did not contribute to panhandling, Rogovy could find himself needing to bumvertise.

• Room in the Inn begins.

• Proposed Tent City closing.

• Vulnerability Index Survey (Park Center).

December 1 • Galaxy Star Drug Awareness grand opening and ribbon cutting at the Oasis Center’s Nashville Youth Opportunity Center on 1700 Charlotte Ave.

December 2 • Project Homeless Connect at Municipal Auditorium (clothing, food, services available to homeless all day).

December 13 • Walk & Annual Homeless Memorial at Riverfront Park.

Please let us know about your events at: thecontributorstaff@gmail.com

e Contributor • November 2008 • Page 11

.FUN.

The Self- Adopt Us! Deprecator Older Couple Needs Good Home

A

tent cities a mess: didn't clean up their unused manna, got into eye-for-eye and tooth-for-tooth fights, got drunk with their daughters (Lot), didn't send their talking donkeys to obedience school (cruelty to Hee-Haw) and got into trouble with the West Nile Valley Business Partnership. Also Building arks and temples without permits. It's a good thing the bulldozer hadn't been invented yet.

1. Cavemen: Though really "cave cities," the Neanderthal tramps had some things in common with those of today. Just when Mr. and Mrs. Caveperson and family got to feeling safe and comfy, and decorating the walls with a primitive from of Art Luck, Whammo! The Metro of one million B.C. would attack: a herd of tyrannosaurus rexes. Sticking their razor-toothed heads into the caves, they would grab and chomp up all the cave dwellers they could reach. Oh sure, these kind-hearted dinos were trying to give the cave tramps new housing--in their stomachs! I'm sure there wasn't a single tear shed when the dinosaurs suddenly became extinct.

3. The Greatest Tent City on Earth: Circuses are always held in tents, and they're sorta like a city. the barker is the mayor, coordinating all the events. the lion tamer is animal control, the clowns are homeless. They have to wear make-up and red noses because some may have warrants out on them. the man shot out of the canon is the Department of Transportation, unless he's drunk, then the canon becomes an open-container. their tents could be bulldozed for a. not cleaning up their mess (mostly sawdust). b. The Fire Marshall would cite them for hazards (grease paint on clowns?) c.

Organ grinder's monkey cited for panhandling. d. Tight-rope walker cited for no visible means of support (to a near-sited inspector).

BY RAY PONCE DE LEON Formerly Homeless Writer thecontributorstaff@gmail.com

s Nashville's Tent City awaits its November eviction notice, I start to wonder, has this happened before? Let's examine the experiences of tent cities of the past.

2. Ancient Hebrews: The Israelites before King David's time all lived in tents. Maybe the reason Pharaoh got so mad at them is that they left their

Need we say more? What'll it be next? Do away with the table of conTENTS?

e Contributor • November 2008 • Page 12

BY KARREN ANDREASEN Homeless Writer thecontributorstaff@gmail.com

They don’t bite and have no fleas. They love baths and long walks outside. Friendly with almost everyone.

Must see to appreciate. Can be seen on Broadway nightly selling The Contributor. Just come on down and buy one today.

No joke, folks, just what everyone needs, guard your house, clean it, take out the garbage — very friendly — only shed a little. Would love to make you as happy as you made them.

Can clean up very nice for company. And when you tell your guests about your very own homeless couple your guests will never overstay their welcome!

Of course your mom might schedule you a psych exam, but, hey, at least you’ll know she still loves you.

Millions of comedians are out of work, and here I am.

Ha. Ha. Ha. Seriously, if we all could do our part — if we only tried — we all could help someone. So let’s all try. Let’s see if we can make Nashville a better place, one person at a time. Maybe it will spread to other cities and other states, one person at a time.

Come see us and tell us what you think. While you are

here, you could pick up a paper. Then you will have helped one person. Thanks so much for contributing to us.

Just something for you to think about. You might be surprised one can go with another one’s help, even one paper at a time. And we can get there sooner than anyone might think.

If you might have any questions on how you might help someone by contributing your time, or by getting a subscription, or volunteering, please feel free to call The Contributor. Just ask, and they will direct you to the proper place. But if you want more copies of this, then we’re on a street corner near you. Every day. So order your subscription, and tell everyone how to find us.

