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Comment by the_third_wave | Hacker News Reader

From the newspaper article: "I'll never go to India, I don't like to see people sleeping in the streets"

The times, they are a'changeing and the Colonel would presumably "never go to (insert west coast city)" because of all the people sleeping (etc.) in the streets

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Interesting that it only happens on the west coast, eh? You’ve never seen a homeless person anywhere else?

Yes, but there is significantly more of it happening, optically, on the west coast than anywhere else in the United States. What is San Diego's unofficial name? "The Home of the Homeless". Before you flame, I spent years touring the United States, living and photographing homeless people and communities. West Coasters should really stop getting defensive and take action, if it actually matters to you all. All that wealth... So greedily spent... All those people... laying in the streets... strung out on cra..."KFC"! Had to tie it back to avoid the rule crazies. ;)

imho it comes from western states not simply rounding them up. in atlanta, before the peach bowl the cops would descend on downtown, arrest all the homeless, bus them up to cherokee, and then the time it took them to return was greater than the length of the event.

now that's a little less common and the yearly doctor conference has noticed the homeless and is complaining about it. i think homelessness is a consequence not of any one area but of the american way of doing things. we treat it as an incurable disease, like addiction, but that we don't care enough about to fix.

> imho it comes from western states not simply rounding them up.

And the supreme court says they should go ahead and do so. After all, there's no discrimination: the police can round up anyone sleeping under a bridge, whether poor or rich.

Thats why I said "optically", I actually agree with the sentiment that homelessness is often much worse and unseen in other parts of the United States- but! CA could do a-lot more given its wealth and desire to be seen as "thoughtful".

> CA could do a-lot more given its ... desire to be seen as "thoughtful".

Uhh, what? The state that produced Nixon, Reagan, Prop 13; the capital of NIMBYism and the state that had more Trump voters than any other?

Sure, California is wealthy and spends a lot on its citizens, especially the needy, but it also has strong countervailing pressure, more influential than you might think given the makeup of its legislature.

A state is a big amorphous group and can't hardly have a "desire".

Sure. We are saying the same thing. But from my experience actually talking to people, they fancy themselves a thoughtful lot.

Despite our homeless problem, we have by far the highest property prices, most economic opportunity, and best laws (legal shrooms!).

Haters of the PNW are simply mad that they don’t get to live here and enjoy the routine 20-40$ ounces for good quality stuff.

With friends like these...

> living and photographing homeless people and communities.

For your own benefit, or for theirs?

> if it actually matters to you all

You were there for a while, apparently. What did you do about it?

There was no benefit to anyone, I chose to be homeless and to spend time sharing their stories. I had no capacity to help them outside of small ways, food, shelter, voice.

> West Coasters should really stop getting defensive and take action, if it actually matters to you all.

As a lifetime resident of the northwest and a current resident of Seattle let me say, sincerely, fuck you too.

Your characterization of west coast residents as uncaring and inactive is inconsistent with reality. There is no shortage of people working on homelessness and related issues. Not every person has to spend every waking moment on your pet issue for it to be taken seriously. Everyone has different talents and homelessness isn't the only issue we face.

Classic response. Sorry. And yes, fuck me! I couldn't help either.

Have you ever been to India? I have, and have also visited the bad part of downtown San Francisco many times. Homelessness in major Indian cities is on a whole different scale - I remember taking a taxi ride through New Delhi at night, on some streets the sidewalks had people lying side by side (packed so tight they were touching other people on both side) for what seemed like miles.

On the other hand they don't seem nearly as mentally unwell as the SF homeless.

I'm guessing he would refrain from going near kentucky then:

https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2018/12/02/PLOU/f9cd1a27-...

(Louisville)

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