Greg Abbott can’t feel his legs — nor apparently, his heart

 

Wish I could say I’m surprised HIS second chance mattered, but others’ do not — but I can’t. 

He talks about being faced with being literally “at death’s door.” He talks about the lessons he learned to apply to all of his life — “the lessons of perseverance and never, ever, giving up.”  He also talks a good game about how “our lives aren’t defined by our challenges, but how we respond to those challenges.”

Greg, all of that shit sounds real good when you’re running for office and trying to bullshit “we the people,” (you did get some of them — hook, line and sinker though). Apparently, you seem to think only white folk have those feelings, those desires; that the immigrants at the border don’t feel those same feelings. Has it ever occurred to you that, that is the damned reason they KEEP COMING?? That their “perseverance and never, ever giving up” is what drives them, just like you???

And while you and your wife adopted your daughter, Audrey, who you say brought you so much joy when they handed her to you first, and since — have you ever thought about the women who felt that same joy the minute they actually, physically gave birth to their children, after having carried and delivered them into de facto captivity? How about their daddies, who never got to feel that same joy you felt — at all. Lucky, Audrey is all you got to say about that, I guess.

“Tio Greg,” as one of your nieces called you in one of your patronizing-as-hayell, election ads in Texas — you ain’t shit. You sent three busloads of HUMAN BEINGS into the freezing cold of Washington, DC, with neither warm clothes, nor prior notice — in a dick-measuring contest??!! You.ain’t.shit!

I don’t believe in white Jesus, but I do believe in karma. And that second chance you got that your supposedly-Christian ass keeps ignoring and refusing to pay forward — will catch up to you and not in a good way. I just hope I’m alive to see it.

Congratulations to my favorite, homeless, Homeless Advocate!!!

Tuesday morning at City Hall, the Washington DC Council honored my friend, Mr. Eric Jonathan Sheptock, enacting ceremonial Bill 200283, which proclaimed December 31 -- "Eric Sheptock Day" (you can read the text of the bill at the link).

Last Thursday evening, Eric sent me this:

November 18th: DC Council to Honor My homeless Advocacy (and I THOUGHT Others' Work Too)

All,

I received word on October 20th that the DC Council would honor the work of myself and possibly other advocates as well. I received the date for the event earlier today. It will take place on Tuesday, November 18th, though I haven't been given a time.

DC Council sessions generally begin around 10 AM, sometimes at 11. I'll publish the exact time when I have it. You are invited. I'll be sure to put in a plug for other advocates.

I've begun to go to work on the Bowser administration: www.ericsheptock.com

My initial reaction was a swelling sense of pride deep in my heart (I've had that feeling often since I met and interviewed him for a class paper I was writing while working on my M.A. in Journalism back in 2009).  I emailed him back about an hour later saying:

Congratulations!!! Be careful though, Man.  Folk like them tend to think they can massage activists into silence with honors! Keep your eyes open and your head up!

Deb

He emailed me back to say he'd call me in about 45 minutes and he did. We talked for an hour, catching up on current events and talking about his upcoming big day.  It was wonderful!  I've said it before and I'll say it again -- I am so proud of this young man!  He's not only been talking the talk for as long as I've known him, he's definitely been walking the walk (not too many people I can say that about these days!).

On Monday he sent me this email:

All,

On November 18th, 2014 in the DC Council chamber I will be recognized for my 8.5 and counting years of homeless advocacy. They will declare December 31st, 2014 to be Eric Jonathan Sheptock Day. Councilman Jim Graham's office just called for a list of my closest associates. I gave about a dozen names that might include YOU. It would be great if YOU were there. I've attached my speech and a copy of the resolution which you'll also find here: Washington D.C. CER20-0283 | 2013-2014 | 20th Council.

He was excited, and two hours later, I replied:

If I could afford to make the 9-hour drive tonight so I could be there in the morning, you know, or ought to know that I would. As a matter of fact, I sat down and took a look at my finances after our telephone call the other day to see if I could surprise you, but I realized I couldn't make it work because I'm driving down to Florida this weekend to spend the week with my husband — we're celebrating our 34th wedding anniversary on Nov. 28th (gotta honor that long damned time together, Man)!!