. LIFE.

Street Interview: Cowboy Tent City Resident Cowboy: I built a boat once, but it sunk.

I was building the boat. I had the kit. I built the boat the way it said. ey forgot to say that when you get through you're supposed to put this laquer on'em to seal it. We took it out, we put it in the water, it was floating good and all of a sudden it just started going like that, and like that. And we swam to shore. We couldn't figure out what we did wrong. en when we got to shore this guy asked and said, "How long have you had that boat?"

We said, "We just built it."

He said, "You must not have put enough lacquer on it."

We said, "Lacquer?"

He said, "You DID put lacquer on it, didn't you? To seal it?"

"Nope." "en you put varnish?"

I said, "Nope."

And we ended up swimming.

We learned.

You know the easy way to learn?

Make mistakes. Serious, it is. e only way to learn is to make a mistake. I made five of them. I got married five times. Four divorces and lost five Harleys. is time I bought a Suzuki.

“Death (Again)” Continued from Page 7 Not drinking was not a possibility at that point, and I assured Roger that my services were not dependent on him being sober.

Other housing providers only wanted to help Roger if he cleaned up and stopped drinking. In our seemingly last hope for housing, Roger and I visited the VA together and asked for subsidized housing and case management available to homeless veterans. The VA employee immediately raked Roger over the coals about his drinking and told him that he could not receive case management or housing until he sobered up.

Roger left in a flurry of obscenities, vowed never to return to the VA and promptly lost hope in ever finding housing. Roger is now dying on a hospital bed.

Pointing fingers at the VA or other agencies is not the goal here. The VA does wonderful things, as do many other agencies in town. The point here is to show how the current housing rules and regulations are not working. We expect people to jump through a number of hoops in order to “earn housing,” while they are literally struggling with survival. A small percentage of folks actually jump through these hoops, others are left to live short lives.

At the end of October, a growing number of agencies and individuals will address this issue. We will take our first steps together in providing housing to individuals in a timely way. It involves determining who is the most vulnerable among us and offering permanent housing with supportive services. It involves stripping housing regulations down to decrease the amount of hoops someone has to jump through. It involves replicating successes that have occurred in other cities, working together and overcoming our small differences to help save lives. We can do this, and we should do this. Let’s get out there and do it! Peace.

Interview by Will Connelly & Tasha French. Photos by Tasha French. Audio and photos available at: www.sanshouses.com.

e Contributor • November 2008 • Page 13

.FUN. Created By: Timothy W. Hall Sr., Currently Incarcerated Homeless Contributor

By Mr. Mysterio Virgo Lets talk about the difference between millions and billions, Virgo. Both big numbers, right? Think of it this way: a million seconds is about the same as 11 days. You could read a good book in the next million seconds. A billion seconds, on the other hand, takes 31 years. You could become a controversial yet often-quoted author in the next billion seconds. So, what are you spending your 3 billion seconds on?

TV? Worry? Video blogging? If you don't think you're doing enough, don't stress. Every second is a gift and you've got a few more coming.

Libra This boat is sinking, Libra. If you ever want to kiss dry ground again (mmmm . . . peaty) you've got 2 choices: grab a pail and get to bailin' or hop in the lifeboat with your (dare I say "wiser") companions. I'm not saying you'll never get all the water out on your own, I'm just saying that right now, you've got a way out. Climb over the rail while the climbing's good.

*Send us your completed puzzle (including the two secret words!) for a really good chance to receive a free subscription to: The Contributor! P.O. Box 332023, Nashville, Tn 37203

HOW TO DO SCRAMBLE: Find the words, titles, names and phrases of this state’s country western singer.

They are backwards forwards, vertical, horizontal, and diagonal. Good luck and enjoy!

