Are homeless people icky? Should we build a ghetto?

Tonyandthewhale · 01-11-2014 08:07PM #1

A bit of a rant here on one of After Hour's favourite topics, the homeless.

Am I the only one who's disgusted by the attitude some people have towards homeless people and poor/destitute people in general? I can understand that some people are concerned about crime and anti-social behaviour but this alone isn't enough to justify the vitriol I see both here online and when speaking with people in real life.
Maybe I'm just friends with lots of heartless cunts but it seems to me a lot of people see 'homeless', 'scum,' 'junkies', 'filth' as just one big city beautification issue. Like if we could sweep all these people who and turn them into mulch or pig feed Dublin would be a great place with much more room for wine-bars, pop-up art galleries, pulled pork burger joints and coke&hooker emporiums. I'm concerned about the problem of homelessness and the plight of beggars and all that but they don't upset me. One thing I actually quite like about Dublin is that although there are definitely poor and rich neighbourhoods when you go into the city centre you get to mix with all social strata. It's not like Paris where all the poor, brown and generally undesirable people seem largely confined to the peripheries leaving the city centre as an affluent fairy tale in stone.

Basically, aside from the issue of crime (which from my inexpert perspective seems to be on a par with other nice European cities) are you upset by the mere presence or sight of povs? Do you know someone who is? Do you think they should all just 'get a job', preferably far away? Can you explain this perspective?

WoollyRedHat · 01-11-2014 08:10PM

In all seriousness though, prevention is better than cure. I think it's moreso the parading junkies that Irish people have a problem with. What galls me about them is their awful fashion sense.

The Backwards Man · 01-11-2014 08:10PM

And his mama cries

01-11-2014 08:11PM

Tonyandthewhale wrote: »

A bit of a rant here on one of After Hour's favourite topics, the homeless.

Am I the only one who's disgusted by the attitude some people have towards homeless people and poor/destitute people in general? I can understand that some people are concerned about crime and anti-social behaviour but this alone isn't enough to justify the vitriol I see both here online and when speaking with people in real life.
Maybe I'm just friends with lots of heartless cunts but it seems to me a lot of people see 'homeless', 'scum,' 'junkies', 'filth' as just one big city beautification issue. Like if we could sweep all these people who and turn them into mulch or pig feed Dublin would be a great place with much more room for wine-bars, pop-up art galleries, pulled pork burger joints and coke&hooker emporiums. I'm concerned about the problem of homelessness and the plight of beggars and all that but they don't upset me. One thing I actually quite like about Dublin is that although there are definitely poor and rich neighbourhoods when you go into the city centre you get to mix with all social strata. It's not like Paris where all the poor, brown and generally undesirable people seem largely confined to the peripheries leaving the city centre as an affluent fairy tale in stone.

Basically, aside from the issue of crime (which from my inexpert perspective seems to be on a par with other nice European cities) are you upset by the mere presence or sight of povs? Do you know someone who is? Do you think they should all just 'get a job', preferably far away? Can you explain this perspective?

I literally know no-one who thinks this. Strawman.

Baked.noodle · 01-11-2014 08:14PM

FairytaleGirl · 01-11-2014 08:21PM

The majority of us are only something like 3 paychecks away from homelessness.

It could literally be any of us. Becoming homeless doesnt automatically make you a filth. It's the things people resort to when they become homeless that people judge - like if any of us wouldn to the same to survive.

People need to be more god dam compassionate

cloud493 · 01-11-2014 08:28PM

I think its pretty clear what we need for homeless people and junkies. Big camps for them to live in, surrounded by machine guns, barbed wire, guard dogs etc. Soon as someone is evicted, we throw them inside, give them a spear, let them fight to the death.

Tonyandthewhale · 01-11-2014 08:32PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I literally know no-one who thinks this. Strawman.

You're right, I suppose wine bars are a little passé.

