Rhode Island has second highest percentage of chronic homelessness in co...

A few days ago, walking to Kennedy Plaza ,leaving the Providence Public Library , I passed by a pathetic looking middle aged homeless man , in the bitter cold huddled in a store front near the corner of Empire and Fountain St. Years ago a half alert reporter at the Providence Journal ( 75 Fountain St. ) might have condescended to notice him. I turned around and offering him $5 dollars, asked him if I could could photo him for my blog which is devoted to working class issues ( I am a lifelong independent democratic socialist ) . Taking the five dollar bill , he gave me his name as " Ramon " . I mentioned Harrington Hall in Cranston. " Ramon" said that horrible shelter catered mostly to sex criminals . Leaving him to some unkind fate , I muttered : " you can die of the cold out here " The photo of homeless " Ramon " covered in a blanket is on my blog ( " Radical Ron's Blog Spot " - approaching a MILLION views . Also on my Facebook page - 5000 " friends " . NOTE : I shared the photo with local news organizations . The headline in today's ( January 9 ) Providence Journal [ " Distinguished New England Newspaper " ? Well , once ] " Is RI homelessness an emergency ? " " Councilors turn Providence Council chambers into a warming center ". Of course , the permanent homeless crisis in " OUR democracy " has never been an emergency for the always secure and comfortable American bourgeoisie . But what if a guy like " Ramon " is about to freeze to death ? And all the others out there ?