American Soldier Bar and Grill Barry Sanders Beer for My Horses Big Dog Daddy Big XII Broken Bridges Dad Hubert Daughter Krystal Daughter Shelley

Dream Walkin Easy Money Entertainer of the Year Football Ford Trucks Ger My Drink On Grapes of Wrath Harrah’s Las Vegas Hony Tonk U How Do You Like Me Now

I Love This Bar I Wanna Talk About Me Mocking Bird Mom Joan Oil Oklahoma Oklahoma City Pull My Chain She’s a Hottie Show Dog Nashville

Son Stelen Sooner Tumbleweed Wagon Weed With Willie Whisky Girl White Trash With Money Who’s Your Daddy Wife Tricia

you can today, you'll go further than you ever thought possible.

Aquarius I'd give you your horoscope, Aquarius, but you still haven't paid me back for the last two. Look, let me give you one on the house. You've been living on credit for too long. Borrowing against a future that just keeps not coming through. Cut up the cards, freeze the accounts, do whatever it's going to take to get to a point where you're spending only what you have and saving for what you need. And, when you get around to it, I accept cash, checks and peanut butter cookies.

Pisces

You left the sprinkler on in the rain.

You were always crazy like that. But have you seen the Ogallala Aquifer lately? Well, of course you haven't, it's underground and on the other side of the Mississippi. But in case you failed to notice, just because you can't see the consequences of your carelessness doesn't mean it isn't detrimental to the water table. The Ogallala is depleted at an average rate of 2.7 feet per year over Scorpio Remember how they airbrushed your the amount nature can replace. It's not face in your senior picture? Well, it too late to crank the spigot clockwise wasn't just you having your faults and start paying a little more attention. rubbed out, Scorpio. They did that to everybody. Surely you noticed that Aries Judy Sideropolis never had clearer skin An average American supermarket and Gene Feinman never had so many stocks 235 varieties of soup. Let that eyebrows (2!) as they did in that year- sink-in. 235 different kinds of soup. book. What the stars hope you"ll no- Now ask yourself the same question tice this month is that is that your you've been asking all month: "Why faults, as much as you don't like them, can't I seem to make up my mind are part of what defines you. Don't be about anything?" You've got more afraid of being found out as a real per- choices than ever, Aires, but it isn't son. Me, Judy and Gene wouldn't have leading to any more satisfaction. The truth is, you're frozen up because you it any other way. think you might make the choice wrong. You won't. Just grab a can of Sagittarius Friends are like stars, Sagittarius. clam chowder, head to the register and They're a point of light in the darkest boldly answer "debit" should the opof nights. They're around even when portunity present itself. you can't see them and if you ever hugged one, you'd probably die. I'm not Taurus sure what part of that will be the most Why aren't there any more songs important to you this month, I'm just about rainbows? Now that I think of it, I can't even remember the last time I the messenger. heard a limerick about a rainbow, or for that matter a haiku. Taurus, if I'm Capricorn The Stars want you to run a marathon, reading the situation right, the stars Capricorn! I know you don't think you think this is a great month for you to can do it, but take it easy. You don't get into the rainbow-based entertainhave to do it today. Start slow. No you ment industry. How about a ballad can't run 26 miles right now, but can about the disembarking of Shem or a you run half a mile? Do it. And do it dramatic live action revival of the again tomorrow. Then see if you can Rainbow Bright TV series. Look, I'm a make it three-quarters. It's a long Stars guy. These are just ideas. process, but if you stand up, strap on your sneakers and take the little steps

Continued on Page 16

e Contributor • November 2008 • Page 14

.CROSSWORD. Across: 2. Music Trio Oscar Winners of Hustle and Flow 10. Live at the Apollo, Band Leader Ray ____ 13. Past Tense of Is 16. Round Sphere 17. Close or Near 18. A Short Hello 19. A Team’s Gold Man 20. A Famous Cookie 22. Boy Pharaoh 25. Rasta Language God 26. Rappers Obese Spa 30. Elements of Water 31. Comedian Redd 33. Total 34. Last Name of 44 Across 36. Fish Eggs 39. Bunyon’s Pet 40. Pool Stick 42. Mc’s Weapon 44. First Name of 34 Across 46. Radio's Not AM 47. Partner of 48 Across 48. Black Pool Ball 50. Not a Broom 51. Hurtful Walk 52. Small Boat at Pushes 53. Iverson of N.B.A. Monicker 54. A Donation 55. Stomach Six Pack 56. OPEC Product 58. Weedy Garden Tool 59. Santa's Itemizer 62. Scottish Hat 65. It's Over, Slang 67. Roman's Two 68. Ma's Mate 69. Cowboy Rogers 70. He vs T.I.P. on Album 71. Color 72. Get High Herb 74. Designer Christian's Last Name 76. 16 Across Again 78. Private Section of a Club 80. Chronic Producer of 188 Across 82. Better Half of 68 Across 87. Famous Derek or Jackson 88. To Intake Food 89. Classified or Want 90. Melee, to Argue or Spat 92. Cali Version of 85 Down 96. Locked Up, Won't Let Me Out Rapper ...

