LMU B.A.Religious Studies – EN110: Language & Style – Essay #3 – Fall 1976

Notes and essays from my first college English course, much here is cringe-worthy. At the same time, I find it interesting where my mind would wander to when I was given deadlines. After getting positive responses from my professor, this was my first experience writing for an audience (of one). Enjoy (2023-11-16)

Skid Row By Night and By Day

By Joe Bustillos

EN110 B – Essay #3
October 8, 1976

Thesis Statement: The common impressions concerning the conditions of Skid Row are far from being true.

I recently had the experience of working with the men of Skid Row. Having been a middle class suburbanite all of my life, I had no real idea of what my encounter with the environment of 6th street would be like. I was surprised to find that the common impressions concerning the conditions of Skid Row are far from being true.

I had always been under the impression that those who occupied Los Angeles’ 6th street district were unfortunate businessmen, who had fallen from both grace and riches by way of the bottle. The truth, however, was that, while some did fall from riches, the vast majority have lived their whole life in the 6th street district. Many of them were literally born on the streets, born into poverty. Likewise, while it is thought that as many as eighty percent of the derelicts on Skid Row are alcoholics, only twenty percent are in fact true alcoholics.

Middle class mentality states that if one constantly gives money to these men they will fail to develop the initiative to .work for themselves. However, it is often the spoon fed youngster of middle and upper class society that never learns to tie his own shoes. The derelict can do no more than hope to own a pair of shoes. Given the opportunity these men would gladly offer their services in exchange for an income.

I suppose the greatest rebuke I have for those of the “common impression” is the subhuman character they often portray the derelict to he. I know that never previously thought of the man of Skid Row as an individual as myself. I had never thought of him as one with the same capacity for intelligence and joy, the same thirst for simplicity and happiness. Being cast as no more than names and numbers on a social worker’s clipboard, these human beings, any one of whom could be my father or grandfather, ask for the recognition and love that any other human being would ask for.

I sincerely hope that the day will present itself when these men, many of whom I am not worthy to serve, will be seen for who they are — our brothers.