Homeless, Hungry and Hurting Photo Gallery by n at pbase.com

Homeless, Hungry and Hurting

Why don't we do more in the US to help those who cannot help themselves? Vote for this gallery to give these photos, and this problem, wider circulation.

Some people believe that photography of persons suffering is exploitive. Here is a general response to that kind of criticism by Mr. Natchway, a prominent war correspondent. Mr Natchway's images evoke a sympathy that distinguishes his work from many of his colleagues. He acknowledges that recording grief, injury, death and distress is potentially a form of exploitation, but he makes it clear that the alternative -- allowing man-made misery to remain invisible beyond the reach of those whose consciences should be shocked by it -- is worse. (from FILM REVIEW; Witnessing the Witness: Looking Over a Shoulder at War's Deprivation By A. O. SCOTT, NY TIMES, June 19, 2002.)

Tell me off.jpg	Barbie.jpg	Shalom.jpg	Balance Budget on backs of the poor.jpg
Eight Hundred Thousand.jpg	Ice Bad Pillow.jpg	Deadly Fire.jpg	Shirley and Cephus.jpg

comment |

sarabeth		28-Mar-2008 17:06
i think it is so sick to see people who suffer everyday when our society is so spoiled

j-man		07-Jan-2008 21:34
i think that this is sick and that everyone could do something to help these poor peoplein there time of need

geonni banner		23-Jan-2007 02:50
wait... isn't this supposed to be a space for comments on phtography? I don't think you should have to defend your choice of subject. Homeless people, flowers, birds, water droplets - it's all photography. These aren't bad - technically, artistically, morally. Keep shooting.

Monte Dodge		19-Jan-2007 07:45
voted,, very good gallery here!!

Guest		19-Oct-2005 05:17
These people are either professional pandhandlers or persons who simply forgot to take their regular medicine. Personally, I'd rather see photos of pleasant things. If you want to do an expose then go to where people are really desparate such is in the hillsides of Pakistan devistated by quakes. Regarding the other comments. We need universal health care because right now the lower working class is being stuffed. We need a good military because quite frankly there are too many bad apples in the world. With regard to religion... think about it for a moment. If you were all knowing, all powerful and all kind would you allow mass suffering, accidents, sickenss and evil??? Would you really find it necessary to "test" the free will of admittedly weak minded mortals?? Of course not silly!!.

ray karaman		17-Aug-2005 03:57
Does it get any more shameless? Take your new toy to the zoo...leave these people alone..

n		03-Aug-2005 01:12
Been-there-done-that, One party in the US controls Congress, the Senate, and the presidency. Soon, you can add the Supreme Court to that list. Poverty in the US is increasing as is the number of persons without access to health care. You are right -- policies are not working and we need some new ideas. We agree. n

