Homeowner invites homeless man living under porch to move in

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29133097/

KSBY-TV

updated 11 minutes ago

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Reported by: Kelly Bush

A Louisiana man finds a homeless man living on his property, but doesn't call the police.

Instead, Jim Stewart moved the homeless man, Kenny Woods, from under his porch to inside the home. snip

"People don't realize they're just a paycheck away from being where I'm at," said Woods.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. We do, and bless the heart of the man who brought him in

[babylonsister]

2. Proof positive there are still good people out there. Thanks for

sharing this.

[bdamomma]

9. when it gets tough we unite.

:grouphug:

[TBF]

3. K&R n/t

[liberalmuse]

4. That's wonderful.

I hope this catches on big time.

[panader0]

5. Yeah, there are enough houses for all of us.

I feel the same way when I see so many people commuting alone. We were taught (most of us) to share when we were young. I put up a buddy for two months while he saved money for his own place. The resources are there, they just have to be shared.

[Cerridwen]

6. "Police say it's no excuse to break the law..."

Police say it's no excuse to break the law, but the homeowner says he just saw a man in need and decided to help.

Did I miss something? Did Mr. Stewart break the law by not calling the cops? What law?

edit to correct name.

[4lbs]

10. Some police departments may consider homeless people sleeping or "living" out in publicly viewable

areas as violating some sort of public nuisance law.

I don't support that thinking.

[Cerridwen]

11. Even without someone having filed a complaint or if it's not in a

public or commons area?

Sorry, I don't mean to be dim here, but that last comment in the article didn't make any sense to me.

It's a great story and that last little jab kinda put me on tilt.

edit to clarify point

[chrisa]

13. According to the Social Darwinites

They should go and die instead so that the $500,000 / year CEOs don't say "Ewww!" when they see them.

[malaise]

7. Lovely story

People may be finding that human kindness again. PHEW!!!

[On the Road]

8. This is a Really Good Thing He Did

but he does have to be careful. Homeless people tend to be desperate. Good Samaritans are often punished for their charity.

[Peace Patriot]

12. My Mom lived through the Great Depression, and she would always provide food

for the hobos who dropped off the train near our house (before the train pulled into the station in town). She said, "Always feed anyone who's down and out, and say a kind word."

It was the "New Deal" ethic, I learned later. 'We're all in this together.' I just figured it was being American.

I saw a number of hobos--train riders--in the 1950s--because of where I lived, but I NEVER saw mentally ill people living on the street in their own filth, or bag ladies, or shopping cart ladies, or whole families living their car, or war veterans on the street, in California, until Reagan became governor. That was the turning point. It was deliberate policy, starting with casting the mentally ill out on their own--the half-way houses that were promised never materialized. What a disgrace the Reaganites and Bushites have turned this country into! An utter and complete disgrace--they ought to be horsewhipped!

[chrisa]

14. The reaganites have made us selfish and feeble.

Instead of giving the homeless food now, some people just step over them. Not all homeless people are drunks or mentally ill.

[NNN0LHI]

15. My mother said her mother would never turn away a hungry person

Even though they didn't have much she would still make them sandwiches. Might be only cheese and bread but thats all they had to give.

I would do the same.

Don

[roguevalley]

17. my grandma fed them and they had to do little chores. mutual

exchange, mutual respect. they had hobo symbols on their fence gate that said this was a good place to come. :)

[chill_wind]

16. Dang. Bless that good man. K & R. n/t

[catgirl]

18. Woods and his dog are now security guards for the house

I love that. The owner gave Woods (and his dog) a job in exchange for the accommodations. Both
of these men have integrity. :-)