Like I've told you many times before — I am so-o-o-o damned proud of you Eric!! From our first meeting at Cosi's near the library, UP UNTIL TODAY -- you have been the man you said you were!!!! I am so grateful to have been able to call you my friend. I enjoyed meeting your friends in the park that day (How's "Better Believe Steve doing?), I felt privileged when we all went to see "The Soloist" because I was with people who really, really knew the life Jamie Foxx was trying to portray.

I know that little laptop is probably long-dead by now, but I hope it lasted long enough to keep you pecking away at this wonderfully, meaningful work to which you are committed. While I've always been a homeless advocate, I've never been as activist an advocate as you! Knowing you my Brother, has enriched my life wa-a-a-y more than you will ever know and for that, I thank you.

Have a great day tomorrow Eric, you deserve it! But, remember what I said, "Be careful, Man. Folk like them tend to think they can massage activists into silence with honors! Keep your eyes open and your head up!" -- and of course — KEEP GIVIN' 'EM HELL!!

Take care of yourself,

P.S. Great speech! Would you mind if I posted it along with the text of the resolution (I'll post the resolution today and update the post with your speech after the event is over)? Please let me know. I think it's important that more people than those in DC recognize not only the work, but the kind of man you are.

Deb

He responded:

Feel free to post my speech -- written and video. I'll send you the latter soon.

I'm using the laptop you bought me right now. it's 4 years and 2 months old. I've had to do major non-invasive work on it at times (clean out files, remove viruses etc.); but, it's still working.

happy anniversary! My parents did 41 years until he passed in 2000. I'm sure you'll surpass the number in 8 years.
I wouldn't trouble you to come for this event. I haven't forgotten that you said you'd drop what you're doing and catch a plane to DC if something revolutionary jumped off in a big way. I WILL call you for THAT.

Better Believe Steve is having mobility issues and is in an unstable housing situation right now. He's often in pain due to lower back and leg issues. he's still advocating though. He uses a walker now. I'll tell him you asked about him.

Through coincidence...err Divine providence, this event occurs at 9 AM and then some of its participants will enter Shitty..City Hall for my ceremony and legislation that is before the council concerning affordable housing. It's gonna be a great day!!!  https://www.facebook.com/events/942679665761950/?pnref=story

I'm late in posting both (due to some dental work from which today, I've recovered), but I replied:

Thanks Eric. I'll post the resolution tonight. Damn, I'm glad it's still working!! I tell you Man, that was the best investment I ever made given what you've done with it! Again, Man -- I'm very proud of you. I s-o-o-o look forward to your work with this "new/old administration!"

Thanks for the happy anniversary wish! When we began, 34 years of longevity would've seemed a long time. But now, given your parents' 41 years and his parents' over 60 years before his father passed last year, I think, as my Grandmama used to say, "God willin' and the creek don't rise!" -- we'll get there!

"I wouldn't trouble you to come for this event. I haven't forgotten that you said you'd drop what you're doing and catch a plane to DC if something revolutionary jumped off in a big way. I WILL call you for THAT."

If I could've, I would've, but I'm glad you understand. And yes, particularly since I'm closer in SC now than I was in Texas, I will certainly answer THAT call! Hate to hear about Steve. Isn't he an Air Force Vet? Couldn't he get PSH from some of those gazillion dollars the Changeling proposed in his FY 2010 budget proposal for housing and homeless programs? {smdh} Yes, please do tell him I asked about him.

Divine providence — at least you'll have a larger audience! Yes, my friend, it IS gonna be a great day! Enjoy and savor it, then — get back to work!!!

Take care,
Deb

He replied about Steve's situation and then continued:

...PSH it is just another waiting list for housing, though it's shorter than at the Housing Authority. If they determine his condition is not as bad as someone else's, he moves down the list. That said, I know he's on some housing list but don't know if it's PSH.

DC has come up with a combined assessment for all of the housing lists. That makes applying easier but doesn't necessarily get you housed sooner. I'm not sure if Steve has done this consolidated assessment which is only a few months old called the VI-SPDAT (Vulnerability Index something, something something Assessment Tool)."

With that, I took my ass to bed -- fully planning to post all this the day before it happened. But as I said earlier, the tooth slayed me. I'm feeling better now -- and there's no way I wouldn't pay homage to this man who never, ever gives up -- "Homeless Advocate, thy name is Eric Sheptock!"