97. 16th Greek Letter 98. Replacer of Cassette Tapes 99. 37 Down Judge 100. Hard Athletic Supporter 101. Boost Mobile Slogan — Where You ____ 102. Bunny ___ or 50's Sock ___ 105. ___ Eye For ___ Eye Word 106. Blue Grass State . . . Abbr.

108. Negative Yes. 109. Historical Periods of Time 111. Scientist Hang Out Spot 112. Half of a Dollar's Rapper 114. Spelling Contest 115. 70's Group or Business Address 116. Single or Per 118. Bossy Stooge 119. Blue or White River 123. An Add On Or To Word 125. A Club Occupancy Abbr.

127. Let's Get It 128. Writes Beats w/ Mannie Fresh 130. Private Dancer's Ex 131. Kangol Wearer Rapper 132. Orange County TV Show 134. Not a Halloween Treat 137. A Band's Sound Helper 139. Sailor's Yes 140. Confessional Singer or Movie Attendant . . .

142. Nickname of NYC's Basketball Mecca . . .

143. Army Cop 145. Cashville Rapper, or a Male Deer 149. To Close 150. Bun B and Pimp C Together 151. No ___ And's or Buts 153. Bye, Bye Miss American ____ 155. Be Cool Bone of the Body 157. Visual Bodies of Water 160. Rank Higher an PFC Is an N__ __.

161. Full of Mess in 50's, 60's.

163. Sounds Like Will Smith's Wife Ready to Lip Lock 164. Female Singer . . . 1 - 2 Stepper . . .

167. 1st Name of Fronton Game 170. Public Places for Animals 171. Military Stop 172. King Cole Was is Age 174. Prison or Jail's Chain 177. Land Where the Wizard Live 180. Head Man of Parliament / Funkadelic 185. 20 Inch Car Rim 187. Company's Abbr.

189. 80's Across Rehab Album 190. Hip Hop Is Dead Rapper 191. Family Animal.

192. Worst an Smart.

193. Everybody's Hustlin' Rapper

Created by: Timothy Wade Hall Sr.; Currently Incarcerated Homeless Contributor

Down: 1. Dr. Dre's New Label 3. ree Part Greeting for Santa Claus 4. Rail Crossing Bar 5. Farm Hand on Green Acres 6. Bill Gates Game Console 7. Me, __ Self, and I 8. Govt. Drug Agency 9. Swiss Mts. 10. Ridin' Dirty Rapper 11. Get this to Get on Base 12. Vehicle, Auto . . .

13. 1st Word of Preamble 14. Did Not, Did So . . .

15. Measurement for 28 Down 19. Immature Weight that Usually Comes Off 21. Wave Cap, Doo___ 23. Nickname for WWE's Tripple H 24. Wild, Wild West Rapper 25. Jeweler of Most Rappers 27. Can't Sing It, ___ It 28. 15 Down Commander in Chief 29. Scooby's Last Name 32. Larger than XL 34. Middle Name of 34 Across 35. General Principle, Abbr.

37. Allegedly, Killer Simpson 38. is Organization is Fantastic 41. What Has Brown Done For You, Company 43. Snitch's Court Room Name 45. 13th Greek Letter 49. T.V.'s Bundy With Kids 50. Super Hero of Iron, Super, Aqua.

