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Denver to Hide Homeless During DNC Gathering?

When Barack Obama and thousands of other Democratic party bigwigs descend upon Denver next month for their convention, a key constituency might be missing -- the city's homeless population.

The Rocky Mountain News has the report:

Hundreds of Denver's homeless could be cooling their heels in a movie theater or museum while the Democratic National Convention is in town next month.


The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless plans to get 500 movie tickets as well as passes to the Denver Zoo, Denver Museum of Nature and Science and other cultural facilities for the people it helps.

Bus tickets will be provided for events beyond walking distance, said John Parvensky, the non-profit's president.

Many day shelters will have expanded hours during the convention, and big screen TVs are being donated to some shelters so patrons can watch convention goings-on without being caught up in the mayhem.

... But not everyone buys it.

"It just sounds like another way to get rid of them," said Kayne Coy, 17, who volunteers feeding the homeless twice a week at Civic Center Park through the Food Not Bombs organization.

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That's great. Perhaps the mentally ill among the population would enjoy if the city handed out Sudoku booklets for the DNC convention.

Sent by Jarrett | 2:09 PM ET | 07-22-2008

If obama is so real and so "it". he shouldn't allow this to happen.

Hypocrisy of our Democracy

Sent by Jason | 10:56 PM ET | 07-22-2008

A poor response to a real and growing issue. It isn't just the DNC Convention, if you look at superbowl events and large scale community spectacles the approach is often to hide the true issues at hand. A better approach would be to mobilize our proud liberal citizens and move them to actions that might help bring awareness in the short term, establish alternate solutions, and ensure a more palatable approach for the longterm. With so many tremendous non-profit agencies addressing affordable housing and homelessness with dignity, wrap-around services, and innovation - why stoop to this level?

Sent by Aimee Laramore | 2:19 PM ET | 07-31-2008



   
   
   
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