A recent flier seen around Chapel Hill ends with the words “people trust Kevin Wolff.†Currently running for mayor of Chapel Hill, Mr. Wolff is a patent lawyer with more than a decade of law experience, a master’s degree in business administration and a JD. He is obviously a capable and intelligent man. This said, he seems to be relying on fear, stereotypes and ignorance as a campaign platform. His recent flier stated that “If the town council, mayor and the IFC are allowed to put the new men’s homeless shelter next to Homestead Park, as presently planned, then a child will be assaulted, molested, kidnapped or killed in that park.†Let’s take a minute to examine the messages in this statement. Is this man, who would like to be the mayor of our entire town, saying that poor people are rapists? Child molesters? Criminals? Is he saying that if you are homeless, you are inherently evil? Statistics have shown that people experiencing homelessness are more far more likely to be victims of a crime rather than perpetrators. Mr. Wolff wants us to think of the homeless population as different from us, as less worthy because they do not have a home. It is exactly this sort of stigmatization that allows for horrible offenses such as hate crimes, beatings and sexual assaults of the homeless. By making this sort of broad statement, Kevin Wolff tells us people are not homeless due to disabilities, illnesses and the economic downturn, but rather due to their laziness, criminality and dishonesty.
What really separates people experiencing homelessness from the rest of us? Often it is simply the lack of a support system when a crisis occurs. The loss of a job, domestic abuse or divorce can force a person from their home and onto the streets. We as a society should not punish people for their lack of a safety net. Rather we should be that safety net. While I respect Mr. Wolff’s desire to protect the youth of this town, I feel that his sentiment and position are misguided. People experiencing homelessness are no different from you or me. They are men, women and children down on their luck and without resources. I urge Mr. Wolff to be part of the solution. Rather than discussing the inherent criminality of the homeless, I would encourage him to think proactively about ways to find permanent, affordable housing, support the needs and reintegrate the homeless community into mainstream society.
Jacob Hafkin
Candidate for master’s in social work, UNC
Nice letter and glad to see it posted.
As to your question, “Is this man, who would like to be the mayor of our entire town, saying that poor people are rapists? Child molesters? Criminals? Is he saying that if you are homeless, you are inherently evil?”
YES. I believe that is the most accurate way to interpret the statements on Mr. Wolff’s flier.