Author: James Shearer
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Just a Kid
On a rainy Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago, I was making my way to Shaw’s supermarket to pick up a couple of items in time for a sporting event I planned on watching that evening. On the way out, I noticed a kid who couldn’t have been more than 14, maybe 15. He was…
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Another Year
This month, Spare Change News turns 24 years old. It’s hard to believe. I’m not going to get into how we got started. That’s a story for another day. But I will say that I’m surprised we’re still here, and even more surprised at where I am now compared to where I was then. Before…
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More Work to Do
Last Tuesday the body of a young homeless woman was found in a tent in Lynn Woods. A few days before that, I’d bragged about how my adopted hometown was ahead of the curve when it comes to homelessness. That may be true, but death still claims those living on the streets. This means there’s…
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The Frustration of Homelessness
On March 21, a group of homeless advocates and homeless and formerly homeless people visited Boston City Hall for a hearing with members of the Boston City Council to secure the mayor’s support for funding the Housing Voucher Program. The goal was to develop a program that would use city funds to house individuals and…
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Fare Increase… Again?
It’s been a while since I’ve spoken ill of the MBTA. In fact I haven’t spoke about them at all, mainly because there’s been little to talk about, at least with me. After all, given the heat they took last winter, what could I possibly add to that? But, as we all know, it’s only…
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Plan…? What plan?
A couple of weeks ago, several homeless advocates and I received word that a homeless man from a Boston shelter had died from meningitis. A few things ran through my mind as I talked with the other advocates. Obviously, my first concern was making sure our own vendors were safe. My other thought was: why…
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Voices from the Streets: Choices
Until recently, I’d mostly steered clear of the current race for the White House. Call me an uninterested observer, but I just didn’t want to be bothered. Elections come and go and after awhile you find out or come to believe that no matter who’s in the Oval Office, not much is going to change.…
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Voices from the Street: Ignorance
The other night I watched an episode of “Law and Order” about a homeless man who killed another homeless man. I’ve probably seen it 10 to 15 times over the years, but on this night, the sheer ignorance about homelessness made my skin crawl. The episode touched on every stereotype about homeless people and explored…
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RE-RESOLUTION
There’s a line in an old Billy Joel song that says, “you’re only human,” and, boy, are there days when I wish I wasn’t. If you’ve not noticed yet, boys and girls, my column wasn’t in the paper for the last couple of issues. The reason, you ask? I’ve been ill and was recently hospitalized…
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VOICES FROM THE STREETS: That Immigration Thing
I haven’t said much about the immigration debate, though I’ve been following it since it began. I sometimes tend to stay out of political arguments because they can be divisive. People on either side of the debate want you to pick a side. There’s really not much room for a middle ground. No matter what…