City wants homeless inside for [Democratic National] convention

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Rocky Mountain News

Emergency shelter will open during '08 Dem gathering

By Stuart Steers, Rocky Mountain News
May 15, 2007

Denver plans to clear downtown streets of the homeless during the Democratic National Convention here in 2008.

The city will open an emergency shelter normally used during winter deep freezes, and keep other shelters in the city open 24 hours during the August gathering. In addition, an army of outreach workers will fan out across downtown to persuade the homeless to come inside during the convention.

"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.



Read more: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5537389,00.html

[RubyDuby in GA]

1. If they can do it for a week in August, why can't they do it all the time

Just because it's inconvenient for them? Don't want "those" people on tv when the circus comes to town???

How shameful Denver.

[HereSince1628]

2. Potempkin democracy, Potempkin security...

If left for too much inspection, people will realize it's all a facade.

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. Many of the chronically homeless do not want to be in shelters

They aren't allowed to do as they please in shelters, particularly when it come to drugs and alcohol.

[EFerrari]

11. Also pets.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

14. And saftey issues

Not to mention that there's a pronounced loss of freedom of choice.

Too often people mistake shelters for housing when the two are nothing alike.

[EFerrari]

18. That's right. It's hard to live on someone else's schedule

when there's so little you control already. :(

[silverojo]

45. And male children over the age of 16

In women's shelters, anyway. If a woman flees an abusive husband, and she happens to have a 17-year-old son, he just has to live on the streets. :mad:

[rocktivity]

3. I've always said that cure for homlessless is

homes.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Freddie Stubbs]

13. It is a lot more complex than that

It is not correct that the only difference between the homeless and the rest of society is that the homeless lack homes.

Even among the homeless there are big differences in the population. You have many people who are temporally homeless. They aren't the people you see sitting on the street corner begging for change. These are people who have jobs, but have been forced out their apartments due to rising rents or a landlord who wants to tear down the building to build a larger one. You also have women who are running away from an abusive spouses or boyfriends. These people, if given the proper support, usually are able to find housing eventually.

Then there is the category of the chronically homeless. Most of these people are either mentally ill or abusing substances. Many of them could get off the streets, if they received treatment. But you cannot force people to undergo treatment unless they break the law or demonstrate they are a danger to themselves or others.

[AngryOldDem]

24. If it were only that easy.

[rodeodance]

40. Some cities are doing just that---giving homes without preconditions and

it is working for many.

[ccpup]

4. you guys crack me up

So eager to bitch about the Dems about anything. Tell you what, when the Dems start throwing nets over groups of people, arresting them and holding them in cramped, overcrowded cells for the duration of their Convention on flimsy, trumped up charges, I'll start bashing them.

[jwirr]

10. I took the criticism here to be toward the City of Denver, not the Dems.

[EFerrari]

19. Denver gets an "F" from me on homelessness already and

there's little doubt that the stagers of the convention gave them a nudge on this one.

[Freddie Stubbs]

20. What specific facts lead you to believe that the "stagers of the convention" gave the city a nudge?

:shrug:

[EFerrari]

21. It's common sense, Freddie. If I bring a lot of business to your town

I'm going to want the venue to be as goodlooking as possible. As a producer, I'd be remiss not to.

But the onus isn't on the stagers, it's on the city. Why are there homeless people in Denver?

[Freddie Stubbs]

22. It may very well just be the city wanting to project a positive image for

all of the TV cameras.

Why are there homeless people in Denver?

Why are there homeless in Denver? For the same reason there are homeless in every other city in the world where they don't institutionalize the homeless: Economics, mental illness, and substance abuse.

[EFerrari]

25. Btw, I do production and it is simply part of the job to make sure

the venue is properly prepared.

On the other hand, there is something nauseating in the fact that the homeless in Denver are essentially going to be rounded up because the city hasn't bothered to provide supportive housing and while political candidates raise millions of dollars to buy the White House.

That's disgusting.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

6. Homelessness of city streets began with RAYGUN

:hurts: :hurts: :hurts:

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

7. The question is, will they be FORCED into these places?

Will they be able to come and go as free people, or will they suddenly be imprisoned wards of the city?

[EFerrari]

12. Yeah, I had the same thought. Security concerns, my remote.

[zbdent]

8. The "homeless" will suddenly find themselves a new bunch of friends

"Hey buddy, just hold this Huck Fillary sign, and you'll get a few bucks and a fifth ..."

