Hobophobia: The Politics of Fear

HOBOPHOBIA: THE POLITICS OF FEAR documents a story that embodies a universal truth about the human condition, using what happened in one city that was once a railroad town as an example: Roseville, California. For over a century, the community held a deeply rooted cultural dislike and fear of homeless people, known as "hobophobia." The book also describes the united efforts of local advocates who provided needed food, shelter, clothing, medical care and moral support. These programs were met with repeated forays by city government to stop them over the next twenty-plus years. That did not deter those seeking change who incrementally implemented new services until all were in place by the early years of the new millennium, curtailing the influence of hobophobia and bringing improved safety and well-being to the community. The lesson learned is that politics as a reactive discipline cannot prevail against the proactive determination of private citizens who possess the will to effect change for the greater good.