A man who spent time on the streets has blasted Elon Musk over comments made on social media about homelessness.
Musk, whose net worth recently tipped over $400 billion, claimed homelessness “is a lie” on X, arguing that the word is used to describe “violent drug addicts” and people with “severe mental illness”.
The post has received widespread backlash on social media, with several people noting the narrow-mindedness of its contents.
“It’s very easy to sit from a position of privilege and label those less fortunate,” Red Ryan said, adding: “You’re a smart man Elon, but this take is moronic as fuck.”
Eric Protein Moseley, meanwhile, has written to The London Economic to express his own dismay.
As a former homeless man, he said:
I’ve walked that difficult path, and I am living proof that homelessness is not a disease or a condition limited to any specific group. It is a complex issue, and not everyone who experiences homelessness is battling addiction or mental health challenges.
I was a single father for nearly two decades. During my time on the streets, I struggled with addiction. But I also know many others who became homeless due to systemic barriers, lack of affordable housing, or economic hardship—circumstances that have nothing to do with substance abuse or mental illness. Seniors are now the fastest-growing homeless population.
Despite these challenges, I am proud to say I’ve turned my life around. I am now an international documentary filmmaker and homeless activist, and many others made it out to become successful. Recently, I launched a worldwide campaign that began in the UK and has spread to Africa and America. It is now even featured in an academic journal.
Just because some of us aren’t walking around with billions of dollars doesn’t mean we are any less human. We are still people, worthy of dignity and respect—just like everyone else. I hope Musk’s words will lead to more awareness of the realities of homelessness. But I also hope that he and others will see beyond the stereotypes and acknowledge the systemic issues that lead to homelessness in the first place.
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