Homeless Shopping Spree..
Skitch Patterson
Posts: 642
As some of you may have heard, (or not) by now, Opie and Anthony do an annual event called the homeless shopping spree.... They round up about 15 homeless guys, and give them each $200 and bus them to an upscale mall around Christmas time... Often times their fans also chip in additional money for the homeless.
The end result is homeless people get things they can use, and they get a couple hours of entertaining radio....
Anyways, this year, a number of sources have spoken out against- most notably the Mayor of Boston- Tom Menino... and it was just mentioned on O'Reilly (first time ive actually watched his horrendous show)....
So which do you guys think it is, Blatent explotation, or a Good Hearted Trade off?
The end result is homeless people get things they can use, and they get a couple hours of entertaining radio....
Anyways, this year, a number of sources have spoken out against- most notably the Mayor of Boston- Tom Menino... and it was just mentioned on O'Reilly (first time ive actually watched his horrendous show)....
So which do you guys think it is, Blatent explotation, or a Good Hearted Trade off?
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Probably a bit of both, though it's up to the homeless peeps. If they don't mind, then who cares?
I vote Good Hearted.
I agree. Sure they benefit, but so do the people that pay $1000 a plate to feel good about themselves and meet underprivledged/disabled at events- with photo ops and good PR.
What i find kind of entertaining about the whole thing is that Homeless Groups are upset about this... If it hadnt been on a notoriously, ahem, controversial radio show, they in all likelyhood would have lauded it as an incredible act of charity.... Yes, the homeless were used for entertainment, and they also were paid accordingly and not "forced" to do anything. It was all by choice.
This is not the first year they have done it, but its garnering some national headlines.... I am not going to post the links to the articles i have read (boston globe) because they are heinous examples of biased members of the media.
he had a voice that was strong and loud and
i swallowed his facade cos i'm so
eager to identify with
someone above the crowd
someone who seemed to feel the same
someone prepared to lead the way
Yeah, all homeless people are the same. They think the same, feel the same and are all in the same situation because their circumstances were all the same.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
Bingo....it was entertainment not charity. O'Reiley was right on this one.
the sentence doesnt make sense
you mean the gap wont acept the cards they were given? you have a link on that? if so then the gap can go to hell
i think giving them all 200 is a good idea i guess
the bible says sell what you have and give to the poor
http://groups.msn.com/PearlJamNirvana/messages.msnw
exploitation? what crap!!
so they helped them and they find it ammusing and its for publicity-who cares
2 birds with one stone
http://groups.msn.com/PearlJamNirvana/messages.msnw
and the reason homeless people are homeless? they are irresponsible or something?
As for the idea of exploitation, the homeless are exploited every day just by being homeless.
This years' homeless thing they did was huge. The mall was packed, as well as the parking lot and roads going to it. People at the mall bought these 15 guys a lot of things. They hardly had to spend the 200 bucks they got.
O and A uses this as comedy, but also satire and they do try to shed light on the homeless plight throughout the year. This annual thing is merely satire, and an eye opener of how the haves have not a clue.
I do not feel any of these people were exploited, except maybe the stores who wouldn't wait on some of these homeless people.
It was all okay everyone.
I am a strong advocate for the homeless and i found this O and A thing good not bad.
Many people bought these guys parka coats, jeans, shoes, etc out of their own pocket.
I found it all good too...funny as hell. Online they were showing still pics of the rich peoples' faces, which looked appalled.
O&A did it for the entertainment value. You saw it as a way to laugh at the rich. I'm sure most saw it as a way to laugh at the homeless (while clearing their conscience by giving them stuff). They certainly didn't do it to help the homeless or they'd have done as Kabong and Hippimom and others said, and taken them to Target or a thrift store or a grocery store where $200 bucks could have made a difference to them. Instead they end up with a shiny pair of $150 Nikes and an A&F T-Shirt.
My sentiments exactly.
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
Seems if they really wanted to help get folks off the streets they might buy a hotel room and let them clean up, get a good nights sleep then help them find a job, follow up so they keep it, and then try and find a few mental health clinics who could help them deal with thier issues pro bono.
I would imagine that some people like the freedom of it, some fell on hard times, some have mental issues. Still having 200 bucks and a new jacket when it's cold is better than not having it.
Think about it, it's basically giving them a job. When you go to work, you provide a service to your boss that they pay you for. Nothing is different here. They get paid for being on air. For that day, they are talent. It's not more exploitation than having a job. It's just dick to not give them any guidance on what to buy with that money.
But thats still a pair of Nike's and a T- Shirt they didnt have before.
I think the truth lies somewhere in between. I dont think anyones claiming its altruistic, just the benefit far outweighs the exploitation.
I think they fact they didnt take them to Target or Wal-Mart actually proves the opposite of the point you are trying to make. The Homeless would have behaved the same at a cheap mall, a rich mall, a huge discounter or a thrift store (and could have been laughed at just as much)- So the only people that were truely exploited were the pretentious mall goers.
Oh, I know what you mean. Getting some Nikes and an A&F shirt is better than a kick in the balls, so the homeless guys definitely got some benefit. I just didn't want people to think this was anything other than an O&A stunt done for the entertainment value.