Heisenberg88 · 01-11-2014 08:32PM

Arn't they ones that started Ebola

Antar Bolaeisk · 01-11-2014 08:34PM

cloud493 wrote: »

I think its pretty clear what we need for homeless people and junkies. Big camps for them to live in, surrounded by machine guns, barbed wire, guard dogs etc. Soon as someone is evicted, we throw them inside, give them a spear, let them fight to the death.

Can't we just throw them away, maybe one of the islands would suffice?

The Moldy Gowl · 01-11-2014 08:35PM

You're face is icky

0byme75341jo28 · 01-11-2014 08:36PM

This the kind of thread I'd expect from one of the usual re-reg trolls..

cloud493 · 01-11-2014 08:36PM

Antar Bolaeisk wrote: »

Can't we just throw them away, maybe one of the islands would suffice?

Something like craggy island?

dellas1979 · 01-11-2014 08:37PM

As much as they are unfortunately seen as "fallen" in society's eyes, I truly believe that most of these individuals are some of the strongest minded and willed people of our society to deal with what they do.

We are conditioned to believe/see that "strong" = successful = money and things.

Strong is having nowhere to live, but still be alive. Having people look down on you and still exist. Having no food and managing to get it somewhere. Having no family or anyone to care for you, and still be here.

And I for one am really in awe of what these people have gone/are going through.

Teyla Emmagan · 01-11-2014 08:40PM

No. I see homeless people every day, the same (at least) 5 or 6 people in the same locations, where they sleep in the cold, and have drunken dickhe&ds mocking them. I only feel empathy for them. There for the grace of God, and all that. And I don't think homeless people contribute to crime, most of them seem way too far out of it, dealing with their own awful stuff. They are a harmless bunch, and I feel sorry for all of them. It's one of the things that really angers me about our society. How can we let anyone sleep on the streets in this day and age? Most of them are so vulnerable. Mental health issues and all of it. 100,000 people came out today and protested about water charges. F&CK your water charges, you may have difficulty paying it, but you still have a roof over your head (and long may it continue). Where are the 100,000 people protesting about people who sleep on the streets, in fear, and the cold, and their own wee? These are the genuinely 'most vulnerable in society'. And they're the forgotten.

smurgen · 01-11-2014 08:43PM

Have a look at the Ted talk by Becky Blanton on homelessness.she was a success author who had a nervous breakdown after a relative died.it's amazing,one of the biggest eye openers I had on the subject.

Chunners · 01-11-2014 08:45PM

cloud493 wrote: »

I think its pretty clear what we need for homeless people and junkies. Big camps for them to live in, surrounded by machine guns, barbed wire, guard dogs etc. Soon as someone is evicted, we throw them inside, give them a spear, let them fight to the death.

Maybe it's time to make The Hunger Games a reality, we could just throw everyone who we deem is an "undesirable" into a dome and let them fight it out to the death for our entertainment. It'd be like Big Brother except no one is leaving with minor celebrity status, Davina McCall could be the Effie Trinket

cloud493 · 01-11-2014 08:46PM

Chunners wrote: »

Maybe it's time to make The Hunger Games a reality, we could just throw everyone who we deem is an "undesirable" into a dome and let them fight it out to the death for our entertainment. It'd be like Big Brother except no one is leaving with minor celebrity status, Davina McCall could be the Effie Trinket

Thats the plan. We 'normal' people can live in a fancy district and the poor people can live in all the rest of the place.

Uncle Ruckus · 01-11-2014 08:47PM

Chunners wrote: »

Maybe it's time to make The Hunger Games a reality, we could just throw everyone who we deem is an "undesirable" into a dome and let them fight it out to the death for our entertainment. It'd be like Big Brother except no one is leaving with minor celebrity status, Davina McCall could be the Effie Trinket

And the South side of Dublin could be The Capitol.