Been there-Done that		02-Aug-2005 22:53
"To Been-there, done that: You didn't have to say that you are not a Christian."...YES, I DID have to say that, as liberals continually bash Christians from "Red States" as hypocrites who don't live up to their "values". "Christians show compassion for the poor and are willing to do everything within their means to help them."...Funny, listening to liberals one would think Christians were the root of problems in this country....hence the moniker "Right-Wing Christian" as a label of hatred. "You also said that trillions have been spent on "the war on poverty" and you note that poverty still exists. You cite that expenditure as evidence that the approach is wrong."....I cite that as an example of an approch that has not worked to reduce poverty....It's time to look at the root causes, and not just the symptoms of poverty. Throwing more money at the symptoms is not going to get rid of the causes. They go much deeper than not having a hot meal, or a dry and warm place to sleep. "Could the same thing be said for the tax money spent on the military? ....and the US still finds itself fighting wars in foreign lands."...No. 1)Since 1898 the US has ALWAYS found itself "fighting wars in foreign lands". Why? Because that is where the fighting has been...in 1917, 1941, 1950, 1961 (Berlin Crisis) We have two huge oceans bordering us, and two non-hostile neighbors next to us. And until Sept. 11, 2001 we have never had an attack on the continental U.S. since 1812. It will always be "foreign lands". Nothing sinister. Simply geography. 2) WHAT HAVE WE GAINED BY SPENDING MILLIONS ON THE MILITARY? We defeated Nazi Gemany and Imperial Japan and turned both into pluralistic democracies. We successfully defended South Korea and allowed it to develop into a pluralistic, thriving democracy. We have avoided a nuclear war with the USSR through deterent military power. Study the Cuban Missile Crisis. JFK made it obvious to the communists the USSR would not "win" a nuclear exchange. We won the Cold War by forcing the Soviet Union to realize it could not keep up, and it had to change. It couldn't, and instead it imploded and the remaining republics are struggling to develop into open democratic societies, with varying success but they would not have the chance had we not produced the situation via military strength. ** We got rid of a hideous dictatorship in Iraq, one which openly used poison gas on the Iranians, and its own people; which thumbed its nose at the U.N. inspectors (UNSCOM - read Scott Ritter's book "Endgame"); which bypassed the economic sanctions while starving its own people; which while we now know did not have the WMD capabilities (which even Howard Dean said they did before the war) the regime of Saddam Hussein would have no doubt reconstituted that capability if sanctions were lifted as many liberals wanted. Couple that regime with the REAL threat from al-queda, and the U.S. military spending instead of being non-productive, eliminated that regime, and has allowed the first free elections in Iraq, the first pluralistic parliament, and soon, the first constitution written by the people of that country. We and the Iraqis will succeed agianst the terrorists there...thanks to that "military spending". 3)"...the tax money spent on the military? Much more has been spent than on poverty,..." Really? Look at the TOTAL amount spent on both the military Spending on the "War on Poverty"... * We still have homelessness * We still have children living in poverty * We still have children under immunized * We still have inadequate education * We still have broken homes * We still have drug addicts, criminals, etc., etc., etc. Where is the accomplishments? I am talking over the last 45 years, not just under Bush, Reagan, Nixon. Clinton, Carter, Johnson and Kennedy were there too. Why has it not worked. If it hasn't produced results, it's time for a new strategy. No one is saying "let 'em starve"; People are beginning to say its time for another approach. I was almost homeless once. I know. It wasn't a handout that saved me...it was me. Sorry to take up so much space, but I felt it needed to be said. No more from me.

n		24-Jul-2005 23:28
To Been-there, done that: You didn't have to say that you are not a Christian. Christians show compassion for the poor and are willing to do everything within their means to help them. You also said that trillions have been spent on "the war on poverty" and you note that poverty still exists. You cite that expenditure as evidence that the approach is wrong. Could the same thing be said for the tax money spent on the military? Much more has been spent than on poverty, and the US still finds itself fighting wars in foreign lands. n

Been-There, Done-That		17-Jul-2005 05:50
P.S.....before anyone brands me a "right-wing Christian", FYI....I am an atheist. (got that way from reading the Bible and thinking about what I had read).

Been-There, Done-That		17-Jul-2005 05:44
n-- We have spent TRILLIONS in this country on the "War on Poverty" over the last 40 years...and guess what? We STILL have poverty. Did you know that over 66% of our federal budget is spent on "entitlement" programs?...Social Security, Medicare, Medicare, AFDC, etc., etc., etc. How many times have we raised the minimum wage? It was something like $1 an hour when I was a kid, and it's not $5.15 nationally, and over $6 in some states (including NY)...and we STILL have poverty, homelessness, etc. Why? Because it is the decisions people make that put them in poverty. OK, children in poverty, sure, they can't be blamed. But their stupid, breed like rabbits parents who had kids at 15, 16, 17 years of age, etc. who are to blame. BTW, 17% may live in "poverty" but that does not equate to "homelessness". I teach a lot of kids who live in poverty who have a home. They are on the free breakfast and free lunch program at school. As for comparing the U.S. with Mexico, you must not be very familiar with it. If the US is so bad, why are people streaming north into the U.S.(and my classroom)? Because there is little opportunity in Mexico to better your life, as these immigrants know there is here. They have little sympathy for the "homeless" you picture here. At least the ones I know have little. As for the people with mental disabilities who "can't" get the help they need, we used to commit them to institutions where they would be fed, housed, and treated and off the streets. But no, (well-intentioned) liberal lawsuits said we as a society we depriving them of their "freedom" and so the courts have made it increasingly difficult to compulsorily treat someone for a mental disorder. "It isn't illegal to be crazy in this country", hence we have the large number of mentally ill people among the "homeless". Sure people want to help the homeless. No one wants them to starve. But if they don't care enough about themselves to take advantage of the help CURRENTLY being offered, then let them enjoy their FREEDOM to live as they have chosen, even if it is not a path WE would have chosen FOR them