57. #3 Roman Style 60. Judge of 37 Down Fame 61. Soldier's Reply to Officer 63. Egyptian Amulet or Charm 64. Necklace of Hawaii 66. Designer Wang 73. 3 Letter Pesticide 74. Last Name of 134 Across 75. M. Jackson's ___ e Wall.

77. 180 Across' Double Bass Player 78. Only White Designer Located in Compton.

79. Liquor Comes in is Dosage 81. A.K.A. . . . Slim Shady 82. Hoo Banging Label Starter 83. Ghostly Greeting 84. ___ e World Turns 85. Dirty South's 92 Across 86. TX's Get Money, Stay True Album Writer

*Send us your completed puzzle for a really good chance to receive a free subscription to: The Contributor! P.O. Box 332023, Nashville, Tn 37203 87. Another Name For Breast 91. Alcoholic Tremor or Shake 93. Place for a Prison Snitch 94. I Zune or Apple's 95. Best ings in Life Are___ 97. Stomach Muscle . . . 6 101. Non- Drinker's Club 103. Where Boats Park 104. e Goat of Muscle Cars 107. e Alps Beat Masters of Rap 110. Egyptian Sun God 113. Secluded Spot in Breakfast Room Or Den 114. First Name of Derek or Jackson 115. Last Name of Confederate General or Kung Fu Master 117. Old Adage: Life Is ___ ___ 119. Drug Addict's Non Club 120. Parking Spot for a War Time Chopper 121. G-Unit's Tony Cocaine's Name

122. A.K.A., B.K.A., Other Term For 2 Across . . . Initials 124. Same as 131 Across 126. Funk Guitarist at Loved Mary Jane 129. First Part Of A Laugh 133. Same As 10 Across 134. Stay us, To e Game 135. Floor Carpet or Mat 136. Underwear for Marky Mark, Initial 137. Wee Hours of the Morning 138. Newer, Smaller Version of 94 Down 140. Not We, Our, But ___ 141. Letter Wise Add On Initials 144. California Love, All I's on Me Rapper 146. Exercise Tai ___ 147. Rock Group of Gene, Ace, Paul and Peter 148. Young Rapper of Go Getta Fame 151. Hospital's Drip Medicine 152. e Dutchess of Rap 154. SS Card or Driver's License

156. A Letter's Post Script 158. Rapper Who Wrote Mr. Informer 159. Intel Agency of U.S. Govt.

162. 67 Across Again 164. Famous Voting Ballot of Florida 165. To Land On 166. Rocker's on a Speed Wagon 168. Short for Dynamite 169. Gravel Form of Cocaine 172. Old Gangsta's Nickname 173. Lion of Zodiac 175. Picnic Pest 176. e Creator 178. Minks, Stoles, or Wraps . . .

181. Licensed Dr.'s Helper 182. Hot-Lanya's State Abbr.

183. Old Turn Table Disk . . . Init.

184. 13th Greek Ltr., Again 186. Both Sex's Lover ___ Sexual 188. Either Other Half

e Contributor • November 2008 • Page 15

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WHERE TO FIND HELP IN NASHVILLE

“Hoboscopes” Continued from Page 15

Gemini 404, Gemini. Future not found on this server. You're heading through life clicking on everything that looks even mildly interesting and lately it's just been a lot of dead ends. Stop! Stand up, turn around, jump on one foot for 10 seconds and hum as much of Swanee River as you can remember. I'm just trying to shake you awake here Gemini. Before you make one more bored, disinterested move, look around and notice where you are (or aren't) going.

Cancer Drat! What gets ketchup out of carpet? No, besides the dog. Cool it, Cancer, it's ok. Just leave it. I know your habit is to scrub and scrub until every little sign that you ever made a mistake is gone. Has it ever occurred to you that if mistakes are how we learn, then a stain is kind of like a diploma. Let the world know you've been down this road before and survived. Who better to pass the ketchup than one who's seen it hit the floor.

Leo In Fourteen Ninety-Two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. In Fifteen-Hundred Six Columbus sailed the River Styx. It's a canoe we all end up on eventually, Leo but don't allow you're fear of that final trip get in the way of what you might accomplish on your greatest journeys. Just think, if your fear of death prevents you from positively affecting other's lives, they might not ever name a city in Ohio after you.