When we met Kyle, originally from Fresno, in downtown Reno last week, he said he was on his way to Burning Man. He's been homeless for most of the last decade. "I’m not going there to party or drink but to find people who are actually making a difference in this world," he said of why he wanted to go to Burning Man. Photo by Jordan Blevins for Our Town Reno. Reporting by Prince Nesta.
Choosing to Live Outside and Battling Alcoholism
Kyle says he first went to live in the forest with pot growers after breaking up with a girlfriend, who he had tried to save from alcohol addiction. He avoids homeless shelters, and prefers camping outside despite the many challenges such as cold weather, or the lack of security when living in a precarious state.
"I even got stabbed in the face, one night, while walking down the streets in an alley. I was trying to save a girl from a known drug dealer who was on top of her. I'm an alcoholic. I tried to manage it through self-control but I’ve come a long way but it used to have control over me. I have tried other drugs such as LSD, mushrooms, DMT (Dimethyltryptamine, also a hallucinogenic drug.) They actually helped me overcome my alcoholic issues. I actually think that weed, LSD and mushrooms helps you to expand your mind just like Steve Jobs said you should take LSD and I agree with that."
Kyle is against what he views as a war-driven tax system: "90% of our tax dollars, what they get spent on is decided by rich, evil men who love war and pollution and slavery and they use taxes as the foundation to pay for all their evil .... bombing and killing children in Syria, ...billions for nukes. Our Government is evil. We have a tax slavery system, which they use the taxes to pay for killing and to get their profits from killing in Afghanistan and Iraq and then get oil and opium," he said. Photo by Jordan Blevins for Our Town Reno. Reporting by Prince Nesta.
Harsh Words Against the Government and the Mistreatment of Homeless
Whatever is said in speeches and political promises, Kyle says he looks at what is actually going on and doesn't believe government in general cares about people like him living on the streets.
"The government doesn't care about the homeless, they want to freaking genocide us," he said. "They only care about the rich. "
He also doesn't like when people look down on those without stable housing.
"I think it's social hierarchical bullshit when people treat the homeless badly. It's just like the system in India where they have the caste system.... Some of the greatest minds come from the ghettos. It’s just shallow to determine people’s personal values by the money system and that’s just shallow."
Kyle who loves playing music by the river says he feels free around other homeless, and tries to help them out. "I like to help them get over their addictions because that's the only thing that is really hampering them from their freedom," he said. He was hoping to take his Didgeridoo Tribal wind instrument to Burning Man when we met him. Photo by Jordan Blevins for Our Town Reno. Reporting by Prince Nesta.
A Last Message, In His Own Words
Kyle says he's seen homeless such as a doctor in Los Angeles who lost everything in a divorce but now helps other homeless deal with their ailments, and according to him that's a good street lesson.
"My last message to the people ... is average people walking down on the streets should not look down on homeless persons because they don't know their story. If they were to put themselves in their shoes, which no one ever does anymore, they will realize that they have very good reasons. Don't perceive your own personal values based on this .... system that evil men have created for their own benefits to profit from money and banking. Do you care about making money or getting out there to show some love?" he asked as we concluded our interview.
Photos by Jordan Blevins and reporting by Prince Nesta for Our Town Reno