Some of our homeless friends, most of whom have been mentioned in previous posts, agreed to have their pictures posted in this space. It was a great leap for Mark, who had come out to have breakfast with Scott and Carolyn this morning. Someone had woke him up and he was a bit annoyed about “being bossed around” but ate ravenously of the food offered. Every time he finished something, Scott was shoving another bowl or cup of coffee into his hand. Eggs, grits, muffins, coffee.
Mark turns out to be a very good conversationalist once he gets to know you, but a lot of things turn out to be “a long story” that he won’t go into. Mark is still a little nervous and has not given me permission to share anything but general information, but we talked for almost two hours. If he had not been pushed into getting breakfast with us, “important people might have come by and taken him home”, but he really was ravenous. He was a bit afraid he would miss them. He doesn’t like people telling him what to do, has a couple of “angels” from the Church of God that regularly visit him trying to get him to seek help. Mark said he has been homeless maybe 1 or 2 years. I don’t really think he knows.
He says the police have made him move three times in the past week. They’ve taken his stuff but left him behind, or when he was out of stuff, simply told him to go somewhere else. So he moves around, but always nearby. Some of the other homeless affectionately call him “Moses” but they all help look after him. Mark wears a short ponytail in his beard and says he another in the back, but he did not show it.
Mark does not understand why those that don’t bother anybody can’t just be left alone, but he claims Scott as a friend who has “known me a long time,” and seems to be coming out of his shell with the extra attention.
Below are some pictures. There were other homeless there, but some don’t want to be pictured. One said he didn’t want his family to know. “I’m not supposed to be here” meaning homeless. They think he is working somewhere else, I believe.
Scott Steve Guy Mark Steve W.
Scott provided the food and shirts (hanging on fence). The gentleman on the far right is the same Steve that was featured in the video in my last post, “Marietta Homeless Steve Talks about Mark,” the same Mark standing next to him. Everything Mark is wearing is recently donated.
Guy has been homeless only 3 weeks. I liked him immediately. Actually I liked them all immediately! The sign says “This walkway is provided by Cobb EMC for access to the MUST/Urban Action Facilities. (Travel at own risk)” The sidewalk is not on the road right-of-way, but the homeless get rousted out anyway.
I was asked by Steve (with the cup) to thank Cobb EMC for the use of the paved walkway and for the access they have granted. He recognizes the public service Cobb EMC has done here. Steve has a 2 year and a 4 year education in N.C. and often gives legal advice. He is writing a “coffee table” book and has written several letters to the local news editor, none published.
Major
Major was in the earlier video also, but was seen only briefly. The bible in his pocket goes wherever he goes.
Guy with Elizabeth
Both are homeless. Elizabeth was named after Elizabeth Inn. Mark calls her his cat, but in truth, I think she is loved by all the homeless in the area.
Al, our Poet
Al is a homeless veteran, still waiting for his papers, but they are in route. The donated cap is Navy, but he was actually Army. This picture was taken last week at our church.
Oldtimer
Oldtimer Speaks Out 
I am not please to tell some one that I live in a city where the disable and the homeless are not taking care of ,but you spend and give tax payer money to people who do not pay taxes and SSI in this country, something is the matter with this, dont think people are not talking about it.
I was wondering if the photo’s that do not have a photo credit to them, did you take them? I like the photo’s a lot.
I took all of those on this particular post, and all of those (600 or more) on my Habitat for Humanity posts if you include those for the slide shows. Also the photo of The Notice and the photo accompanying “A Poem by a Homeless Friend”.
Most of the others are credited to someone on the web, many of them listed as “creative commons” meaning the photographer allows them to be used without further permission as long as credits are given. I’ve been trying to use creative commons licensed photos wherever possible.
Those from news organizations are always properly credited when the newspaper lists credits. I also try to summarize the news articles or quote short portions of them and point the reader to their site for more details.
There are a few older photos that I cannot find the credits for. Some I’ve seen on other sites, also not credited. A few months ago I did a second search for the authors of the uncredited photos and found very few.
I took the photo of the Mayor and City Council from Marietta’s web site. Forgot to credit it.
So the answer is a mixed bag. Perhaps I should go back and mark the others with “photo source unknown” to reduce confusion.
I’ve noticed that Google habitually takes photos from my site, published them all as if I were the author even though I’ve credited others. At least they link to this site so the full credits can be found. It bothers me that they just put my name on everything. For example I’ll post a creative commons licenced photo with proper credits and later find it on Google with my name and not theirs. But their link is to me where the proper credit can be found.
If there is a photo I particularly like for a post and it is from a photo gallary, I will not use it without asking written permission first. I’ve never been refused. The problem sometimes occurs that someone else will post a photo on Flickr that came from a photo gallary that has all rights reserved, but posts it as if it is their own.
I try to find the source whenever I can.
In general, photos are never copied. These are links to the original photographer’s site. Each time you look at any of these photos you are looking at an image directly from the source’s website, not a local copy. If they choose to remove the photo from their site, it comes off of mine automatically. Some older posts have little square blocks where a photo used to be. That is a link the original photographer has broken or removed.
And thanks for the compliment.
I recently came across a web set up on homeless court. Was great to read. Thought you might find it interesting. I am doing a paper in school on homelessness and also teaching a class on it. thank you for the pictures to add to my presentation.
love in the lamb.
kel