From our weekly issue dated March 26, 2008

This “Corner” will be a departure from the usual effort, although as I type and think (yes, I can handle two functions simultaneously), I’m not sure where it’s going.

Let’s start with “the bums” who seem to offend so many folks. Comments we hear: They stink and have dirty clothes. They’re drunks. They hang out and booze it up in public. They pee in front of everyone. They bother people by asking for money. They steal from the grocery store. Why do they have Oregon Trail cards that we pay for? Can’t they get jobs? They stagger around sometimes and cause traffic problems. How can they afford beer and cigarettes?

Good pints … er ... points all. I don’t know why they live as they do, but it seems that they’ve pretty much chosen that way of life. So? As long as they aren’t committing crimes, what’s the beef? Yes, some have committed crimes, but street people aren’t the only ones guilty. Are they the ones breaking into homes and businesses? Maybe. Maybe not.

OK, so they don’t “look nice” for our town and valley. Is that a problem? Is it wrong for churches to feed them? Not if you subscribe to the Christian ethic. Do they stay here because of free food, or is this just a nice place to live? Does the state make it too easy to get freebies?

I don’t know. But I think that if people really want to get them to move on, they need to figure out how to cut off their supply of fortified beer and other of their favorite beverages. It could work: but they’d probably just move to another community where the stuff is available. I’m thinking out loud here; these are only ideas and random views.

In fact, in 22 years of operating Illinois Valley News, this is only the second time I’ve written an actual editorial. People often mistakenly call my weekly humor column an editorial, but it’s not. An editorial consists of opinion and similar commentary by an editor or publisher. Nothing more, nothing less. On larger newspapers, editorials are directed by an editorial board. On smaller publications, such as your favorite I.V. News, an editorial represents the views of one person.

It’s food for thought. So that’s the “Corner” editorial for this issue. Maybe I’ll start writing one of each.