• julie Marks
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Man In The Mirror

This is a series of people I photographed in Los Angeles where many of the most affluent people live in the world “pretending not to see.” I don’t look away and see a stark contrast of homeless people on the streets, some starving, struggling to deal with the intermittent cold and rainy climate, especially in the winter in New York. Most importantly I see people in failing health, both psychologically and physically. In Los Angeles and New York, the two most populated cities in the United States, people are dying on the streets living in cardboard structures and feeding themselves by begging and or scanning the city’s garbage. The counterpoint of the very rich and those that live on the streets struggling for their survival is alarming. I had a close up view of this tragic situation when I worked at the Veterans Administration during the Vietnam War treating war veterans who had been released from service due to what we use to refer to as “shell shock” and now label post traumatic stress disorder. No matter what we label the phenomenon, the situation in our cities has grown out of control with many indifferent people who step over sleeping and very sick people. It is like these homeless and hopeless people are invisible and have become a part of the urban landscape. When Governor Reagan changed the law for mandatory care for veterans in the 70’s, he did not consider the tragic ramifications that these often abused people were not provided with housing and food and many could not care for themselves and rarely had family who cared to take an interest in their homeless parents. Ambulatory psychotics flooded the streets without the intellectual or mental resources to survive in a hostile and uncaring environment. Unless a hopeless person is obviously begging for money for drugs or alcohol, I don’t turn away and often contribute food or money to those who are seriously afflicted. They were safe with comfortable housing, food and medical treatment before Reagan passed a law in California to create a social and medical crisis in our city without any plan to help rehabilitate the very sick men and women who had served our country and others and not faced the travesty that they had noone to service or care about their basic needs or survival. I often engage the homeless population in conversation and observe the wide range of differing attitudes of these forgotten people. When I first heard, Michael Jackson’s song “Man in the Mirror”, I remember tears filled my eyes responding to the blatant truth of his lyrics. There is little I could do considering the massive problem that exists in every city in the world. This problem needs to be addressed on a global scale to protect these confused and mentally disturbed people. I replayed this song many times to reinforce my efforts to not look away in my self-absorbed world and try to do what I can to help many gracious and kind people who live by their wits on the streets of Los Angeles. The man in this photo is frequently in Beverly Hills and had 35 cents in his cup after a full day. When I express my concern and donate much more than they make in a day, they are very grateful and gracious in their response to my concern about their plight. Although we do have some shelters, there are not enough funds to help these people unless we “look in the mirror.” I’m Gonna Make A Change, For Once In My Life It’s Gonna Feel Real Good, Gonna Make A Difference Gonna Make It Right . . . As I, Turn Up The Collar On My Favourite Winter Coat This Wind Is Blowin’ My Mind I See The Kids In The Street, With Not Enough To Eat Who Am I, To Be Blind? Pretending Not To See Their Needs A Summer’s Disregard, A Broken Bottle Top And A One Man’s Soul They Follow Each Other On The Wind Ya’ Know ‘Cause They Got Nowhere To Go That’s Why I Want You To Know I’m Starting With The Man In The Mirror I’m Asking Him To Change His Ways And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change (Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change) (Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na, Na Nah) I’ve Been A Victim Of A Selfish Kind Of Love It’s Time That I Realize That There Are Some With No Home, Not A Nickel To Loan Could It Be Really Me, Pretending That They’re Not Alone? A Willow Deeply Scarred, Somebody’s Broken Heart And A Washed-Out Dream (Washed-Out Dream) They Follow The Pattern Of The Wind, Ya’ See Cause They Got No Place To Be That’s Why I’m Starting With Me (Starting With Me!) I’m Starting With The Man In The Mirror (Ooh!) I’m Asking Him To Change His Ways (Ooh!) And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change (Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change) I’m Starting With The Man In The Mirror (Ooh!) I’m Asking Him To Change His Ways (Change His Ways-Ooh!) And No Message Could’ve Been Any Clearer If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make That . . . (Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make That . . .) Change! I’m Starting With The Man In The Mirror, (Man In The Mirror-Oh Yeah!) I’m Asking Him To Change His Ways (Better Change!) No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) (Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make The Change) (You Gotta Get It Right, While You Got The Time) (‘Cause When You Close Your Heart) You Can’t Close Your . . .Your Mind! (Then You Close Your . . . Mind!) That Man, That Man, That Man, That Man With That Man In The Mirror (Man In The Mirror, Oh Yeah!) That Man, That Man, That Man I’m Asking Him To Change His Ways (Better Change!) You Know . . .That Man No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change (Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change) Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na, Na Nah (Oh Yeah!) Gonna Feel Real Good Now! Yeah Yeah! Yeah Yeah! Yeah Yeah! Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na, Na Nah (Ooooh . . .) Oh No, No No . . . I’m Gonna Make A Change It’s Gonna Feel Real Good! Come On! (Change . . .) Just Lift Yourself You Know You’ve Got To Stop It. Yourself! (Yeah!-Make That Change!) I’ve Got To Make That Change, Today! Hoo! (Man In The Mirror) You Got To You Got To Not Let Yourself . . . Brother . . . Hoo! (Yeah!-Make That Change!) You Know-I’ve Got To Get That Man, That Man . . . (Man In The Mirror) You’ve Got To You’ve Got To Move! Come On! Come On! You Got To . . . Stand Up! Stand Up! Stand Up! (Yeah-Make That Change) Stand Up And Lift Yourself, Now! (Man In The Mirror) Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Aaow! (Yeah-Make That Change) Gonna Make That Change . . . Come On! (Man In The Mirror) You Know It! You Know It! You Know It! You Know . . . (Change . . .) Make That Change.

5 Comments

Anonymous Guest

Armando Salas 22 Apr 2008

Strong statement.

Alberto D'Assumpcao 22 Apr 2008

Spectacular text, Julie!!!... wonderful capture, my friend!!!

Emily Reed 21 Apr 2008

SAD, BUT SO OFTEN SEEN!

Joke Schotting 21 Apr 2008

GREAT SHOT JULIE!!

jamie winter 21 Apr 2008

awesome statement . fantastic