Denver to homeless: Why not visit the zoo while the press are here?
posted at 4:00 pm on July 10, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Denver wants to put its best foot forward during the Democratic convention, which means they want to get the homeless out of sight while the media focuses on the city. Instead of making panhandling illegal, which might solve at least some of the problem, Denver will pay for its homeless to ride buses and visit tourist sites (via William Amos):
“If they don’t want to get caught up in the protests or demonstrations, we’ll find other activities that will keep them busy,” said John Parvensky, President of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.
A plan has been developed to provide interested homeless people with free access to cultural activities. They include the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and they won’t have to worry about paying for transportation.
“We’ll have bus tokens if they need them,” Parvensky said.
Also five, big screen TVs are being donated to a teen day shelter. One hope is to engage some of the homeless children in the political process by allowing them to see convention unfold on television. But another purpose is to draw them away from the streets while the Convention is underway.
On one hand, it’s not a bad plan, if Denver is more interested in hiding its homeless problem than in solving it. It gets people off the street and into places where delegates and media will be least likely to find them. However, given the opportunity to panhandle a large number of visitors to the city — and risking their strategic positions on the streets — the plan has little likelihood of success. In fact, Denver can almost certainly count on increased numbers of panhandlers during the convention in order to take advantage of the large jump in supply.
Of course, Denver now has a second option. Why not just invite all of the homeless to Barack Obama’s big finale at Invesco Field? I note that Denver hasn’t offered them that tourist option …. at least not yet.
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Once again South Park is on point here.
Meric1837 on July 10, 2008 at 4:04 PM
Didn’t know Jim Carrey was homeless. Awww.
Akzed on July 10, 2008 at 4:05 PM
I’m sure PETA would protest using zoo animals as entertainment for homeless people.
Sugar Land on July 10, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Phoenix bussed all the bums down to Tucson during the Super Bowl there. (late 90s)
omnipotent on July 10, 2008 at 4:06 PM
How about some work?
forest on July 10, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Unless the Dems can give away other people’s money, the “jump in supply” will only be apparent.
Akzed on July 10, 2008 at 4:07 PM
So… if I ask for a free pass to the Denver zoo, even though I have a home, would that make me a homeist?
crazy_legs on July 10, 2008 at 4:08 PM
How about if they don’t have ID and fifty cents in their pocket arrest them for vagrancy!
max1 on July 10, 2008 at 4:08 PM
I thought the Dems eliminated homelessness?
DerKrieger on July 10, 2008 at 4:08 PM
This is HOW they eliminate the homeless problem.
William Amos on July 10, 2008 at 4:10 PM
I call for all of Denver’s homeless to protest during the convention! Homeless Denver, let your voice be heard.
You should show up naked during the convention and fling your own poo, That will wake people up and make them listen!
GoodBoy on July 10, 2008 at 4:10 PM
This is a voluntary participation idea. Hard to say how many homeless people would volunteer for work. Some are hard on their luck people who would like to re-enter society as a productive individuals, some are mentally unbalanced and need psychiatric treatment, and some are people who sincerely don’t want work or a home and actually want to be on the streets.
Esthier on July 10, 2008 at 4:10 PM
Perfect example what the truth is to a liberal. It doesn’t matter whether something is true or not, they just want the perception of the truth to be what the liberal wants it to be.
volsense on July 10, 2008 at 4:11 PM
Why should they go to the zoo? The animals around the convention all will be so much more entertaining.
NeighborhoodCatLady on July 10, 2008 at 4:11 PM
I’d strongly prefer not to make panhandling illegal, but making giving to panhandlers illegal. People need to be made to understand that “charity” can do more harm than good. I live in a neighborhood where idiots, that is college students, give money to panhandlers. Thus, I have to encounter bums in my neighborhood. I resent the enablers more than the bums themselves.
thuja on July 10, 2008 at 4:11 PM
Man, I’d like to send some of the St. Petersburg, FL homeless - somewhere. They use my parking space (in a parking garage) as their bathroom every night. It is so disgusting.
stenwin77 on July 10, 2008 at 4:11 PM
Hope and Change…hope they go elsewhere and change their location so the media doesn’t see them. Maybe they could bus them to Arkansas or Mississippi.
flytier on July 10, 2008 at 4:12 PM
Great- now paying customers at the zoo will have to put up with getting panhandled there.