Here's his speech:

Eric Jonathan Sheptock – Advocacy Award Acceptance Speech for Nov. 18th, 2014

First of all, I'd like to thank you for this award. It's nice to know that my work hasn't gone unnoticed, though I've been involved in at least a couple of Facebook debates as to whether or not my virtually unpaid advocacy qualifies as work. But I can't say that it's a thankless job; as, many homeless people have stooped me in hallways or on the sidewalk to tell me how much they appreciate what I do sometimes three or four of DC's nearly 9,000 homeless people per day.

I stand on the shoulders of Mitch Snyder and others who worked with him. I'd also like to recognize the dozens of other current day advocates for the rights of the homeless, for living-wage jobs, for affordable housing and for the many other human rights which this city claimed to support on December 10th, 2008. Some of them hearken back to the days of Mitch Snyder and the Reagan Revolution.

While congratulating all advocates – myself and others -- for having an unwavering commitment to ensuring that all people have all of their basic human necessities, you should take pause to recognize what may very well be the grimmest reality of our time – that in this land of plenty there are those who go without.

No worries; for the other advocates and I will continue to fight the good fight as we transition into the Bowser administration. After 15 months in office, Fenty committed to and oversaw the housing of the most vulnerable homeless singles. After 38 months in office, Gray committed to and drew up a plan for providing better shelter to homeless families. I hope that by the time Ms. Bowser has been mayor for six months we'll have a plan for connecting able-bodied homeless adults to living-wage jobs and affordable housing which they can pay for without subsidies.

So, while I appreciate this award and the recognition from the DC Council, the work of the advocates is far from over. We actually have about time-and-a-half as many homeless people now as we had when the Inter-agency Council on Homelessness first met in June 2006 and probably twice as many as we had in 2004 when we adopted a 10-year plan to end homelessness by next month (December 2014). Needless to say, I don't have any faith in 10-year plans.

My commitment to real solutions is proven in part by the fact that I've already attempted to connect with the Bowser transition team so as to offer guidance on how to actually DECREASE homelessness in the city. In January we need to hit the ground running – especially if the weather is anything like it is today.

Thank you.

While I do believe the new administration is trying to get out in front of Eric's relentlessness by stroking him (they've no idea with whom they're dealing!)  -- I must say again, I'm so damned proud and privileged to call him -- "FRIEND."

My favorite homeless, homeless advocate, Eric Sheptock -- still on the job!

The year I met Eric Sheptock, I was working on my Masters in Journalism at Georgetown.  And though I withdrew after a year for personal reasons, the time I spent with Eric and his friends taught me way more than the Jesuits ever could.

I am so proud of his man!  He's smart, driven and committed to ensuring the homeless, who live in the shadow of the White House and Congress -- are treated with dignity and respect and, that they  receive equitable treatment in their search for some degree of agency in their own lives.

Listen, while he lays out the latest insult to that very agency and self-determination:



When I graduated from my Alabama HBCU, I moved to DC during the time that Mitch Snyder, the other homeless, homeless advocate, to whom Eric referred above, negotiated the CCNV deal (District residents were fighting "Taxation without Representation" then too!  Funny how nothing's changed but the faces of the struggle in 35 years right?).  I thought it odd then that, in our nation's capital, so many people were fighting just to have a decent place to stay.  I was young and dumb then.  I don't find it odd anymore.

Please go here if you believe there should be even a modicum of true change you can believe in and sign Eric's petition, Family.  Help DC's homeless population have a seat at the table in deciding their own fate. Remember, there but for the grace...

Congratulations to my LGBT brothers and sisters in Washington, DC!!!!

So, after filing suit last November, opponents of same-sex marriage have been dealt a serious upper-cut with this - Chief justice denies stay of District's same-sex marriage law.  Now, all those who waited, can start applying for licenses tomorrow!  For now.

Since Congress didn't act within the 30-day required time period after the bill passed first reading on December 15th, their only recourse to keep the bill from becoming law was through the courts - where their suit still remains - awaiting consideration by the D.C. Court of Appeals.  The bases of their suit?  The people of D.C. have a right to vote on whether they want same-sex marriage or not and that marriage should be defined as being between a man and a woman (sound familiar?). 

Unlike California's Proposition 8, D.C.'s law was passed in an 11-2 vote by the City Council.  Then, the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics denied their request for a ballot initiative to ban same-sex marriage - and opponents filed suit.