n		24-Apr-2005 15:08
Zeiler -- did you know that a large proportion of the homless is comprised of families and some of the parents (or single parents) in these familes work full time? Would it be asking too much for a minimum wage that can enable a person to live with dignity? Or how about mental healthcare and aid for persons who have problems that disable them? The Iraq war will likely produce a new generation of persons with mental disabilities so we can expect the problem to get worse before it gets better. You want to find blame for homeless persons who made bad decisions; I want to find help for the richest nation in the world's weakest members which includes 17% of its children. Yes, 17% of US children live below the poverty line. For nearly 1 out of 5, they must be losers. Right, Zeiler? n

Guest		23-Apr-2005 04:52
Hey, just for a little balance how about you get some photos of these people making really stupid life decisions, like getting into drugs and alcohol at a young age, dropping out of high school, and so on. Or do you just like posting the aftermath of people's bad choices and blaming the rich for not bailing them out repeatedly?

Guest		04-Nov-2004 15:02
Sorry, n. In my previous comment, the url's are not properly working. I suppose you need a new browser window and copy - paste the url's manualy... Rog

Guest		04-Nov-2004 14:57
In this world every 7 seconds, a child dies because of hunger and misery. N, please visit "The art of being in danger" :http://www.pbase.com/rvbulck/nobody. Andhttp://www.caracara.org/radar. Use the force, man. THX for your important gallery. Rog.

n		30-Oct-2004 00:29
Guest wrote: Who doesn't see messed up people on the streets every single day? I believe that a lot of people live in their suburban enclaves and don't know about large number of poor in America. Nearly 1 in 5 children in the US live in poverty; that rate is just a tad lower than Mexico's, a much poorer country. The problem is not just limited to the cities, either. A majority of poor persons in the US are white citizens and many of them live in rural areas.

Guest		30-Oct-2004 00:08
point taken, good for you if you're active in helping homeless people. That's more than i can say but i still can't help feeling that the images are exploitative. I guess if someone hasn't ever seen a homeless person and sees your images, it may help motivate them to do something but who doesn't see messed up people on the streets every single day? And i don't think that that tracy parnell chick's solution 'but there's programs for them' is any sort of a viable solution either. If these people knew or were able to help themselves, the wouldn't be on the street in the first place. 'Let them eat cake'.

Hugh O'Malley		29-Oct-2004 23:49
exactly who is free in iraq?

Guest		13-Oct-2004 05:52
So many ignorant comments from people that just love to spout their views. Stick to talking about the fantasy worlds you live in and not the real world the rest of us deal with everyday. I blame you people for this!

Guest		09-Oct-2004 03:49
The want ads are full of suitable (for these folks, anyway) entry-level jobs that require no special skills. Get some more skills, and there are better jobs waiting for you. No one is goint to just walk up to a person on the street and offer them a job out of the blue, at least nothing other than a temp day laborer (i.e. manual labor). Get off your butt, head over to Wally World, and fill out an app.

n		27-Sep-2004 02:33
A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, 1967

n		26-Sep-2004 23:29
"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in a final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed--those who are cold and not clothed." Guess who made this quote? n

Guest		16-Sep-2004 04:45
I understand that it's very hard for homeless/jobless people to pull themselves out of a downward spiral, but blaming Bush and other Republicans is absolutely ridiculous. Making people into scapegoats is the strategy of the weak-minded. I personally blame myself for not volunteering or donating as much as I probably could. But I have myself and my family to watch out for, and their well-being comes first, no offense.