And they might want to keep them out of the petting zoo unless they want Bambi to end up roasted over a garbage can fire.
Hollowpoint on July 10, 2008 at 4:12 PM
How do they certify that you’re homeless in order to give you the free bus fare and entrance to the cultural exhibits? Is it going to be a judgment call think based on look and smell of the person asking for the free pass?
JadeNYU on July 10, 2008 at 4:12 PM
Won’t busing them to the zoo create more carbon emissions than just letting them stay put?
SouthernGent on July 10, 2008 at 4:12 PM
They ask for proof of non-residence.
Akzed on July 10, 2008 at 4:13 PM
This is sadder than just leaving them be.
Dr. Manhattan on July 10, 2008 at 4:14 PM
Andy why offer them jobs at the convention? Surely they need help doing something there, no? My bad. Democrats don’t solve problems, they just move them around. Sorry for the moment of non-clarity.
SouthernGent on July 10, 2008 at 4:15 PM
No thats only to vote
William Amos on July 10, 2008 at 4:15 PM
Send the homeless to the zoo…how utterly appropriate for a Democrat. Not give them shelter and feed them, not give them clothing, not give them a job “because we all know they want to work”…no they send them to the zoo.
*
Here we have the ostrich, over here we have the elephants…
and here we have the pan-handlers or homeless cage, please do not feed them cigarettes or wine…please watch your children…once nearly extinct, the Democrats fought hard for policies that allowed them to flourish, their habitat is warmer weather, however cities like San Francisco and Denver have created homeless sanctuary’s to allow the homeless to breed. Once thought useless, the Democrats use them as a device to show how nurturing they are, insuring their continued survival. Republicans would like to institute programs that would make this species extinct, but the Democrats consider them a protected species and valuable to their status of “caring”, the Democrats consider them a sub-species of the Negroes, whom are used in much the same way…
The next cage as what was once known in the 1950’s as a Democrat, now extinct, which has been displaced by the rabid liberal Democrat, a territorial species whose feathers are easlily ruffled they………
right2bright on July 10, 2008 at 4:16 PM
I love that the democrat veiw making the homeless watch the democratic party sitting talking, and eating and drinking on big screen TVs is a REWARD to them.
William Amos on July 10, 2008 at 4:17 PM
The homeless heard that Denver was hosting hope for loose change.
geckomon on July 10, 2008 at 4:17 PM
I understand how you feel about the enablers as well.
I currently live in Santa Monica. Charitable groups from neighboring cities purposely come to Santa Monica to do their free meal and other hand out programs - they get to feel good about their charity and they also encourage homeless people to go to Santa Monica instead of staying in their communities.
Of course, the city of Santa Monica itself has done plenty to become a mecca of the homeless. I’m just not sure why the surrounding communities need to compound that error.
JadeNYU on July 10, 2008 at 4:17 PM
Demonstrates how a liberal solves problems. If they don’t want to deal it, they pretend the problem doesn’t exist.
volsense on July 10, 2008 at 4:18 PM
“We demand homeless delegates!
We demand to be seated freely in the convention, not put in some cordoned area!
This is our right!”
/Denver homeless activist
eeyore on July 10, 2008 at 4:18 PM
Are these homeless people or bored children?
You know what works really well to keep one busy? A JOB! How about one of them thar things to keep ya entertained?
highhopes on July 10, 2008 at 4:20 PM
Wow, so now I can’t go downtown… or to the College… traffic is gonna be really bad… they’re shutting down college for it… and now I can’t take my kids to the zoo or museums either…
Party at my place in Highlands Ranch… Fried food and barbeque… fire up the Hottub… and the gas outdoor firepit…
I’m just gonna lay in supplies, and ammunition, and wait this one out…
Romeo13 on July 10, 2008 at 4:22 PM
We’re not hiding the homeless. We’re…just putting them elsewhere.
MadisonConservative on July 10, 2008 at 4:24 PM
Gotta tell ya, there are lots of homeless in Denver. Last time I was there, they were under about every bridge or on every corner I drove by in South Downtown.
Me thinks they could just blend in nicely at camp crappy pants with all the other long-haired hippie people.
cntrlfrk on July 10, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Does Simon and Garfunkel know about this?
Someone told me
Its all happening at the zoo.
I do believe it,
I do believe its true.