But with no decision from the court, and the law going into effect this Wednesday, they went to the Supreme Court yesterday and filed for the stay that was denied by Chief Justice Roberts today, basically refusing to have the entire Supreme Court hear it.  But Roberts made it very clear that this is not yet completely over:

"Petitioners argued that this action was improper, because D.C. Council legislation providing that a referendum is not required cannot trump a provision of the D.C. Charter specifying that a referendum is required," Roberts wrote...

...And he said that although the time for a referendum on the law will have passed, the group can still pursue a ballot initiative.

"The request for an initiative will not become moot when the act becomes law," Roberts wrote. "On the contrary, the D.C. Court of Appeals will have the chance to consider the relevant legal questions on their merits, and petitioners will have the right to challenge any adverse decision through a petition for certiorari in this Court at the appropriate time."

So, the decision - on whether the voters have a say - falls to the D.C. Court of Appeals trier of fact and/or law (depending on how the case is heard).  Let's not forget same-sex marriage was legal in California and Maine, before it wasn't.

Interestingly, Catholic Charities has made good on at least one previous threat.  Yesterday, they notified their workers that they were changing their health benefits coverage to exclude new, and not already enrolled "spouses" of their employees - Same-sex marriage leads Catholic Charities to adjust benefits:

"We looked at all the options and implications," said the charity's president, Edward J. Orzechowski. "This allows us to continue providing services, comply with the city's new requirements and remain faithful to the church's teaching."

And, keep that approximately $22 million in city contracts. Just sayin'. 

Is it me? Or are they making some subtle assumptions with this move?

Anyway.  Even though council member Alexander's amendment, allowing individuals to refuse to provide services for same-sex marriages based on their religious beliefs, was not included in the final bill - allowances were made for "religious organizations" to say "No" to performing and/or providing a place for same-sex weddings.  Still sounds discriminatory to me - but who am I?

So-o-o, congrats again people!!!  Fill out those license applications and get ye to the court on time!!!

In a related development, it seems the Changeling is already looking to 2012 and the LGBT vote according to this - Obama to repeal Bush ‘provider conscience’ regulations:

The Bush administration rule was quickly challenged in federal court by several states and medical organizations. As a candidate, President Barack Obama criticized the regulation and campaign aides promised that if elected, he would review it.

Late last week the White House released a statement saying that Obama supports a “carefully crafted” conscience clause – not Bush’s version.

It'll be interesting to see what "carefully crafted" really means. And while he's repealing, why not just repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell instead of all this long, drawn-out studying and polling? Nah, probably saving that one until closer to re-election time.

To Catholic Charities: "What Would Jesus Do?"

Last month, I talked to my friend Eric Sheptock, the homeless - homeless advocate whose story I began to tell back in April.  After catching up, we talked about DC's same-sex marriage amendment that passed its second vote in the DC Council just two days ago.  I'd asked his permission to repost his literal, "Man on the Street" perspectives on the amendment, Catholic Charities, homelessness and the politics of it all in DC.  But procrastinator that I am - I didn't keep my word (Sorry Eric!).

Now that the 30-day clock is ticking for Congress to sign-off on the amendment and make it law - or not, I thought I'd share a little history from someone who will be personally affected if Catholic Charities decides NOT to do what Jesus would.

~#~

Catholic Charities Pimps DC Council Again, This Time Over Gay Marriage
By Erick Sheptock
(Posted November 13, 2009)  

What do a Catholic Charities homeless shelter and gay marriage have in common? Some would venture to guess that gay men want the right to identify as women and sleep in female shelters and that butch lesbians want the right to sleep in male shelters. That would be a very well-informed guess. I've witnessed gay men checking into female shelters, though I've yet to see a butch lesbian check into a male shelter. Such rights exist in DC homeless shelters already.

However, there is a new and strange twist (no pun intended) to the fight for gay rights. I received the news over dinner last night (before it even hit the airwaves) that Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC is considering the possibility of not doing any more business with the city of Washington if the gay marriage bill is passed. Being that the news has hit the airwaves at this point and you can get the story by going on-line, I'll take some time to give you a little of the background on relations between Catholic Charities and DC Government as well as the low-down on the mayor -- the parts of the story that the media won't tell you.

