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Hiding the homeless
NEWS-TIMES
When Democrats invade Denver, Colo., later this month for the coronation of Barack Hussein Obama, presumptive Democrat Party presidential nominee, the homeless won’t be there because the city will have been swept clean of the homeless says the Colorado Independent.
The newspaper said Denver officials plan to empty parks of the homeless before the convention, that a 2-year-old program called Come On In urges charities that serve outdoor meals to the homeless to move their operations indoors so the homeless “will have access to clean water and toilets, not to mention a plethora of other services.”
Saying the Democratic Party
“likes to boast it’s a big tent for all — except for the homeless at the upcoming national convention,” the New York Post said Denver’s homeless would be given free tickets to movies and passes to the Denver Zoo, Museum of Nature and Science and other city venues away from the convention center, with transportation provided.
The Rocky Mountain News reports big-screen TVs are being donated to the shelters normally used to house the homeless in winter so “patrons can watch the Democratic convention and stay informed about the issues being discussed.”
Said James Taranto, on Wall Street Journal Online: “A running feature of this column for years has been ‘Homeless Rediscovery Watch,’ inspired by an observation our erstwhile columnist Mark Helprin made just before the 2000 election:
If George W. Bush becomes president, the armies of the homeless, hundreds of thousands strong, will once again be used to illustrate the opposition’s arguments about welfare, the economy and taxation.
Are Democrats missing out on a platform by attempting to hide the homeless?
One of Denver’s homeless, Ronnie Wand, told the Rocky Mountain News, “He’ll believe the free tickets when he sees them, that he expects to be rounded up and spend the convention behind bars.”
Maybe the jail will offer big-screen TVs so clientele can stay informed about convention issues. But homelessness in America, especially in sanitized Denver, won’t be discussed.
The newspaper said Denver officials plan to empty parks of the homeless before the convention, that a 2-year-old program called Come On In urges charities that serve outdoor meals to the homeless to move their operations indoors so the homeless “will have access to clean water and toilets, not to mention a plethora of other services.”
Saying the Democratic Party
“likes to boast it’s a big tent for all — except for the homeless at the upcoming national convention,” the New York Post said Denver’s homeless would be given free tickets to movies and passes to the Denver Zoo, Museum of Nature and Science and other city venues away from the convention center, with transportation provided.
The Rocky Mountain News reports big-screen TVs are being donated to the shelters normally used to house the homeless in winter so “patrons can watch the Democratic convention and stay informed about the issues being discussed.”
Said James Taranto, on Wall Street Journal Online: “A running feature of this column for years has been ‘Homeless Rediscovery Watch,’ inspired by an observation our erstwhile columnist Mark Helprin made just before the 2000 election:
If George W. Bush becomes president, the armies of the homeless, hundreds of thousands strong, will once again be used to illustrate the opposition’s arguments about welfare, the economy and taxation.
Are Democrats missing out on a platform by attempting to hide the homeless?
One of Denver’s homeless, Ronnie Wand, told the Rocky Mountain News, “He’ll believe the free tickets when he sees them, that he expects to be rounded up and spend the convention behind bars.”
Maybe the jail will offer big-screen TVs so clientele can stay informed about convention issues. But homelessness in America, especially in sanitized Denver, won’t be discussed.
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Dave Nichols wrote on Aug 17, 2008 11:02 PM:
" This is a outrageous description of what is going on with Denver homeless for the convention. Please read the statements put out by the group directly involved with homeless in Denver, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless: http://www.coloradocoalition.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=6419
"Three years ago, Mayor John Hickenlooper and the Denver community set out to end homelessness. More than 1,000 units of new housing later, the community in Denver has come to own Denver's Road Home — and that is why we are on track to reduce chronic homelessness by 75 percent in the first five years.
Despite the new housing and services brought online and widespread media coverage, as the Democratic National Convention gears up each of us has been asked where we are going to hide our homeless during the convention. The short answer: We don't hide the homeless — ever. We as a community are working hard to help the more than 3,900 men, women and children obtain affordable housing and services to ensure that nobody has to live on the streets. "
...
"We are inviting homeless people to participate in the political process. In the days leading up to and during the convention, you will find the Denver Rescue Mission and the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, along with the Clergy Council, hosting voter-registration opportunities. The Salvation Army hosted a Fourth of July picnic for the homeless, where they learned about the convention. Outreach workers and police officers are teaming up to connect with the homeless and staff of service providers throughout the community to educate them on what to expect. "
There is a massive outreach going on in Denver, but it IS NOT to sweep away the homeless. Part of this massive effort is to build connections to and for the homeless as part of a successful push to reduce those without homes.
It really is disingenuous to make a big hoopla out of a mischaracterization by the RMN. No shelters are closing, no one is being forced off the streets. Very convienent that you leave out key statements from the RMN that offer the other side of the story ( http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5537389,00.html ):
""Shelters will be open the entire time to make certain everyone can go inside and that the outreach folks have a place to take any person from the streets," said Roxane White, Denver's manager of human services.
White said the effort is motivated by security concerns and is not just an effort to spruce up Denver's image at a time when the city will be under a media spotlight."
Propaganda that supports your point of view is still propaganda. "
"Three years ago, Mayor John Hickenlooper and the Denver community set out to end homelessness. More than 1,000 units of new housing later, the community in Denver has come to own Denver's Road Home — and that is why we are on track to reduce chronic homelessness by 75 percent in the first five years.
Despite the new housing and services brought online and widespread media coverage, as the Democratic National Convention gears up each of us has been asked where we are going to hide our homeless during the convention. The short answer: We don't hide the homeless — ever. We as a community are working hard to help the more than 3,900 men, women and children obtain affordable housing and services to ensure that nobody has to live on the streets. "
...
"We are inviting homeless people to participate in the political process. In the days leading up to and during the convention, you will find the Denver Rescue Mission and the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, along with the Clergy Council, hosting voter-registration opportunities. The Salvation Army hosted a Fourth of July picnic for the homeless, where they learned about the convention. Outreach workers and police officers are teaming up to connect with the homeless and staff of service providers throughout the community to educate them on what to expect. "
There is a massive outreach going on in Denver, but it IS NOT to sweep away the homeless. Part of this massive effort is to build connections to and for the homeless as part of a successful push to reduce those without homes.
It really is disingenuous to make a big hoopla out of a mischaracterization by the RMN. No shelters are closing, no one is being forced off the streets. Very convienent that you leave out key statements from the RMN that offer the other side of the story ( http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5537389,00.html ):
""Shelters will be open the entire time to make certain everyone can go inside and that the outreach folks have a place to take any person from the streets," said Roxane White, Denver's manager of human services.
White said the effort is motivated by security concerns and is not just an effort to spruce up Denver's image at a time when the city will be under a media spotlight."
Propaganda that supports your point of view is still propaganda. "
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dch wrote on Aug 17, 2008 5:25 PM: