LETTER: Ramirez editorial cartoon on homeless misses the mark

In response to Michael Ramirez’s recent editorial cartoon on the homeless:

Mr. Ramirez believes liberal policies enable and encourage homelessness. I would suggest that Mr. Ramirez serve on a soup line and pass a hot bowl of soup to a homeless man while looking him in the eyes. Would he still believe that these men (and women) have chosen the “good life” of being homeless?

How does society encourage people to choose being homeless? The fact is that almost all people who are homeless are dysfunctional and need some level of help. Many suffer from mental health issues and are on the streets of America because “current policies” (I am not going to label them), have gutted mental health programs, as hospitals dump patients onto the streets or — even worse — ship them off to other cities or states.

It is time we treat the homeless as our brothers and sisters and not marginalize them and treat them as a blight on society. I am convinced we can find Jesus in the soup line.