In March I did a blog post about several shelters having been threatened. (See below where I've re-posted it.) It was believed by the homeless community at that time that DC Mayor Adrian Fenty wanted to close ALL DC homeless shelters before leaving office in January of 2011. Then, the mayor was heard suggesting that homeless people who are not from DC go back to where they came from. (You can read about that in my September post entitled: "DC Mayor Tries To Rid City of Homeless".) In lieu of all of the reasons that the mayor has given the homeless to think that he wants them to just get out of town, it behooves the mayor to proactively prove otherwise. No matter how many layers of authority and contracts lie between the mayor and those who actually close the shelters, the mayor will still be implicated in the closure. He is still ultimately responsible. It is, therefore, in Mayor Fenty's best interest to actively prevent any shelter closures, especially at this time of year. He must use every weapon in his arsenal to come to the rescue of DC's homeless. Failure is not an option. Even if Catholic Charities shuts down all city operations, the mayor will be who everyone looks to for answers.

Catholic Charities is a different story altogether. Some believe that Catholic Charities is in dire straights and is using the gay marriage bill to suck more money out of the city. But before I explain the correlation between the gay marriage bill and the homeless shelters, I'll explain how Catholic charities likes to pimp the city.

The news came out on September 28th of this year that $12 million would be slashed from DC Government's Homeless Services budget. All homeless service providers were, in turn, ordered to cut 30% from their budget for FY 2010. Catholic Charities representatives attended a hearing in front of DC Councilman Tommy Wells on October 5th and stated that they could not continue to operate with one-third of their budget having been slashed. They threatened to shut down all of their city shelters, which would have resulted in the loss of about 2,000 shelter beds. The city scrambled to find the funds to keep the shelters open. Within 3 days the mayor found $11 million and the shelters were saved. He thereby averted a lot of major lawsuits due to hypothermia deaths.

However, this showed Catholic Charities that they are in a position to do a power play on the city. If this latest development is any indication, Catholic Charities is not going to let the city forget that they -- and not the city government -- hold the cards when it comes to social services in the city. When I referred to Catholic Charities as having pimped the city during conversations in October, it was blown off as being nothing but hype. In the articles about this latest move, various council members have weighed in on this issue of being pimped by Catholic Charities. It's too obvious to ignore at this point. I told you so.

The story goes like this:

The DC Council has been working on a gay marriage bill, which they expect to pass next month. While the bill makes certain exemptions for religious organizations, it doesn't make exemptions for businesses. Churches don't have to perform gay marriages or allow their space to be used for gay marriages. However, businesses are not allowed to discriminate against gays in any way, shape, form or fashion. They must serve gay patrons and must extend employee benefits to the gay partners of their employees. Catholic Charities, being a non-profit, is an uncanny marriage of the two -- a church and a business. They seek to assert their religious beliefs as reasons for them not to have to abide by the gay marriage bill as it pertains to businesses. They also claim that the increased cost of employee benefits justifies them opting out of city contracts due to the increased cost of those benefits having not been figured into the contracts at the time of the signing. Catholic charities is seriously considering not doing business with the city any more. If they were to make good on this threat, thousands of DC's most vulnerable citizens would suffer. That makes it rather selfish of Catholic charities to opt out of their city contracts. (As a quick aside, I must say that I told the person who first informed me of this situation with Catholic Charities that I feel obligated to remain a homeless advocate, in spite of me not getting paid for it, and that my reason is that I'd be letting a lot of people who look up to me down if I were to quit now.)

Let's also bear in mind that Catholic Charities receives city funding. This alone obligates them to lay aside any religious beliefs and to continue to deliver services -- secularly, as a non-profit and not as a church. My statement is not without precedent, that precedent having been set in the Central Union Mission (CUM) case. Central Union Mission sought to move to the historic and city-owned Gales School. With CUM being Christian-based, they were told that they could not acquire the Gales School unless they lifted the religious requirements. That is to say that they couldn't make anyone pray or attend chapel services as a requirement for residing at the shelter. Neither could they make or enforce any other religious policies such as not allowing people to smoke cigarettes. CUM is still bargaining with the city for the Gales School; but, they know full well that they must lighten up on the religious requirements in order for this deal to move forward. With Catholic charities receiving city funds, they can expect the same type of treatment.

The crux of the issue is whether Catholic Charities is more of a church or more of a business. (I can't help but think of a related ethnic joke.) Should they be exempt from honoring the gay rights law due to being a religious organization or be obligated to obey such a law due to them being a business and receiving city funding?????

