Who Are We Helping And Where Are They Coming From?

by Travis Mateer

Before Chris Larue showed up in Missoula, he was in Billings. How do I know this? The Billings Gazette profiled him four years ago, that’s how, and thanks to shelling out a whole dollar for a 6 month subscription, I can excerpt the following from the article (emphasis mine):

Back in late October, when snow was falling fast over Billings and temperatures dipped into single digits, Chris LaRue was zipped into his tent in a little hollow at the base of the Rims. 

It was cold but it wasn’t terrible, he said. He believes he can last the winter in his tent with the gear he’s cobbled together. But he hopes he doesn’t have to. LaRue is trying to get a replacement state ID card so he can land secure employment and get himself into stable housing. 

“I’m just really trying to make a new start,” he said. 

Is Chris really trying to “make a new start”, or is he just looking for a new jurisdiction to fuck around in? I consulted Facebook to see what I could find out and discovered Larue was in Apple Valley, California, before coming to Billings for that “new start”.

For more on the art of making excuses for transients like Chris Larue, here’s the Billings Gazette bringing in a professional excuse-maker to explain how AGENCY is important to transients like Larue (emphasis mine):

LaRue, 43, knows he doesn’t have to stay in his tent all winter. Billings has resources available for those who have no shelter or secure place to spend the night. But for LaRue, staying out of the shelters is the easier option.

“We call them untouchables,” said MarCee Neary, director of the Community Crisis Center in downtown Billings. 

She explained that among those who experience homelessness or transience in the city, a smaller group exists that chooses to stay out on their own rather than use a shelter. 

Some of it has to do with the responsibilities associated with shelter life. The various shelters in town each have certain requirements for staying and using their services. Some people simply don’t want to have to answer to someone, Neary said. 

But the other component is agency. Neary explained that homelessness and transience can leave those who experience it feeling like they no longer have a choice or a say in their life. Sometimes the decision to avoid a shelter can feel empowering, as though they’re able to exercise some control over their situation.

“Ultimately, people want to have a choice,” she said. 

While transients like Larue move from state to state, looking for places to do whatever they want, locals in the places he calls home don’t really have a choice when it comes to the increased cost of living being imposed on them.

As I scanned the jail roster this morning another name popped out. I’ll tell you why after the screenshot.

What does Russian culture look like in Western Montana? It looks like cars and drugs, at least that’s the impression I get from Nikolay’s Facebook account.

At Western Montana News this week I explain to readers that journalism is NOT the same thing as a popularity contest. Along with the journalistic words, I visited the California Street walking bridge area and visually documented the nasty persistence of trash right next to the river. One image I saved for Zoom Chron readers is a page from a journal I found in the trash. Here it is:

I find ephemera like this very interesting because it helps me understand who we’re “helping” and where they are coming from. The other page I documented will be available in a hardcopy zine I’m working on, so stay tuned for details.

If you appreciate my local journalism, please consider donating to Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF). I’ll be taking a little trip next week to Hamilton for my Western Montana News article, so any extra funds would be very appreciated.

Thanks for reading!