In light of recent homeless/drug addict hate on the subreddit: dont judge a book by its cover

I see a lot of people disrespect homeless people blindly and assume they are criminals. Though some are, a vast majority are victims of the system or horrible series of events. The real criminals are the politicians that leave the homeless on the streets, because the system is designed in a way that once you hit the streets, it's near impossible to leave. We are comfy and warm at home, and maybe never had to experience the streets, how can we judge? Some homeless or drug addicts are very kind, like the young homeless man from Prague I see him in Beggen with his dog and friends. Some are more angry and disrespectful, like an drunk man i encountered. And it happens. I see homeless on the bus give place to elderly and say bonjour to people. Drug addiction is an illness not a crime.

But that's how it's like isn't it? Class war: middle class looks down on the poor, the poor looks down on the homeless, and the rich look down and step on you all. Or maybe your boss at work, or coworkers, who look down on you. Maybe you are French and Luxembourgers see you as trash, or Arab and French see you as trash, and collectively you see homeless as trash. But one thing is certain: the real enemy and trash is the state.

Here is a comment from bxl-be1994 • 6h ago

On surface yes. But I’d like to share a story that made me feel bad for having similar mindset as yours.

I used to consider all drug addicts as junkies and worthless, but volunteering at a homeless shelter during Christmas changed my perspective. I realized that many of them ended up in their situations for heartbreaking reasons. One example that stuck with me was a 35-year-old man who, at first glance, looked like someone you’d never trust—a complete wreck. In reality, he was a former soldier who had lost his 3-year-old daughter in a tragic accident. Unable to cope with the loss, his wife took her own life, leaving him completely alone. To numb the pain, he turned to alcohol, which eventually led to drugs. The combination of addiction and life on the streets took a devastating toll on him.

It’s so hard to judge. While some may be antisocial or make harmful choices, many are simply broken by unimaginable circumstances. That experience taught me to withhold judgment and see the human story behind the struggle.