While people ponder that question, I'd like to throw a possible solution out there. There has been conversation between homeless advocates and DC Government about the homeless community running the shelters. This too is not without precedent. The CCNV (Community for Creative Non-Violence) Shelter in downtown DC is run by homeless people. No one gets paid to work there. The shelter runs entirely on donations, with the building being owned by the city. The building was actually wrested from the Reagan administration by homeless people who were operating under the leadership of Mitch Snyder.

This conversation needs to be picked up and become a bit more serious. Furthermore, the city should actually pay the homeless to run the shelters. They should transfer the money that they would've given to Catholic Charities to the homeless who would run the shelters. The homeless would be willing to run the shelters with the reduced budget that Catholic Charities cried about in October. Furthermore, it would serve to empower the homeless -- to instill in them a can-do attitude. This alone would lead to a substantial decrease in homelessness. Just something to think about.

~#~

For more of Eric's thoughts on this, here's a link to his most recent post:  On the Clock with Eric Sheptock: Have a Heart For the Homeless -- Raising Awareness on a Social Justice Issue

Shots fired, shots fired - Officer down!

UPDATE II: The link to von Brunn's biography I posted is broken, but this is what it said (he has many admirers who quote it online; cutting and pasting this from one of them):

From his biography: "James W. von Brunn holds a BachSci Journalism degree from a mid-Western university where he was president of SAE and played varsity football. During WWII he served as PT-Boat captain, Lt. USNR, receiving a Commendation and four battle stars. For twenty years he was an advertising executive and film-producer in New York City. He is a member of Mensa, the high-IQ society.In 1981 von Brunn attempted to place the treasonous Federal Reserve Board of Governors under legal, non-violent, citizens arrest. He was tried in a Washington, D.C. Superior Court; convicted by a Negro jury, Jew/Negro attorneys, and sentenced to prison for eleven years by a Jew judge. A Jew/Negro/White Court of Appeals denied his appeal. He served 6.5 years in federal prison. He is now an artist and author and lives on Maryland's Eastern Shore."

Now I don't know if all of this is true but, he is an artist, living in Maryland. And the bit of biographical information you can read without "joining," on that same AskArt site, is pretty interesting.

And Oh, Fenty said nothin'.

UPDATE I: 88 year-old, white man from the Eastern Shore! A domestic, dare I say it - Terrorist?

(Nah-h-h-h, Deb! He's just a crackpot - an isolated incident. Gir-r-r-l, where you been? Don't you know we're post-racial?!)

==================================

With all the security measures erected in DC since 9/11, somebody please tell me HOW a man - with a "LONG GUN" - walked up into the FRONT DOOR of the Holocaust Museum in DC - and started shooting at people????? Bo-o-o-o-y, I can just hear the many ways this will play out right now! M-m-m!

I'm sure there'll be a lot of political expediency (make that opportunism) involved in the crossfire! Particularly since, Eric Holder and friends were to attend the play, "Ann & Emmett," (a conversation between Emmett Till and Anne Frank) there at the museum later on tonight. And of course, the Changeling's recent trip to the Middle East and - "The Speech" - will provide plenty of fodder for everyone! I'm going to go listen to Fenty. When I know more, I'll write more.

DC Homeless living - and dying - at the feet of power

From: Eric Sheptock Sent: Monday, June 08, 2009 5:14 PM To: undisclosed recipients: Subject: Fw: SICK HOMELESS WOMAN DIES IN FRONT OF CCNV ON 6/7A homeless woman who was living with a certain illness died while sitting on a bench in front of the CCNV Shelter on June 7th. DC Government failed to house her, even though she was one of the "most vulnerable". This situation has raised the ire of the homeless community. A memorial service will be held for her this evening from 6 to 7 PM at the corner of 2nd and D streets, NW in front of the sidewalk bench where she died. That is the corner of the CCNV building that is nearest the 3rd Street tunnel. This matter will be brought up at the ICH meeting, which will be held where she often ate at Thrive DC. I hope there is high attendance this evening.