Its a light and tax free journey
From the east side to the park;
Just a fine and fancy ramble
To the zoo.
But you can take the crosstown bus
If its raining or its cold,
And the Democrats will love it
If you do.
The monkeys stand for honesty,
Giraffes are insincere,
And the elephants are in
Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Orangutans are skeptical
Of changes in their cages,
And the zoo keeper is very fond of Ron Paul.
Zebras are reactionaries,
Antelopes are missionaries,
Pigeons plot in secrecy,
And hamsters turn on frequently.
What a gas! you gotta come and see
At the zoo.
Hening on July 10, 2008 at 4:28 PM
What about after the convention?
“Okay everyone! Fun’s over. Get out of the zoo. Were out of funds for entertaining in the shelters. You can go back to the streets now!”
shick on July 10, 2008 at 4:28 PM
I want to go to Romeo’s place; BBQ and guns, what’s better than that?
Anyhoo, if you live in Minnesota you might have heard a local radio guy talking about his time as a NYC cop. He told a story about the city hosting a political convention; the cops basically grabbed folks off the street and took them for a loooong ride until the convention was over.
I don’t get excited about this as a practical matter, every city wants to look good in the national spotlight. However, seeing members of the ‘Big Tent Party’ acquiesce, that is another matter. Hypocrites.
Bishop on July 10, 2008 at 4:29 PM
Thanks for the tip! Soon as the rioting breaks out, I know where we can get 5 big screen TVs!
TugboatPhil on July 10, 2008 at 4:31 PM
Indeed. http://www.southparkstudios.com/episodes/103783/
bigbeas on July 10, 2008 at 4:33 PM
Homeless in the art museum?
I don’t think you’ll be able to tell the difference between the homeless and art majors.
Of course, I’ll bet some of the homeless were art majors also.
Send the homeless to the museum and call it career day for the art majors!!!
Rogue Traveler on July 10, 2008 at 4:34 PM
For a bum that Chad sure has some good lookin’ teeth.
Denver must have a great dental plan for the bums.
I have noticed that progressive cities like Denver, Philly, San Fran and the like don’t have homeless people. It must be because the Libs care so much!
Mega /s
TheSitRep on July 10, 2008 at 4:36 PM
Just buss them to a vacant field with the promise of as much booze as they can drink if they stay there. That will be enough.
pseudonominus on July 10, 2008 at 4:37 PM
Perfect. Let the kids know, right off the bat, who the liars are.
I’d love to see a well dressed, well fed Dem speak to homelessness while a bunch of homeless kids are watching.
yo on July 10, 2008 at 4:38 PM
Denver conservatives, free passes and tickets funded by the DNC. Dress like your homeless and hang out near the convention site and your sure to get free passes to local events.
Tempting, no?
shick on July 10, 2008 at 4:39 PM
Problem… it is not being funded by the DNC, but by public funds.
Romeo13 on July 10, 2008 at 4:41 PM
Oops. NEVERMIND! Don’t waste anymore of Denver’s taxpayer dollars!
shick on July 10, 2008 at 4:43 PM
Its the city of denver doing it but Im sure the DNC is also pushing this so the delegates arent hassled.
But yes seems to be public money that will pay for this.
William Amos on July 10, 2008 at 4:44 PM
Like finger painting? Geez, can`t they hear how condecending they are, it`s like they`re children to them.
ThePrez on July 10, 2008 at 4:44 PM
If the Republican convention were held in Denver, would Denver be just as willing to give up its taxpayer dollars?
shick on July 10, 2008 at 4:47 PM
LOL!!! I thought the same thing!
Glynn on July 10, 2008 at 4:54 PM
Most of those homeless people are Democrat convention delegates, aren’t they?
Cicero43 on July 10, 2008 at 4:57 PM
Taxpayer funded free stuff… it’s a democrat convention, what did you people expect.
DNCpalooza 2008… Hell ya! I’m going to Denver for the free cultural activities.
regal on July 10, 2008 at 4:57 PM
Why not just have ordinary food at the convention instead of the high-priced specialty fare, then use the savings to fund homeless shelters?
The real reason the bums are being swept-up is because of the potential riots: Dumpster diving for leftover scraps and finding only radishes and arugula? ATTICA!
Bishop on July 10, 2008 at 5:02 PM
Heh, they look a lot like Obama supporters- unwashed, stinky and chanting “change” in a dazed mantra.
