“KICKED OUT” of Transitions Homeless Center in Columbia, South Carolina due to Advocating for the Homeless; by Marjorie A. Gordon-DeLee, MA (January 8, 2018)
Just as suspected, on today I was “KICKED OUT” of the Transitions Homeless Center because I spoke out about what was going on inside of the homeless center that the Transitions Homeless Center did not want the community to know about how the homeless people were being treated, or shall I say how they have not been treated well as a human being.
I was told that because I wanted to post some quotes in the women’s dormitory to direct, motivate and encourage the women, that I was banned from the shelter. The Transitions Homeless Center’s leaders (Administration) used the one and only quote that mentioned the word “Bitch” in the context of the quote which said, “If someone called you Bitch, just say “Thank You” and “Thank You” again. No response is needed to that comment so that emotions will not escalate as they have been for the past week that I have been in the shelter experiencing the women reactions to the word. The women use the word “Bitch” as if they are drinking water. This word, as well as other fighting words fall under the “fighting words doctrine” that should be posted as unlawful in the Transitions Homeless Center which incite fights.
The fighting words doctrine, in United States constitutional law, is a limitation to freedom of speech as protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. In 1942, the U.S. Supreme Court established the doctrine by a 9–0 decision in Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire (Google).
If the Transitions Homeless Center is trying to create a safe place for the homeless people of Columbia, South Carolina and care about their well-being why have they not post rules of conduct pertaining to such fighting words to eliminate these words used in the dormitories and in the community room? It is obvious, because they do not care about helping the homeless to better themselves and live as productive citizens in the Columbia, South Carolina area nor in this society as a whole.
However, I provided the quotes to the VP of Operations on yesterday afternoon which excluded the quote with the word “Bitch” which was primarily to shake up administration to the problem with the adults in the center. No quote that I sent to the VP of Operations displayed any vulgar words for the dormitory. The Administration obtained the information about this quote from the front desk staff whom I spoke with on Sunday about making copies to post in the dormitory and in the community center to help motivate the homeless, build up their spirits and let them know that they are as important as anyone else, as I am as well.
Quite frankly that is not the reason that I have been banned as they have stated on a piece of paper that I could not gain a copy of from my caseworker who walked me to the dormitories to get all of my things in order to “KICK ME OUT” of the Transitions Homeless Center in Columbia, South Carolina.
The reason that I have been “KICKED OUT” of the Transitions Homeless Center in Columbia, South Carolina is because of the paper in which I wrote about the treatment, conditions, and what needed to be done at the Transitions Homeless Center in Columbia, South Carolina to make things better for the homeless people. I submitted a copy of this paper on the Transitions Homeless Center website contact page which would be routed to the CEO, VP of Operations (I emailed her a copy as well), VP of the Programs, VP of Advancement, Development and Volunteer Administrator, Government Grants Coordinator, Community Outreach Volunteer Coordinator, Accountant and sent a copy through the website email provided at Transactions@TransactionsSC.org. Also, I posted this paper to my Gordon-DeLee Consulting Facebook page and to my Gordon-DeLee Consulting, LLC website blog page.
Instead of those individuals who are in authority contacting me to discuss these major problems in which I have brought forward, they chose to “KICK ME OUT” of the Transitions Homeless Center in Columbia, South Carolina. What a compassionate group of people administering help to the homeless citizens of Columbia, South Carolina? No, they are not caring and compassionate or leaders. As I walked away from the community center building with all three of my large luggage bags, there were two White men on the walkway. One walked passed me and the other stood somewhat in front of the administrative office. I assumed they were either part of the staff or possibly Board Members who wanted to guarantee that the order was carried out to “KICK ME OUT” of the Transitions Homeless Center in Columbia, South Carolina and put me back on the streets as homeless citizen. Cold hearted indeed! These are the leaders in the community who have been chosen to look after the best interest of the Black people and all mother poor people wellbeing. As long as the shelter residents come in and eat the mess that is served to them and take being talked down to and humiliated for the purpose of getting a bed to sleep in, all it well. They do not want the residents, as a human being, to voice their concerns, they just want the homeless to remain depressed, dependent on alcohol and drugs, and continue to deal with their anxieties and mental problems without helping them to get better. They treat the homeless people as less than human beings, as if they are things and not human.
Reference
Google. (n.d.) Fighting words doctrine. Retrieved January 8, 2018 from https://www.google.com/search?q=united+states+fighting+words+doctrine&ie=&oe=
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