I got this email from my homeless-advocate friend, Eric Sheptock yesterday. During the many times I met with him to talk for the paper I was writing, I've either driven past, or sat in my car talking to Eric outside that bench at the Community for Creative Nonviolence (CCNV). So much so, that other residents at the shelter took to teasing him, calling me his "new girlfriend." That a woman died on that bench, right outside that shelter is not only appalling, but IMHO, very telling - considering the mayor's puported drive to provide Permanent Supportive Housing to DC's "most vulnerable" through the Housing First program.
When I graduated from my small, liberal arts HBCU in 1978, I moved to DC - the first "big city" I'd ever actualy lived in. I fell in love with it - still am. During that time, there was another advocate/activist who reminds me a lot of Eric for his outspokenness. His name was Mitch Snyder. His advocacy, like Eric's, was instrumental in getting help for the many people about whom I can only say, "There but for the grace..." Mr. Snyder has since died but I'm convinced, he is reincarnated in one, Eric Sheptock. NPR aired this piece on my friend today: "A Voice for the Homeless." Like a mother hen, I was there with him and Ms. Fessler during the first part of this interview but missed the follow-ups at The Church of the Epiphany and Thrive DC because I came home on summer break. Eric made sure to call me today though - he wanted to be sure I wouldn't miss it! I'm so very proud of him. While FLOTUS made a much-ballyhooed, one-day visit to Miriam's Kitchen to feed the homeless shortly after moving into the Big House, it'll be interesting to see what kind of sustained influence she can have on the daily lives of the homeless living in the shadows of her shiny, new home. Eric's hopeful - I'm not. As for the Changeling, well, never mind.

"Homeless Advocate, thy name is Eric Sheptock!"

Finally finished my final paper for my Journalism of Identity class. It's due later today. It was supposed to be 1400-1600 words on someone else other than myself. I chose a wonderfully bright and funny young man who happens to be homeless and living in D.C. His name is Eric Sheptock.

There are so many intriguing layers to this guy! With only a high school education, he has managed to become an expert on the homeless situation in Washington, DC. With a mind like a steel trap, he can quote homeless facts and figures, dates and places and of course, the many names and titles associated with the numerous non-profit and governmental agencies with whom he has dealt. He has it all in his head! Amazing I tell you, just amazing!

After hanging out with him over time, I realized there was no way possible I could write his story in 1400-1600 words! Here is Part I:

“Um, excuse me Ma’am? I’m sorry, we need the chairs.”

Confused, I looked up into the smiling, pecan-tanned face of the young Cosi cashier, who it seemed, had just rung our sandwiches up an hour or so ago inside.

“We’re closing now and we have to put the chairs away” she said softly, motioning toward the other chairs already stacked near the door leading into the restaurant. Rattled, my eyes quickly darted to the apparently, long-empty tables around us. As I looked toward the sky, I noticed the sun had become low, and fat, and warmly orange as it began its slow descent toward the horizon. The bright sunshine, that had forced me to fish my sunglasses from my purse when we first sat down, had waned and there was a slight chill in the air.

Initially suspecting I was having a senior moment, I stood to surrender my now-warmed seat as I asked the cashier, “Is it really that late?”
She laughed out loud this time, revealing twin rows of perfectly white teeth as she said, “Yes Ma’am, it is!”

It was then that I realized, I’d been sitting on their patio near the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library downtown for well over four hours - talking to Eric Sheptock, homeless advocate extraordinaire.

I’d been trying to decide who the topic of my final Journalism of Identity paper would be for some time. Meeting Eric that first Sunday in April was one of those, all-the-planets-aligning kind of things one never expects to happen, but certainly welcomes when it does.

A Washington Post story last month, about the increased use of cell phones and computers by many of the District’s estimated 14,537 homeless people, linked to a blog, “On the Clock with Eric Sheptock,” hosted at Streats.tv. Following the link, I discovered some of the most informative, often hilarious accounts of homelessness and homeless advocacy I’d ever read. The self-described, “Homeless Advocate, G.A.B. (Government Agitating Bigmouth),” dishes out a true, Man on the Street (no pun intended) style of advocacy that kept me up all night reading each post -- from first, to last.

At the end of the last post, surprisingly, I read, “Finally, I was quite impressed to find out that a certain young lady named Meghan who attends Georgetown U. has been following my blog for 2 months and has read ALL OF MY BLOG POSTS. Gotta love her. She's definitely interested in the issue of homelessness.”

A smart, unassuming young lady in her twenties, Meghan and I were taking our second class together. Thinking this was no coincidence, I ended my rather lengthy comment to Eric’s post writing, “And this must be your week for Georgetown students! Though we'd never discussed this before, I am a graduate student there as well and get this - Meghan is in one of my classes!!! I'll have to tell her you gave her a nod here on the post.”

