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February 6, 2007 | 5 Comments

Dear Garrison,
Many, many thanks for what you said abut the homeless being just ordinary people like you and me on this weekend's "Lake Wobegon." All too often people look down their noses at the homeless, considering them inferior to themselves, whereas many, if not most of them are simply victims of a very unjust economic situation. Such words from you in a humorous context are far more effective of good than sermons from the likes of me.

(Rev.) Tom S., S.J.

There are times when a person feels so low that nobody could possibly be inferior, and maybe that's why God grants us the blues. And when the blues strikes you hard and it's also twenty below zero, it's a harrowing experience, and that's where that particular monologue comes from. The insight on the homeless comes from my brother and from my wife, not from me. They get out and see more than I do. I just steal from what I overhear and stick it into stories. And don't disparage the good that is effected by sermons from the likes of you.

5 Comments

Tom Shelley | February 8, 2007 9:10 PM

Dear Garrison,

I'll second (or three hundredth) the thanks to you for your speaking the truth about the homeless being just ordinary people. But, I had to respond to the story of Roger and his volunteering to help the homeless in St. Cloud. You said "... these are not people who show any sign of being druggies or being alkies, not at all, they're families. They're just like anybody else...".

Having been homeless, as a child in a family that dealt with both alcholism and financial reverses, I have to say that we always thought of ourselves as pretty much "...just like anybody else...". The alcoholic, the drug addict, and the mentally ill are just like anybody else too. I'm pretty sure you know that.

I have lived for some time in St. Petersburg, Florida. You may have seen or heard news accounts of how some homeless folks have been treated here. This probably explains my prickly attitude.

A world of thanks for you and your show which has brought such pleasure to all of us for so long.

A faithful listener,

Tom Shelley
St. Pete, Florida

Wade Shrum | February 10, 2007 5:54 PM

Damn it! As a nursing home employee for 14 years, I take offense to your comment about nursing homes being low-grade ware-houses. For your information, we only sell their organs when they don't pay their bill.

Wade Shrum | February 10, 2007 5:55 PM

Carole H | February 10, 2007 8:45 PM

I second the Rev. Tom's comments completly. It is because of lessons learned from shows like yours (not that there IS another show like PHC) that most people get an idea of how other people live. It is a sad comment that the Christian message, which should be about helping others, has been hi-jacked by the greed and hate of the religious right, and that the religious left gets little publicity. something else to thank bush, cheney, and rove for.... I digress.

Steve Ash | February 11, 2007 3:09 PM

The Tiny joke is fine, but my friends bought me five Great Crested Newts (they're wild ones on nature reserve near Oxford). If I call one of them Tiny, what do I call the rest of them?

Yours despairingly

Steve