Criticizing Kindness: The Flawed Mindset Behind Opposition to Helping the Vulnerable

In times of crisis, a society’s true character is revealed through its willingness to protect and care for its most vulnerable members. During a February 11 Sedona City Council meeting, the council reviewed and ultimately approved a proposal to redirect $800,000 a state and federal grant to help residents connected to Sedona and the Verde Valley—through employment or other ties—secure housing in the surrounding area. This initiative will provide essential move-in cost support and small rent subsidies, offering much-needed relief in a high-cost housing market. The local chapter of Catholic Charities would manage the project.

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Unfortunately, during the public forum, a group of residents voiced fierce opposition. Several claimed they were “protecting Sedona” from what they called the “Californication” of their town, associating affordable housing and homelessness support with negative stereotypes about California policies. This rhetoric of exclusion reflects a narrow, selfish view that runs counter to the more significant examples of human compassion and care that we see throughout our society.

This opposition to offering temporary support is not unique. Recently, the Sedona City Council approved another initiative: $15,000 in funding to fund local hotels that volunteer to rent rooms to individuals experiencing homelessness during extreme cold-weather nights. Coordinated with local law enforcement to ensure safety for both the guests and the community, the program’s purpose was simple—preventing people from freezing to death. Yet, even this modest, life-saving initiative was met with hostility. A vocal segment of the community objected, insisting that helping the homeless would harm Sedona’s reputation. Their message was clear: “We don’t care about those people, and we don’t want them in our town.”

Contrast this with the many instances in which communities across the country have risen to help the vulnerable during times of crisis. In Phoenix, where temperatures soar above 110°F in the summer, cooling centers are opened to ensure no one dies from heat exposure. These centers serve everyone—whether they are housed or not—because human life is prioritized above judgment or bureaucracy.

Similarly, when the deadly winter storm hit Texas in 2021, residents organized warming shelters in churches, community centers, and even private homes. Volunteers handed out blankets, distributed meals, and took in strangers to protect them from the deadly cold. These acts of kindness, driven by necessity and compassion, saved countless lives.

Long-standing programs like Meals on Wheels demonstrate how society continues to protect its most vulnerable citizens during difficult times. Meals on Wheels delivers food and human connection to housebound seniors, many of whom would otherwise face hunger and isolation.

Food banks across the nation provide meals to families who are struggling to put food on the table. These food banks, often supported by donations and volunteer work, offer a lifeline to people experiencing economic hardship, ensuring that no child goes hungry.

During natural disasters, we see the best of humanity emerge. When Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston in 2017, ordinary citizens formed rescue teams with their own boats, pulling stranded families from floodwaters. Churches became shelters, grocery stores donated food, and neighbors shared supplies, proving that when crisis strikes, communities become stronger by lifting each other up.

After wildfires swept through Northern California, neighbors and nonprofits organized drives for clothing, hygiene supplies, and emergency housing for displaced families, ensuring no one was left without basic needs.

The COVID-19 pandemic offered perhaps one of the most powerful examples of collective compassion on a global scale. In the face of an unprecedented crisis, mutual aid groups formed to connect vulnerable people with essential services. Volunteers delivered groceries and medications to the elderly and immunocompromised, while others sewed masks for healthcare workers or distributed meals to families who had lost their income.

Programs like subsidized public transit systems also reflect a long-term investment in helping those who need it most. Affordable transportation ensures that working-class people can get to work, school, and essential services without financial hardship. This is not just an act of kindness—it’s a practical step toward ensuring equal opportunity and upward mobility.

The Sedona City Council’s recent decisions to redirect an $800,000 state grant for housing assistance and $15,000 for cold-weather emergency shelter are small but critical steps in protecting vulnerable individuals in the community. These actions are not about encouraging dependency or inviting danger—they are about saving lives and offering a chance at stability for people who are already part of the community. The opposition’s fear-based rhetoric misses the point entirely. Far from destroying the character of Sedona, these measures strengthen the community by ensuring that no one is left to suffer alone.

In summary, Sedona’s decision to invest in housing support and emergency shelters reflects the best of what communities can be: places where people help each other through hard times. Unfortunately, the criticism from a vocal minority reminds us that stigma and fear of the “other” remain strong forces. This attitude is not unique to Sedona—it’s part of a larger, harmful trend that values exclusivity over inclusion and self-interest over compassion.

However, we should look to the countless examples of kindness and care for guidance. Whether it’s Phoenix’s cooling centers, Houston’s hurricane relief efforts, California’s wildfire recovery, or mutual aid during the pandemic, the message is clear: Society thrives when it cares for all its members.

Sedona is at a crossroads. By embracing compassion and support for the vulnerable, it can be a shining example of what it means to be a community in the truest sense of the word—a place where no one is forgotten or left out in the cold.