Mongfinder General · 01-11-2014 08:49PM

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

No. I see homeless people every day, the same (at least) 5 or 6 people in the same locations, where they sleep in the cold, and have drunken dickhe&ds mocking them. I only feel empathy for them. There for the grace of God, and all that. And I don't think homeless people contribute to crime, most of them seem way too far out of it, dealing with their own awful stuff. They are a harmless bunch, and I feel sorry for all of them. It's one of the things that really angers me about our society. How can we let anyone sleep on the streets in this day and age? Most of them are so vulnerable. Mental health issues and all of it. 100,000 people came out today and protested about water charges. F&CK your water charges, you may have difficulty paying it, but you still have a roof over your head (and long may it continue). Where are the 100,000 people protesting about people who sleep on the streets, in fear, and the cold, and their own wee? These are the genuinely 'most vulnerable in society'. And they're the forgotten.

Well, we have to end apartheid for one. And slow down the nuclear arms race, stop terrorism and world hunger. We have to provide food and shelter for the homeless, and oppose racial discrimination and promote civil rights, while also promoting equal rights for women. We have to encourage a return to traditional moral values. Most importantly, we have to promote general social concern and less materialism in young people.

Chunners · 01-11-2014 08:53PM

cloud493 wrote: »

Thats the plan. We 'normal' people can live in a fancy district and the poor people can live in all the rest of the place.

I don't know, I mean before rejecting the idea totally just think, Davina would look pretty hot with blue hair

Chunners · 01-11-2014 09:00PM

Mongfinder General wrote: »

Well, we have to end apartheid for one. And slow down the nuclear arms race, stop terrorism and world hunger. We have to provide food and shelter for the homeless, and oppose racial discrimination and promote civil rights, while also promoting equal rights for women. We have to encourage a return to traditional moral values. Most importantly, we have to promote general social concern and less materialism in young people.

It makes me laugh every time people say "Traditional moral values", you do realize that Traditional moral values are what got women burned as witches? Traditional moral values is what had kids loosing hands in cotton mills only 100 years ago. Traditional moral values is what created slavery. So tell me exactly what about Traditional moral values was so good?

Donkey Oaty · 01-11-2014 09:04PM

Chunners wrote: »

So tell me exactly what about Traditional moral values was so good?

People were more polite and respectful to each other.

For example, in Victorian times it was common for a gentleman to raise his hat to every lady who walked by while he was urinating out of a window.

Mongfinder General · 01-11-2014 09:09PM

Chunners wrote: »

It makes me laugh every time people say "Traditional moral values", you do realize that Traditional moral values are what got women burned as witches? Traditional moral values is what had kids loosing hands in cotton mills only 100 years ago. Traditional moral values is what created slavery. So tell me exactly what about Traditional moral values was so good?

Hey, I'm a child of divorce, gimme a break! Well Chunners, I could tell you... but then I'd have to kill ya

Donkey Oaty · 01-11-2014 09:14PM

Mongfinder General wrote: »

Hey, I'm a child of divorce, gimme a break! Well Chunners, I could tell you... but then I'd have to kill ya

You could lead by example, and challenge Chunners to a duel.

Afroshack · 01-11-2014 09:22PM

Mongfinder General wrote: »

Well, we have to end apartheid for one. And slow down the nuclear arms race, stop terrorism and world hunger. We have to provide food and shelter for the homeless, and oppose racial discrimination and promote civil rights, while also promoting equal rights for women. We have to encourage a return to traditional moral values. Most importantly, we have to promote general social concern and less materialism in young people.

It's hip to be square.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 01-11-2014 09:26PM

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

People were more polite and respectful to each other.

For example, in Victorian times it was common for a gentleman to raise his hat to every lady who walked by while he was urinating out of a window.

When men were men.

Baked.noodle · 01-11-2014 09:33PM

Mongfinder General wrote: »

Well, we have to end apartheid for one. And slow down the nuclear arms race, stop terrorism and world hunger. We have to provide food and shelter for the homeless, and oppose racial discrimination and promote civil rights, while also promoting equal rights for women. We have to encourage a return to traditional moral values. Most importantly, we have to promote general social concern and less materialism in young people.

You know it's all a fantasy!

Are homeless people icky? Should we build a ghetto?

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