The Bum Hierarchy in the Land of Bumdom

Formerly homeless myself, for about six months,in two different states, I have experienced this on a personal basis. My story is elsewhere on this blog. The NW is inundated by bums looking for handouts and is one of the top 5 states for homelessness (Bumdom). Being homeless does not mean you have to be a “bum”.


Among the homeless and down trodden of society, there exists a class hierarchy. It is as apparent to see, as the difference between a coal miner in West Virginia, and a stockbroker on Wall Street.

“In the land of bums, a bum with $1 is king!”
I believe it is recognized both within the Bumdom and to those in “normal” society. Picture the “food pyramid” and beginning from top to bottom, the levels of Bumdom follow:

On top are the recently homeless…from job loss, foreclosure, etc. Normal folks, educated, moral, but without money. They don’t think of themselves as bums, more a victim of economic events….and a temporary situation.

Next are those who have been on the streets for a while. They include recent ex-cons, divorced, former military, etc. They are willing to seek and desire Government Services and help. They follow procedures and hope to better themselves.

The third level is the wandering mentally ill. They number in the hundreds in any given city, thanks to Ronald Reagan’s policies closing the Mental Hospitals in the US. Many have no clue of even who they are, wandering aimlessly, arguing with pigeons and invisible opponents. They deserve to be in a safe, warm institution, not living on the streets.

Fourth will include the tweakers, alcoholics, and IV drug users, who prey on each other and steal to supply their addictive habits. Pupils the size of pin heads, manic laughter, twitching, nervous behavior are very evident. At least 50% of all social services are aimed at ‘saving” this group. Friggen Liberals.

The fifth level of the hierarchy of bums is reserved for the “gutter punks”, 15- 22 yr old run aways, school drop outs, hippie wannabees, who dress in black with old army clothes, have numerous piercing and tattoos, trade sex for drugs, pan handle, and run scams. They usually have a pet Pit Bull, dragging along. They are the most violent and one of the largest groups. Punks are rude and generally disgusting.

Finally at the bottom of the bum barrel are the chronic homeless, the professional bum. They live on the street by choice, many for decades. They answer to no one, hate all authority and rules. Many stink from few washings, urine, feces, puke, etc. They couldn't’t get in a homeless shelter even if they wanted to, and they don’t want to. They are the worst of the worst and include all of the above groups. They can’t and don’t want to be “saved”.

This is the hierarchy of bums in the Bumdom. Millions may exist in the USA, in every major city and lost in the wilderness. The true numbers are down played by the Government, perhaps by as much as 50%. Services are limited and severely under funded. As the economy worsens, the numbers will explode. Here in the NW, there is already a 50% increase over last year. In the downtown core, the homeless sometimes out number the normal citizens who shop and work there.