Land of the Free, Home for the Homeless?
The Irony of The Fourth of July
Early this morning, I started receiving the common holiday text messages acknowledging the day. Many of my friends do not personally celebrate the Fourth of July because our ancestors were not free until Juneteenth. However, I still receive messages from diverse colleagues and friends who celebrate the day.
This morning, I felt unsettled by these messages because they are usually followed by a series of pictures of people hanging out with friends and family, grilling food, watching sports on TV, and commercials praising U.S. independence from Great Britain with phrases like “Land of the free…Home of the brave…”
While many people celebrate freedom and feel at home in this country, there is a stark contrast for those who are unhoused. They have become targets of anti-homelessness laws.
I am disturbed because while people are celebrating this day, I am thinking about those who are unhoused and some of the history that seems to be repeating itself. I want to make a reframing statement: “Land of the Free, Home for the Homeless?”
I keep thinking about veterans who have served this country and now find themselves living on the street, the children who will become unhoused this year for the first time, and the anti-homelessness laws spreading across over 150 U.S. cities, making it hard for people who are unhoused to find and feel at home in this land.
Additionally, the recent Supreme Court ruling reminds me of the vagrancy laws in England that sought to punish people experiencing poverty, bring social order, and later racially discriminate against Black people through Black Codes. Here is a brief historical timeline of vagrancy laws:
Timeline of Vagrancy Laws:
• 14th Century: Statute of Laborers in England establishes early vagrancy laws.
• 1600s: English vagrancy laws brought to American colonies.
• Post-Civil War: Black Codes enacted in southern states, targeting Black people through vagrancy laws.
• Late 19th to Mid-20th Century: Continued use of vagrancy laws to control and discriminate against Black people and other marginalized groups.
• 1960s-1970s: Legal challenges and civil rights activism lead to the repeal or striking down of many vagrancy laws.
• 2024: The Supreme Court rules it is constitutional to criminalize those who are unhoused.
This mentality about who has the right to exist in public spaces and who deserves protection and aid under public policy reminds me of vagrancy laws.
Today, I ask, “Land of the Free, Home for the Homeless?”
The point I am making by including vagrancy laws and comparing them to this holiday and homelessness is that the most vulnerable people do not feel at home when they are targeted. Ironically, we are celebrating independence and this land being home to many, while many people still experience sociological homelessness on this commemorative day.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
I express it this way: If someone doesn’t feel at home, it should unsettle homes everywhere.
When I use the term “home,” I personally define it as a place where you feel like you belong, feel safe, and are accepted. Recently, I wrote a social post about the nine essential things that are difficult to obtain when you are targeted and unable to find a home:
1. Identification Documents: Without a permanent address, obtaining or replacing IDs like driver’s licenses, passports, or birth certificates becomes challenging.
2. Employment: Many employers require an address for background checks and correspondence, making it easier for those who have one to secure jobs.
3. Healthcare: Accessing healthcare, including mental health services, often requires an address for insurance purposes and appointment scheduling.
4. Mail: Receiving mail and packages, including essential documents and medications, is complicated without a mailing address.
5. Banking: Opening and maintaining bank accounts usually require a permanent address and ID, limiting a path to economics and access to credit.
6. Education: Enrolling in educational programs for adults and children often requires proof of residence, hindering access to learning opportunities.
7. Voting Rights: In some states, registering to vote and receiving voting materials require a provable address, excluding many from participating in the political process.
8. Library Membership: A library card, which provides access to books, the internet, and other resources, typically requires a local address.
9. Benefits: Applying for benefits like food stamps, unemployment, or social security often necessitates an address for correspondence and eligibility verification.
As this day is celebrated, I am still reflecting on the recent Supreme Court ruling regarding the unhoused community, how it mirrors vagrancy laws, and how much work we still need to do to ensure that everyone, no matter where they go, has the safety to say, “I feel at home.”
Below is a clip from MLK Day 2024 and how I believe we should reframe the way we talk about homelessness:
Order “Zion Learns To See: Opening Our Eyes To Homelessness” [HERE]
If you want to explore homelessness in the U.S., please consider reading “I See You: How Love Opens Our Eyes to Invisible People.”
Explore my book “When We Stand: The Power of Seeking Justice Together” to learn about the impact of community involvement and collective action on social change.
Discover “All God’s Children: How Confronting Buried History Can Build Racial Solidarity to gain insight into the significance of understanding the historical narratives that shape people and how you might stand in solidarity with your neighbor.
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