Everyone deserves the safety and dignity of a home.
We at the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) find it reprehensible that last week, a newscaster on a major TV network, publicly advocated murdering people who are unhoused and experiencing health crises.
Negative rhetoric directed at people experiencing homelessness not only breeds stigma and discrimination but can also fuel violence and aggression against vulnerable populations. NCH has documented thousands of alarming instances of violence targeting those facing homelessness, a tragic reality that underscores the profound consequences of dehumanizing language.
Furthermore, the commentators showed a fundamental lack of understanding of the everyday experience of regular people in this country. There is no community in the country that has enough affordable housing or emergency shelter to meet the need. Our health care system is extremely expensive, and treatment is often either too costly, not covered by insurance, or not even available in a community.
When influential platforms propagate misinformation or violent rhetoric, it normalizes harmful attitudes and emboldens those with violent tendencies. We must hold our journalists and media figures to account for the power of their words and the impact they can have on society.
We demand that FoxNews apologize, and ‘Fox and Friends’ co-host Brian Kilmeade be reprimanded for suggesting that people experiencing homelessness or mental health crises be euthanized.
We must strive for a society that prioritizes care, compassion, and comprehensive support for everyone. It is vital that we challenge and denounce rhetoric that dehumanizes vulnerable populations.
Housing ends homelessness, and the country has more than enough resources to ensure we all have a safe home and that our basic human needs are met.
