My Take: Homeless in Denver

Traveling for business gets old progressively day by day. 

I am glad that I only do occasional road trips now. I have enjoyed Denver and the incredibly good weather, but I have seen the needier side of the city as well. 

Homeless in Denver

I have walked around most of the downtown 16th Street Mall area at various times of the day, and I have to admit that I must be a bit sheltered in my views. The homeless or the transient people are everywhere. And the people represent all age groupings, from the 20-somethings who appear to be on a "walk about" to the definitely homeless with dogs and sometimes children.

Most do not beg--but there are those who do, looking to subsist on handouts and generosity. I admit, I was a bit offended by one the other day who advertised himself as a jobless veteran but was standing outside a bagel place hitting people up as they were coming out with breakfast in their hands.

I didn't snap any pictures of those sleeping because I felt like I was intruding in their bedroom, but I found one online that exactly caught what I have seen.

There is a Mission here that tends to the homeless and I am sure that they are far too busy during bad weather. The weather this past week has been very good and perhaps that is why there are so many people about.

I am aware that some of the discussion about the apparent increase in the numbers of homeless people centers around the liberalized Colorado marijuana laws. But, regardless, they are still people. 

People in need are still people.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Denver, CO