Sad letter from a California property owner to a friend who's lived and worked abroad for several decades

You haven't been to America in many years.

Believe me it has changed.

Every day I see drug addicts and homeless people walking up and down the boulevard.  I have tried to offer them food.  They don't want the food, they want money.  I've actually been spit upon for offering food.  The 7/11 is daily flanked with people who are looking for money.  Again, if you offer them food they turn it down.

The immigrants piss on the street where I live and set off massive commercial fireworks on any given holiday which land in people's yards scaring our animals.  If asked to please move their car from your driveway you get flipped off. If you call the police for unlawful fireworks, you get no assistance.  If you don't have a "No Trespassing" sign on your gate, squatters can walk on your property and pitch a tent.  You have to treat them like a paying tenant.

A friend of mind has a home that she rents.  Her tenants left about 6 months ago and before you know it a squatter moved in.  My friend is not allowed to turn the lights off and the squatter has all the rights of a paying tenant.  She has a lawyer and they have not made any progress.  In fact the city has given the squatter a lawyer for nothing.

I have a guest house that I leased to a woman who was homeless for 12 years.  She dug herself out and started her own feeding program for the homeless at a church. I was so impressed with her that I rented my very lovely guest house to her for 300.00 less a month than I would have rented to someone else.  She has been with me for two years.

I went to Utah for five months leaving her there.  I would have trusted her with my life.  I got back and found that she had had some guest there for a couple of weeks.  This was not our agreement.  I don't mind an occasional "sleep over", but I'm paying all the utilities and I do not want strange people walking on my property.

She got into my face and threatened and told me the "she could have anybody there for 15 days at a time if she wanted".  She then proceeded to scream  "was my house permitted."  She told me I was rude etc, etc, etc.  I didn't say anything.  I now have a lawyer and we are trying to get her out.

She wants $10,000.00.  And, she can get it.  This would also be true even if she was doing something illegal on my property.  She is 60 years old.  If she was 62 I would have to give her 12,000.00,  It goes on and on.  If I had done something inappropriate to her, I could understand her attitude.  But, here is a woman I willingly helped and she pulled "the system" out on me and has not yet called my lawyer back and responded to his offer.  This is what happens when there are no boundaries in the system.

I've also been made to feel guilty for having Social Security (which I paid into), Retirement (which I paid into) Annuity (which I paid for) and owning a home.  I am now living in a trailer in a trailer park because the woman on my property has more rights than I do.  This is what is happening in America.

Also, I am trying to sell my house this year because if I wait until 2013, Obama Care kicks in and my Capital gains from my home (which is not that much) will be taxed 3.8% (for Obama Care) on top of state tax and closing cost.  This is only one story.  IT'S A BRAVE NEW WORLD!

I love America.  I wish I had a wonderful solution that would balance all the hatred.  I wish you could too.  I'm so glad that you don't have to be here to witness America.....it's so sad.

Love you.