Cast:
Simone
Dylan
Jo
Narrator ( italics)

Suppose that you are attending a campus forum centered around the problem of housing in American cities, including the one where your school is located. As part of the forum, you are participating in a small group discussion with three other students (Simone, Dylan, and Jo). The moderator of the event hands out a sheet of discussion questions and tells the group to just jump in. As you work through the questions the dialogue has been going ok, but you are sensing some growing unease among the group. Here is a snippet of the dialogue:

Part 1

Simone: I understand that some homeless people struggle with mental health and that compassion is needed, but at some point, cities need to take steps to remove them from the streets if they are breaking the law. If they are sleeping in areas that the city deems unacceptable, there has to be some kind of legal consequence. I can’t understand how we can turn a blind eye to this.

Dylan: First of all, the term “homeless people” is problematic. You should stop using it. Second, why do you think punishing people experiencing homelessness will solve anything? I don’t see how anything good will come from putting an unsheltered person in jail or fining them. Then we’ll have even more crowded jails, or we will be pushing them further into poverty. We need to think about rehabilitation and structural change instead of punishment.

Jo: Those laws are just designed to kick homeless people out and “clean up” wealthy neighborhoods so rich people can feel comfortable. I mean, criminalizing sleeping on a bench? That is heartless.

[PAUSE]

FACILITATOR QUESTIONS

• Where is the temperature right now in this conversation?
• What assumptions or misunderstandings do you think are shaping the conversation?

Part 2

Simone: Look, I’m just speaking from my own personal experience. I have seen what happens when a homeless encampment overruns a neighborhood–that happened where I grew up. I’ve seen drug use on the streets and trash everywhere that accompanies it. I know what it feels like to feel anxious walking back home when you see it every day. It wrecks communities, small businesses, and property values. The government has to intervene.

Jo: Okay, can we stop talking about homeless people as one unified group of people? Honestly, that’s a way bigger problem than whether you call someone “homeless” or “unhoused” or whatever. It’s been bothering me this entire conversation. People experience homelessness for a lot of reasons. Some have recently lost jobs, or have had a family crisis. Some are children. They’re not all criminals or drug users–that characterization of homeless people is really messed up. Yes, some struggle with addiction and mental illness, but that’s why they need support! Someone I knew in my community experienced homelessness before and it was traumatic for them. With our help, they were able to get back on their feet. I also promise you they would be pretty upset by this conversation.

[PAUSE]

FACILITATOR QUESTIONS

• Where is the temperature of the conversation now?
• Imagine you are actually the facilitator of this group. Should you intervene at this point? If so, how and why? If not, why?

Part 3

Simone: I’m just speaking about what I’ve personally seen. Your experiences might be different. You’re right that there are many reasons people become homeless, but I’m just stating what I’ve experienced. It’s damaged our community. And I just don’t understand why we even have laws if we’re not going to enforce them.

Jo: Have you ever even met an unhoused person before or had a conversation with them? Have you ever volunteered at a shelter? I really feel like you are lacking empathy and understanding here.

Dylan: The fact is that poverty and the lack of housing is a structural problem, not an individual person’s fault. I think if you realized this, it would change your views on their struggles and situation.

Simone: Okay, I’m feeling really attacked right now. I don’t see how my volunteering or not is relevant. I see what I see and it’s a big problem. And I agree it’s a structural issue! That’s why it’s the government’s responsibility to provide some safety and security, and I think that’s lacking right now. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own neighborhood.

Jo: Don’t you think unhoused people deserve to feel safe too? Clearly not based on what you’re saying…

[END]

FACILITATOR QUESTIONS

• Where is the temperature as the conversation closes?
• How could the conversation have unfolded differently? What could the students each have done to improve their dialogue?