‘Homelessness in Suburbia’ and Sheen’s Offer of a Sanctuary

I’m sure Martin Sheen means well, but his proclamation of Malibu as a sanctuary for the homeless is an empty and simplistic gesture.

It’s empty because Malibu offers nothing to the homeless. How many homeless shelters are in Malibu? Detox programs? Job-training classes? Those who go to Malibu expecting any real help for their problems will add another rejection to a lifetime of rejections.

And Sheen’s proposal is simplistic because it trivializes the problems of the homeless. Even if the homeless were content to sleep on the beach, is that all Sheen or any of us would want for them?

The main struggle of the homeless is not to get food and shelter, but with deeply ingrained and self-destructive patterns of drug and alcohol abuse, broken family relationships and low self-esteem. How will Malibu help the homeless with these problems?

MARK HOLSINGER

Director

Los Angeles Mission