Homeless…with a cellphone - Big Big Forums

Jolie Rouge · 03-10-2009, 01:00 PM

Pop singer Crystal Waters did a song many years ago called “She’s Homeless.” The hook went like this: “She’s just like you and me, but she is homeless, she is homeless.”

In D.C., the homeless are just like you and me, and they have cell phones, they have cell phones.

Via Andrew Malcolm, here is one of the homeless cell phone owners snapping a pic of First Lady Michelle Obama — ruining what was supposed to be a sob story photo op of the compassionate Mrs. O catering to the downtrodden. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/wash...lle-obama.html

Say cheese!

Quote:

First Lady Michelle Obama showed up Thursday as a surprise and welcome volunteer at Miriam's Kitchen, a soup kitchen for homeless poor people not far from the White House.

She brought with her some food donated by White House staff.

The first lady served up mushroom risotto and broccoli to a long line of homeless men and women during part of her lunch hour and in these photos poses for a picture by one homeless diner obviously excited to be in the first lady's presence.

Obama said she hoped her service would cause other Americans to volunteer to help the less fortunate in their own communities.

And, of course, such images of need might also help build support for her husband's economic and healthcare reform agenda, although a Miriam's spokeswoman said their average "guest" has been homeless since about the time Barack Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004.

Miriam's is a privately funded soup kitchen about seven blocks from the White House that has 1,200 volunteers and serves about 300, mainly men, each morning. Our colleague Mark Silva has more on the volunteer work in the Swamp here.

Both of these news photos were widely distributed across the country and even around the world.

It doesn't detract from the first lady's generous gesture or the real needs she seeks to highlight to ask two bothersome journalistic questions about these news photos:

If this unidentified meal recipient is too poor to buy his own food, how does he afford a cellphone?

And if he is homeless, where do they send the cellphone bills?

Some folks are wondering where the cell phone bills get sent.

The answer is obvious: ACORN headquarters.

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You know what this reminds me of? Sharon Jasper, the New Orleans “slum dweller” with…the 60-inch TV.

Remember?

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Kathy Shaidle: Yup, there are government programs to give cell phones to the homeless. http://www.fivefeetoffury.com/:entry...09-03-06-0000/

The liberals’ argument is that they need cell phones to get jobs.

Just a few questions come to mind : Do they need Blackberry Pearls ?!

If we’re giving out cell phones for the purpose of getting a job … why are we giving ones with cameras?

We’re the only country in the world with obese poor.

What did homeless do before cell phones?

***ahippiechic*** · 03-10-2009, 01:35 PM

Well, the homeless around here get them by stealing them from other people, throw them away when they get turned off.

Or they buy minutes for their own phones with the money they bum from people. The guy who sleeps by the Circle K has a really nice phone.

And some have really nice phones but they can only dial 911 from them if they got them from the free phone program. Some that are able to work get so many free minutes per month to look for jobs etc. (these are usually phones donated from people who don't use them anymore.) If it has a cam they can take a pic but can't send it anywhere.

We give our old cell phones to the Mommy & Me shelter, they go to domestic violence victims living at the shelter.

Unicornmom77 · 03-10-2009, 01:51 PM

It is not surprising to me the homeless have cell phones, I was one of them once (we lived in a shelter), even pre paid plans have nice phones now.

ElleGee · 03-10-2009, 02:03 PM

In order to get a job, or an apartment people need a number to be reached at.. A cell phone is not the same as a 60in TV...

SurferGirl · 03-10-2009, 02:54 PM

If they are homeless, where do they plug these phones in to keep them charged? They would at least have to have a car and a car adaptor to charge the batteries.

sdb_ngc · 03-10-2009, 02:59 PM

My job recently did a phone drive and we donated the phones and accessories to a battered womens shelter and the open door mission. Even though they had been deactivated - they can still dial 911 from them. Most of the phones were really nice.

speedygirl · 03-10-2009, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SurferGirl

If they are homeless, where do they plug these phones in to keep them charged? They would at least have to have a car and a car adaptor to charge the batteries.

Lots of homeless people live in a vehicle or in a shelter and have access to electricity. Those on the street can be resourceful. If you go into a public restroom you can find outlets.

ElleGee · 03-10-2009, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SurferGirl

If they are homeless, where do they plug these phones in to keep them charged? They would at least have to have a car and a car adaptor to charge the batteries.

You would not need a car or car adapter to charge your phone.. You can go to any library and use an electrical outlet

Unicornmom77 · 03-10-2009, 05:20 PM

Yup, or a convince store with a booth, or a hotel with a hall way to chill and catch a nap out of the weather while your phone charges. If your homeless you gotta be inventive also.

anothersta · 03-10-2009, 05:28 PM

Now the homeless have cel phones that are better than mine. The clothes look newer than mine, too.

***ahippiechic*** · 03-10-2009, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anothersta

Now the homeless have cel phones that are better than mine. The clothes look newer than mine, too.

Hell, they always have around here.