[zbdent]

9. We should suggest that, since it's so wonferful and safe, the GOP hold

their convention in the green zone ...

[firefox_fan]

15. Why are they having the Convention in Denver anyway?

...

[Freddie Stubbs]

16. Several cities submitted bids; the DNC chose Denver

[WindRavenX]

17. Shame on you Denver.

Whenever the homeless of a city are somehow scooted under the rug for some glitzy event, it sickens me.

:puke:

[Vinca]

23. This is so sad - out of sight, out of mind. nt

[EFerrari]

26. It's creepy as hell. Eat the poor. n/t

[acmavm]

27. They don't need to hide the homeless. They need to take a good long

hard look and start working on a solution to the problem, not pretending it doesn't exist.

[silverojo]

46. Amen to that!

Homeless people aren't just litter that needs to be picked up from the streets when a big event hits town. They're people who deserve help, treatment, and jobs (for those who are healthy and seeking work).

[cigsandcoffee]

28. "an army of outreach workers "

[El Supremo]

29. Homeless Will Be Cleared In During '08 Convention

Source: cbs4denver.com

Denver Plans To Use Outreach To Keep Homeless In Shelters

(AP) DENVER Denver plans to clear homeless people from downtown during the Democratic National Convention next summer, opening an emergency shelter that's normally used only in the winter.

Other cities that have hosted conventions have launched similar efforts. But Roxane White, the city's human services manager, said the move is based on security concerns and isn't just about improving the Mile High City's image.

The convention will be held at the Pepsi Center downtown, and security zone will include the South Platte River banks and underpasses where homeless people often camp.

Read more: http://cbs4denver.com/topstories/local_story_135130624.html

---

Security my ass! This is hypocrisy! Open the shelter now!

[Jed Dilligan]

30. Screw them

I'm not going to let you lock me up just to save your city's image. The homeless of Denver should protest throughout the convention. It's a great opportunity to call attention to this unending problem.

Outreach my ass. I bet the "outreach" will be done by police officers.

[Monkeyman]

31. Lets hide out problems instead of fixing them

:mad: :nuke:

[Donnachaidh]

32. I wonder -- just how many cities have written legislation to force the

homeless out?

Wasn't this something that Guiliani did - and then claimed he had 'cleaned up' New York - by forcing the homeless to go somewhere else?

This is not to let Denver off the hook for what they are planning to do. It's reprehensible. But has anyone kept any tabs on how many cities are forcing the homeless out, rather than doing something to help them?

[Monkeyman]

35. I wonder that myself

Chicago Did two years ago

[Donnachaidh]

43. I know they enacted some similar laws in Atlanta

I'll have to dig that up. But I'll bet if a database of these laws were compiled we'd all be shocked.

It's amazing how inhumane we can be, in order to have bright shiny photo-ops. :grr:

[paulk]

33. well, since the cameras will all be downtown

they can just drive the homeless out of those areas. There's plenty of foreclosed houses and empty storefronts in the rest of the city they can stay in for a few days.



:sarcasm: (sort of)

[ohio2007]

34. Maybe they will see how China does the 08 Olympics

and follow their lead on "cleaning up" a town

[DBoon]

38. or they could dress the homeless up in nice clothes

That way they can stay where they are without tarnishing the city's image

a "win win"

more :sarcasm:

[valerief]

36. Blackwater will be hired to clear the streets, probably. nt

[GoddessOfGuinness]

37. Are they registered to vote?

Don't they have a voice?

Security concerns, my ass.

[magellan]

39. Perhaps the Dems should say something

...since it is their convention this is being done for.

[Freddie Stubbs]

42. Tell it to Howard Dean:

http://www.democrats.org/page/petition/chairman

[silverojo]

47. I wish I could K&R your post

Maybe if enough people complained, Howard Dean would try to do something about this.

[lakeguy]

41. ah yes, hide the truth from the masses...

anyone who is homeless or without a job wants to be that anyway:sarcasm:

[dflprincess]

44. Gee I haven't heard what St. Paul is planning to do with the homeless

during the Republican Convention. They're already busy stealing pigeon eggs (this is true) so there will be fewer pigeons to poop on the delegates next summer so maybe the powers that be haven't had a chance to think about the homeless (as usual).