The next day in class, I told Meghan about her shout-out. Smiling, she shared she’d actually spoken to Eric several times for a project in another of her classes this semester. Delighted, I asked if she could introduce us because I was kicking around the idea of homelessness in D.C. as a topic for two final projects as well. She said she’d contact him and let me know.

After a flurry of emails between the three of us over the course of two days, the date was set, Sunday at 3 p.m. at the entrance of the MLK library.

As I entered the glass doors, I saw Meghan sitting in the lobby with a slender, goateed Black man of about 35 or so with a baseball cap turned backward on his head, wearing a T-shirt partially covered by a hoodie, jeans and sneakers. He could have been any of the many young men one sees walking the streets of the city. As Meghan made the introductions, I looked into the doe-like brown eyes of a clean-shaven and, contrary to what folk project about the homeless -- clean-smelling Eric Sheptock.

An unseasonably warm and beautiful day, we took our conversation outside to Cosi’s restaurant where we could enjoy the sun and talk freely. After about 15-20 minutes in “getting to know you” chat, Meghan stood up, saying she was leaving so Eric and I could talk, but not before taking some pictures of the three of us together. She hugged us both goodbye and headed for the Metro.

As I turned to Eric, I only got a chance to say, “So,…” before he launched into his advocacy-speak. I interrupted, telling him I’d gotten how vociferous an advocate he was for the homeless from the blog and from Meghan, but for right now, I just wanted to know more about Eric and how he became the homeless guy.

Having to talk about himself seemed to throw him for a loop - at first. Searching for a place to begin he said, “A lot of people think all homeless people are drug addicts and that’s why they’re homeless. Actually, particularly for me, it’s the other way around. I became addicted to crack cocaine after having become homeless.”

As it turns out, young Eric Sheptock had lived a pretty good life as a foster child - after a decidedly rocky beginning that is. At six years-old, his adopted-mom told him the story of young Eric Gooden, born on March 15, 1969 to two young parents unfit to raise him. After having been found alone and near-death in an Atlantic City, New Jersey hotel room with his head bashed in and covered in blood, he was put into the foster care system - at eight months old.

Removing his baseball cap and leaning over to show me the deep, disfiguring scars on the back of his head, he said matter-of-factly, “Since I was obviously a baby, I don’t really remember much about it, but my foster-mom told me what happened. She said I had three craniotomies as a result.”

Temporarily placed with an elderly Black woman whose husband was very ill and in a nursing home, Eric doesn’t remember a whole lot about the time he spent with her, but says he was happy there.

“I was an only child and she was kind of old, but I do remember us talking a lot. I remember her taking me to Atlanta to visit an “Aunt Joanie” and I remember an “Aunt Rose” who lived in New York.”

He would stay with his foster-mom until he was five years-old. By that time, her husband had died and she was frantically trying to get him legally adopted before she died too. She was successful. By the time he was five years old, young Eric Gooden had legally become Eric Jonathan Sheptock (“I got to choose my middle name for myself,” he told me proudly). And a new life, with a new family began in Chester, New Jersey.

Joanne and Rudy Sheptock, were white, God-fearing Pentecostal Christians with seven children of their own and three adopted children, which now included Eric. They lived for a year in Chester, then Rudy, Eric’s favorite parent, moved them all to Peapack, New Jersey where he was the Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds for four schools in the borough of Mountain Lakes.

Their new home had been the library of the convalescent hospital. Sitting on five acres of land surrounded by woods, the three-story mansion with 13 bedrooms, seven bathrooms, two dining rooms, a library and an above-ground pool with a barn and corral, provided plenty of room for the growing Sheptock family. They would live there for 10 years until the family moved to Interlachen, Florida in March of 1985. "By the time we moved to Peapack in 1975, my parents had adopted a lot more kids!. When I graduated high school in June of 1987, they had a combined total of 28 - but some of us had started to move out by then.”

Rudy Sheptock was the family disciplinarian. At 6’1” and 220 pounds, he was an imposing, but always honest and fair figure to Eric and his siblings. Joanne on the other hand, was not seen in the same light. As a matter of fact, Eric has not spoken to her since he left home in 1985. And the feelings seem mutual -- he learned of his beloved father’s death on September 13, 2000 from an old supervisor of his in Florida.

Stay tuned for Part II - “From Happy to Homeless.”