the guy by the door …

In response to $1 Million of budget cuts in programs for the homeless, Jim Stewart organized a Speak Out at the Massachusetts Statehouse. The gold dome caps a much larger building. It is easy get lost. Since the cuts were made by Governor Deval Patrick – while at the same time allocating $9 Million for a foot bridge for football fans – Stewart called the Speak Out in front of The Corner Office. Stewart, director of the First Church Shelter in Cambridge, has been there many times before – especially when Cantabrigian Bill Weld occupied the office.

The  ‘providers’ led off. Several spoke. I won’t show them all. Above, Paulette from Gateway Shelter in Somerville is in the center speaking. Immediately to the left is George Capinegro,  a former guest and former employee of First Church Shelter. To the right, Johanna and Joe, staff at First Church. The guy with the fisherman’s cap and glasses is Jim Stewart. There is a homeless person in the picture that I met at St. Francis House. You will never guess and I will never tell.

After the providers, Jim called on us, the homeless. I did not speak. I felt my colleagues were more eloquent. The Aviatrix did not speak. I suspect from past experience with her, she could not.

Aside from Johanna who is a Divinity student at Harvard, I only recognized one other face from Harvard – David Dance from Phillips Brooks House. I have not had a chance to ask him how the student run UniLu Shelter will fare if the budget cuts stick. Next to him is Phil Wright from Pine Street Inn in Boston. I’ve met more Harvard ‘low wage workers’ since becoming homeless than I did during the Mass Hall Sit-In of 2001. There may well have been some that I haven’t met at this rally.

The high point of the morning was the prayer offered by Reverand Molly Baskette from First Congregational Church of Somerville. She was ably assisted by her exuberant three year old ecclesiastical assistant. The State Police Officer guarding the Governor rose to his feet and bowed his head.

We had heard that the Gov was in Worcester.  His Dudes were stationed by the door. They were going to ‘report back.’  But he popped out of the elevator and into his office. A homeless woman from the Anchor Program on Long Island¹ asked, “Can the Governor come out and talk to us.”

“He has important business.”

“He has bridge plans to look at.” Jim Stewart².

A woman on community service sabbatical from Sovereign Bank asked Deval’s Dudes, “How come you guys aren’t taking notes? How are you going to give a faithful report to the Governor?” The thinker in front of her is Reverand Tom Feagley from Bread of Life in Malden.

Deval’s Dudes under questioning. I moved in close to make them feel exposed. Deer in the Headlights Dude, had asked Jim Stewart if he could address the crowd.

“Are you going to tell them the cuts are restored?”

“No.”

“Then you can’t address them.”

Anyone with a conscience would have been moved by the experience. He would have come out and said, “You’re right. I was wrong. We won’t cut funds for the homeless.”  Sadly, that is yet to come.

I hope to have “action items” for you soon. Stay tuned.

¹This program is not readily Googlable. I’ll have to ask Jim Stewart. But at least I’ve ‘advanced’ the American language with a new adjective or am i falsely flattering myself.

²Referring, of course, to the $9 Million footbridge mentioned earlier. If you got it yourself, I apologize. If not, I’m glad I bludgeoned you.