What have you become America? "America's homeless resort to tent cities"

news.bbc.co.uk...

Just off the side of a motorway on the fringes of the picturesque town of Ann Arbor, Michigan, a mismatched collection of 30 tents tucked in the woods has become home - home to those who are either unemployed, or whose wages are so low that they can no longer afford to pay rent.

Conditions are unhygienic. There are no toilets and electricity is only available in the one communal tent where the campers huddle around a wood stove for warmth in the heart of winter.

Ice weighs down the roofs of tents, and rain regularly drips onto the sleeping campers' faces.

Please watch the video on the link I provided above.


I'm sure I am in for a lot of hate after posting this, but hey ho, so shall it be. I'm British, and no matter what you may think of us, this would not happen here. How can your government justify spending billions on wars and proxy wars, yet let this happen to your own people? How can the richest country on the planet, with the richest population let this happen to their neighbours?


I'm not Catholic, but I have seen the hate dished out to the Catholic church on this site. They may be child molesters and murderers, but it seem's to me, they are the one's feeding and helping these people. What are you doing?

Ive just done a search on You Tube , and the ammount of videos (many of which are made by your own main stream media) is staggering. Are you all playing the ignorance card?


Shame on you.

Originally posted by AmatuerSkyWatcher

I'm British, and no matter what you may think of us, this would not happen here. How can your government justify spending billions on wars and proxy wars, yet let this happen to your own people? How can the richest country on the planet, with the richest population let this happen to their neighbours?

Easy.

Our government is just the country club for the board of directors of most multi-nationals.

"We" are not a rich nation. We are the headquarters of corporate barbarism.

I'm getting ready to log out and go pay my $113. electric bill for my little apartment. See, the important thing in the US here, is that mega energy corporations rake in profits profits profits, and not pay taxes, if that is feasable. And the rest of us can go die outside in the cold, or inside, in the cold.

Originally posted by zroth


Easy.

Our government is just the country club for the board of directors of most multi-nationals.

"We" are not a rich nation. We are the headquarters of corporate barbarism.

That may be. I don't think I need to go into the grotesque details of your corporate heaven. However, you are all allowing this to happen.

reply to post by AmatuerSkyWatcher


Its a American game we call, Switch and Bait.

We call them Lazy and stupid, Blame them for the current economic problems because they abuse Entitlement
programs, then we can ignore them with no remorse.

In the US we like flags and words like freedom and rights, and these Tent People mellow our buzz, so we tell ourselves , they did this to themselves.

Considering I live just across the state, and see things like that going on every year (my friend is one of them) I can tell you exactly what's going on.

Just because YOU'RE economy is squeaky clean and moves along fine, doesn't mean ours does.

We do the best we can, and sometimes people are forced to the bare minimum. I joined my buddy for a week or so in his lifestyle, and I have to admit... it's freeing.

Maybe if you lot weren't so absorbed in your materialistic ways, you'd realize how liberating it is to sleep in a tent out in the woods.

My friend showed me that.

Originally posted by Starchild23
Considering I live just across the state, and see things like that going on every year (my friend is one of them) I can tell you exactly what's going on.

Just because YOU'RE economy is squeaky clean and moves along fine, doesn't mean ours does.

We do the best we can, and sometimes people are forced to the bare minimum. I joined my buddy for a week or so in his lifestyle, and I have to admit... it's freeing.

Maybe if you lot weren't so absorbed in your materialistic ways, you'd realize how liberating it is to sleep in a tent out in the woods.

My friend showed me that.

Tell that to the kids who are sleeping in 'mill dew' infested bed clothes.

Shame on you.

... seriously? Are you really going to sit on your plush sofa and say "shame on you" when you're just sitting there on a stupid computer typing this #? Get outside and do something.

Shame on us? No...shame on YOU.

Shouldn't the English and the BBC sort their own country out first ?

It's not like homelessness is a peculiarly American phenomenon.

should they move to one of those countries where everyone is provided luxurious beach side condos for the low low price of 4 rupees?

Originally posted by LeBombDiggity
Shouldn't the English and the BBC sort their own country out first ?

It's not like homelessness is a peculiarly American phenomenon.

Kinda is. The British actually drag the bums to various institutions to create the illusion of prosperity, while the inside of institutions are either tyrannies or slums.

Welcome to the extremes of the world. No one with the power to act really cares, and no one who really cares has the power to act.

Originally posted by AmatuerSkyWatcher
However, you are all allowing this to happen.

Interesting observation.

The difference here is that your empire is primarily built beyond your borders where the siphon brings everything back to the island.

It is easy to manage a much smaller footprint in this model.

The UK is not far behind us. The rate hike in education has you one generation behind the US in ignorant children that cannot manage the nation.

Originally posted by Starchild23

Maybe if you lot weren't so absorbed in your materialistic ways, you'd realize how liberating it is to sleep in a tent out in the woods.

Now this is a interesting Spin on the Situation.

The US Gov is liberating us, by driving us all towards poverty.

Originally posted by LeBombDiggity
Shouldn't the English and the BBC sort their own country out first ?

It's not like homelessness is a peculiarly American phenomenon.

This would not happen in Britain. Children sleeping in tents? Hell no.


And as for the sofa comment - I live in Britiain, not alot I can do for them when I am all the way over here, but rest assured, if I were there, I would be helping if I had the means to do so.

"America's homeless resort to tent cities"

Sadly, this is nothing new. It has been occurring for years.

Originally posted by zroth

Originally posted by AmatuerSkyWatcher
However, you are all allowing this to happen.

Interesting observation.

The difference here is that your empire is primarily built beyond your borders where the siphon brings everything back to the island.

It is easy to manage a much smaller footprint in this model.

The UK is not far behind us. The rate hike in education has you one generation behind the US in ignorant children that cannot manage the nation.

What are you talking about? This isn't a Britain is better than the U.S.A thread. We are not an empire anymore, so your argument about siphon's is completely moot. We are part of a common wealth, and that is a completely different 'kettle of fish'.

reply to post by Tw0Sides


So does this mean we all are going to be equally poor? If we can't be equally wealthy like the rest of the U.S. moneymakers, then it would be easier to make us all equal by living in poverty. That is sad.

Originally posted by Tw0Sides

Originally posted by Starchild23

Maybe if you lot weren't so absorbed in your materialistic ways, you'd realize how liberating it is to sleep in a tent out in the woods.

Now this is a interesting Spin on the Situation.

The US Gov is liberating us, by driving us all towards poverty.

Is it poverty if you don't want all the material stuff that supposedly determines your status in society? I have ruminated upon this subject at length, and I believe that it might be a wise decision to learn to LET GO of material objects except for those items you really need...because it may prepare you for what is inevitably coming.

If you tend to go without, then poverty has no effect.

The Joneses can die in a fire, for all I care.

Most Americans are one disaster away from living in those tents. The richest nation on Earth is a lie; it's a "fact" that's about 25 years past its expiration date.

The U.S. is a 3rd world country with a working social safety net.

reply to post by AmatuerSkyWatcher


This thread is so true. in February of 2010 my family moved to montana for work reasons, our route took us straight through colorado, as we was driviong through colorado springs and I was looking to the right out the passengers window to view the river what I saw shocked me, tents lined along the river through the entire city, I saw families moving about. In california where my mother lives she told me there is tent city all over california. Some of these tent cities are actually organized with security and leadership. If they get to much media attention the city leaders kick them out. But ya its real here in america.