Beneath the Neon: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas

Beneath The Neon by Matthew O'Brien

     Beneath the Neon is an eye-opening book on homelessness in Las Vegas. It focuses on the men and women who spend their nights underneath the strip, living in storm drains and tunnels that crisscross the city. Matthew O'Brien is an investigative journalist who ventures into these tunnels to interview their residents. This book widened my perspective on homelessness. I learned the following about homeless people:

1.     Just because they're homeless doesn't mean they aren't smart. O'Brian ran into some incredibly intelligent, well-read people who knew more than you and I about society and its problems.
2.     They weren't always there because of drugs and alcohol. Yes, many of them were battling drug or alcohol addictions, but surprisingly many of them were there because of depression; others from simply unfortunate circumstances.
3.      They need help. But not the kind of help we normally want to give them. Instead of simply throwing food, clothing, and shelter at them, they need better long-term solutions. In particular, they need IDs, jobs, and affordable housing. Homeless people don't want charity, they want to work themselves out of it.
4.      Counseling, rehab, and therapy would go a long ways towards helping someone get on their feet. There is a huge mental component of beating homelessness.
5.      IDs. Most homeless people don't have a drivers license or some form of identification. Without an ID, they can't get a job. No job, no money, still homeless.
6.      Not all homeless people are messy and slobs. Yes they haven't always bathed in the past few days, but one thing I found remarkable was how clean and organized most of the camps were (a homeless man's living and sleeping area). They had a separate area for the "toilet", and kept their belongings neatly together.
7.      Creativity is alive in the tunnels. From the graffiti sprayed on the walls, to the poems etched in the concrete, people had created beauty in the darkened tunnels. Several men had elevated their beds in the tunnels like mountain climbers, to avoid the flash floods that wash away everything on the floor.

I hate homelessness, but I haven't done nearly enough to stop it. I keep walking.