NTWR on July 10, 2008 at 5:08 PM
Just what teens want to watch on a big screen TV…a political convention.
heh, that sounds more like a troofer/Paulbot
JetBoy on July 10, 2008 at 5:16 PM
They are HUMAN BEINGS! They are not CATTLE to be rounded up! THIS IS A DISGRACE! HAVEN’T YOU EVERY LISTENED TO “TURNING AWAY” BY PINK FLOYD????? THIS IS WORSE THAN HITLER AND MOUSSOLINI COMBINED!
———-
uhh, huh, umm. What just happened to me? Must be the thin mile-high atmosphere affecting my brain.
innominatus on July 10, 2008 at 5:20 PM
Hey, I’ve got an idea…Since the major TV networks will be hurting for money since Obama moved his big speech, I’m sure they could use some cheap, legal help to save money.
Big John on July 10, 2008 at 5:20 PM
Clever.
Spirit of 1776 on July 10, 2008 at 5:22 PM
Houston took similar actions in two ways:
They gated off the Internation Festival after complaint by attendees of homeless harassing them; with that, of course, came an entry charge;, and
The Sports Authority got upset when it was building the baseball stadium, Minutemaid Park, because some of the homeless, who gathered around the northeast side of downtown, were still lingering around the new stadium because the Star of Hope Mission, which helps the homeless, was not built in time.
Nice how big cities claim to care about people only to show their true natures during such events.
And for this to go on during the DNC convention, well, how fracking pathetic.
madmonkphotog on July 10, 2008 at 5:23 PM
Is that bum in the video the infamous “Hanging Chad” we’ve heard so much about?
FishFearMe on July 10, 2008 at 5:26 PM
In true Democrat fashion, the solution is not to find them a work program, or a shelter program like Rudy Guliani created in NYC which had homeless people scrubbing sidewalks in return for shelter and food, but instead, they get a trip to the zoo, or a theater, or even a chance to look at a big screen TV. Rudy’s NYC program was the best solution yet developed anywhere in the world to deal with this issue. Denver’s program has to be thrown together ad-hoc to keep the city from having a black-eye during the convention.
Rudy knew that he wasn’t getting the highest caliper of employee with the homeless, but he also knew that something had to be done and that it had to require a quid pro quo arrangement to prevent abuse. I consider this to be Rudy’s greatest contribution to NYC – he made it clean and safe and friendly. It’s gone backwards without him.
Wise Golden on July 10, 2008 at 5:28 PM
What? Progressives disenfranchise the homeless by discouraging their participation in the political process? Hope and change, man, hope and change.
obladioblada on July 10, 2008 at 5:28 PM
This is where we go wrong. We look at the wrong qualifications for President. Not how “good” he is, or what a “good” speaker, but how effective is he. And Rudy was effective as a leader, and innovator.
Rudy
Mitt
Fred
McCain
all better then Obama, and all better leaders and innovators.
right2bright on July 10, 2008 at 5:38 PM
I discovered video of what the RNC is planning on doing for its convention. a 24 hour party
William Amos on July 10, 2008 at 5:43 PM
Have all panhandle in front of Invesco field!!!! Spare change?!
Cultural events? Perhaps they should all go to the opera. Can you imagine the sight of all those rich liberals dressed to the nines standing in line for a drink at intermission alongside all the homeless. Perhaps Mrs. Barry O will be proud of Denver for doing this
The hypocrisy of this idea is so thick I can cut it with my knife!
NOTE: TO ALL OF YOU OPERA LOVING CONSERVATIVES I AM NOT TRYING TO INSULT YOU…..JUST ROLL WITH THE IMAGE.
Bubba Redneck on July 10, 2008 at 6:06 PM
Ha ha. All the poor homeless that the Dems are trying to hide will be outside Invesco Hoping for some Change…
Wocka Wocka Wocka!
NTWR on July 10, 2008 at 6:17 PM
How many homeless people can fit under a democrat bus?
whitetop on July 10, 2008 at 6:54 PM
You know I’ve been following this story for a while now since I am a local. The fact is there is a great program in Denver called Step 13, which gives the homeless an honest, fresh start and has been very successful since inception, but the Democrats hate it because it’s independent operated without a nickel of tax money. Since the Dems who run Denver find homelessness as a great way to extract more tax money the people who live there, they see Step 13 as a threat to their tax-generating machine.
