Two weeks ago, I was able to do something many news organizations don’t do much anymore.
I spent an afternoon “in the field” with Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese.
A couple of weeks before that, I interviewed the sheriff about the ongoing situation with encampments around the town and what his office is doing to tackle the issue. During that interview, I told him it would be great if we could possibly take a trip into the areas to see what was unfolding.
Briese quickly agreed and I contacted him a week later and we arranged the trip.
I can say this: it was eye-opening.
And maybe not in the way many people would think, but I feel I learned so much not only about what is unfolding, but about how the sheriff is trying to approach this issue.
Some may think his “compassion” might get in the way of what’s needed from law enforcement.
I disagree. It is my humble opinion that compassion is what we need when dealing with people who have no homes, may have drug or alcohol issues and those who have mental issues, as well.
The United States is the richest country in the history of the world, yet no matter where you travel — political affiliations be damned — there are homeless people. Some are veterans. Some have lost jobs or all hope. It’s everywhere.
In our little slice of the planet in Mariposa County, the issue is no different.
Some of the people I talked to certainly had issues, but most of them seemed pretty decent folks who were down on their luck.
Are there going to be those who abuse and take advantage of the system?
Of course.
But I would speculate it’s not even close to the majority of people. One couple I spoke with seemed simply down on their luck and given the current state of the economy, had nowhere to turn but to live outdoors. In scorching heat.
What I saw from the sheriff certainly was compassion, but don’t be fooled, it was also mixed with straightforward messaging and his desire to see these people get the help they need.
It’s almost an impossible task.
For one, it is not illegal to not have a home. Plain and simple.
What is illegal is trespassing on property where camping is illegal; which is most property. The scarier part is when they build fires in order to cook food. Those fires could quickly spiral out of control and endanger much of the population.
Fire is certainly one of the main focuses for the sheriff’s office, but it’s not the only one.
There is the sheer compassion from those in law enforcement who try their best to refer people to human services, which has programs and avenues to help them. Some refuse while others may ponder it, or even try but then fall out of grace.
Again, it’s not illegal.
To me, there is a much bigger picture here than a sheriff who was born and raised here wanting to see the best for fellow humans who are down on their luck. For sure, this county is fortunate to have someone in that position and it may be the best thing we have going for us on this front.
But the bigger issues goes back to that richest country in history issue.
How can we, as a nation built on immigration and compassion, let this happen? Where are our priorities?
These are issues that, whether people like it or not, are going to have to be dealt with at some point in America. Many may not like it and might scream “let them die,” but that certainly isn’t the answer.
As the sheriff has said to me several times, those people are someone’s father or sister or mother or brother. They are human beings just like everyone else in the world. It doesn’t matter if you are homeless or a multi-billionaire, you are still human.
This, to me, is where things get lost in this day and age. It is such a “me” culture as well as a divided culture. The fact that humans are all created equal gets lost.
Did you know around 175,000 people die each day in the world? Think about that. We lose that many humans each day. Of course, that is offset by births, but still, that number certainly got my attention.
That’s a lot of people. Yet it is the natural progression of humans. We are born, we live and none of us escape alive.
The point to me is what we do between birth and death. What is our contribution to the human race?
I believe that should be the focus of every human — to do your best and try to make this a better place.
That is the undertaking the sheriff is trying to make work. It’s a nearly impossible task, but it takes someone willing to see it that way to at least try.
I also get annoyed at those who scream from their keyboards that people need to do something about this as they sip another toddy and continue with the vile rhetoric.
Step one: Get away from your keyboard and do something about it. Volunteer at a local charity. Offer to help senior citizens who need assistance. Anything along those lines can contribute to the greater good.
There are those who criticize the sheriff for trying to make this work. That is their right which I completely defend. Be a critic, it’s a built-in privilege in this country.
I don’t write this to put the sheriff on some pedestal or anything like that. Like the rest of us, he is a human being who won’t make it out alive.
But I do give him some props for at least trying to make a difference — and being public about it, to boot. He understands that whether people agree or disagree with what he is doing, at least they know about it, unlike others on the public dole.
I make these observations simply because I was able to get a better understanding of what’s really going on out there thanks to that few hours looking at encampments and talking to people who have few alternatives.
Most of us are lucky in life, even though we complain when a vehicle breaks down or this bill needs paid. It’s natural and I do the same thing.
But after seeing that side of humanity, it does change my perspective in some ways. It makes me think that maybe I don’t have it so bad compared to others.
It also makes me understand why this is an issue we all need to tackle no matter how difficult.
Greg Little is editor of the Mariposa Gazette and can be reached at greg@mariposagazette.com
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