Planet Boulder on July 10, 2008 at 7:14 PM
Sorry, but its not longer a Bus… its Mass Transit…
Romeo13 on July 10, 2008 at 7:27 PM
I’ll buy the tickets and tokens for 25cents on the dollar.
- The Cat
MirCat on July 10, 2008 at 7:30 PM
Panhandling became illegal in Rochester NY a few years ago.
I never see any homeless people anymore. I think they all moved to Boston.
kooly on July 10, 2008 at 7:36 PM
LOL
Wow…was just listening to that song today on an old S&G album. Wild.
Great song BTW.
inviolet on July 10, 2008 at 8:51 PM
I would have thought the Dems would just blame Bush!
gxpgxp on July 10, 2008 at 9:23 PM
Yes, but they won’t pull in much more than normal since statistics show it’s Republicans who give more.
I don’t think it’s fair to send the homeless to the zoo. Won’t it make the homeless sad to see that the animals have homes and three squares a day.
Also, what exactly is the difference between sending the homeless to the zoo and letting them watch the convention? Besides that the animals are better behaved than the conventioners.
Mrs. Happy Housewife on July 10, 2008 at 11:03 PM
And I’m sure the zoo and the other tourist places will just love having the homeless harass the real tourists.
ROFL!
JimC on July 10, 2008 at 11:12 PM
Give the homeless spoons, tell them that inside every Democrat at the convention is a shiny silver dollar. Hilarity ensues.
Coronagold on July 10, 2008 at 11:36 PM
They’re just asking for um…Change!
ronsfi on July 11, 2008 at 12:24 AM
all those homeless people….I bet the DNC could use them as bar staff at the after-party.
Um, they do hold “Will Work For Food” signs.
I see vicious irony here…Barack complains about “failed policies of the past” but the DNC are probably the ones who asked the homeless be removed.
Black Adam on July 11, 2008 at 12:53 AM
Under the Overpass, On I-25
Where my baby and me can watch the green democratic proceed
Kini on July 11, 2008 at 2:12 AM
We should start up a fund to give inscentive for the Homeless to hang out at the convention.
I dunno…offer them free bottles of ripple if they manage to get our custom-made signs on television.
ynot4tony2 on July 11, 2008 at 8:12 AM
When I was a kid that technique was called the “bum’s rush.” Well, they’re still bums, so I guess they’ll be “rushed” out of town while all the elite gather.
abcurtis on July 11, 2008 at 8:23 AM
I’m pretty sure there is plenty of road repair/maintenance that can be done, or street cleanup, or something useful. In my younger days the sheriff would lock these bums up for vagrancy and put them to work in county roads. But the ACLU solved that problem.
abcurtis on July 11, 2008 at 8:56 AM
Having been in Denver quite a few times, the homeless on the 16th street mall are pretty friendly group.
How about the DNC paying for them to get showered up, new clothes, shaves and haircuts. Then they could parade them around and show what THEY were able to do for them. And then they could blame their plight on George Bush. Better yet, buy them HOUSES so they won’t be homeless with proceeds from all the money Obama has received!!
What if the bums have already been to the zoo. It would be better to set them up at a BUFFET so they can eat well for a few days.
And, if they are in the mall area, the partygoers from the DNC could give them all doggie bags from the restaurants and room service, or BETTER still, they could ORDER room service from the resturants and have them DELIVERED to the homeless!
Of course, the Dems won’t do this. They don’t have the experience. The News media believes there were never any homeless people during Clintons years….
originalpechanga on July 11, 2008 at 9:58 AM
What? No free beer…? The insensitivity of my adopted city knows no bounds.
CliffHanger on July 11, 2008 at 12:36 PM
Keep them busy? Is that how they think of these people…as easily distracted and that they need to be kept busy like children? No wonder they want to take them to the zoo.
Mind you, these are the same folks that said “do your own thing” all those years ago. Apparently, you can do your own thing, as long as we manage it.
*clap clap clap*
I remember in San Francisco I saw a homeless man sitting on a crate outside of Neiman Marcus. He had a sign that said “I need $100 for a hotel room and a hooker.” I wanted to give him the money just for his honesty.
MB007 on July 12, 2008 at 12:38 AM