Guest		15-Sep-2004 22:36
These people should get a job, just like I did when I turned 18. No one person ever handed me anything, I worked for everything that I have and I worked hard!!! I would bet that the reason most people are homeless is that they are lazy and given a real opportunity they still wouldn't work. Every single person in the U.S. could get a job if they would actually look for one and not beg for one on a street corner. However, I wouldn't hire these people...why? Because they are lazy, and they would probably rather steal from me than work for me!

Guest		15-Sep-2004 15:26
Awww, c'mon, we need piss bums in this country. If it weren't for piss bums, 80% of all sensitive leftist photographers would lack for subjects for their masturbatory shows at small, angry, irrelevant socialist galleries. Piss bums are cool, yo!

Guest		14-Sep-2004 02:42
Hey n "Get yourself over" (TM) to: http://photoartpros.com/forums/index.php? For a good debate site! :)

Guest		14-Sep-2004 02:41
Dan Take some time to cool off and come back later.

Guest		14-Sep-2004 02:11
Tracy, I appreciate your efforts, but the little fool Don Northrup keeps deleting my posts, so I'm no longer interested in participating on his silly girly man site.

Guest		13-Sep-2004 20:10
n, Great gallery, thank you for raising our consciousness to this outrageous issue. With all the wealth this nation has, why does homelessness and poverty persist? I suspect it has to do with the greedy policy-makers we have elected. They tout themselves as "Christian" while they horde money and do nothing for these, the least of our brothers. Good work!

Guest		13-Sep-2004 19:46
http://kerry-04.org/

n		13-Sep-2004 13:53
To Guest (previous message): what is more frightening is that these are the ones who know how to write.

Guest		13-Sep-2004 04:44
Are these messages representative of the level at which Americans are able to debate an issue ? Frightening !By the way, all your photographs are wonderful. A Northern neighbour.( Or neighbor, south of the border ).

Its Me		13-Sep-2004 04:00
As a migrant to America and haven’t seen a Native American in 3 years. I once asked a friend what happened to all the Native Americans and he summed it up to me with one statement: “The Strong Survive!” after about 3 years my friend later suffered from a terrible mental breakdown and had to be institutionalized for a few weeks.

George McCarten		11-Sep-2004 09:32
The underside of raw, in-your-face capitalism.

Fronchy le Fronch		10-Sep-2004 21:41
I agree, mon amis. I sink your kontree should pay ze peepell to drink ze cheap wine and lay around making ze toilette in zere pants. Zis would be un idea magnifique!!!

Guest		10-Sep-2004 20:46
Tracy, I wouldn't know, because he banned me, and I can't see what's written there. I don't think either one of you are bad, just both unread and in Don's case, with a lower than average IQ.

dell dude		10-Sep-2004 20:02
get a job already and stop asking for a handout.

Guest		10-Sep-2004 18:38
Dan I answered your question at Don's board. So I guess Don is "bad" now too huh?

Guest		10-Sep-2004 18:22
Just so the rest of you know, if you start winning a debate on don northrup's girly man site, he gets his panties in a twist and bans you. What a wussy. I can't believe he goes around making comments all over the net, then he bans people from making comments on his own site. Typical integrity of a Bush supporter I guess. Anyway, to the artist, great pictures, and sorry for hijacking the comment area. Best Dan

Guest		10-Sep-2004 17:34
I just tried to ask those two questions on that forum you recommened under a thread that asked whether or not we should have invaded Iraq because of the mass graves. He deleted my post which contained only those two questions. Another problem with emotionally unstable people is that when given power, they abuse it due to insecurity. So how can you debate someone who just deletes posts that he doesn't like or can't answer?

Guest		10-Sep-2004 17:30
I try, but you delete my posts, and Don isn't bright enough to debate. I keep asking him two questions, the first "Are we obligated as Americans to invade countries who's leaders are bad" and two, "If so, then at what point?" But he can't answer, since emotionally unstable people can't think in terms of consistancy.

Guest		10-Sep-2004 14:47
Dan I will be happy to debate you at my site or Don's new site.

Guest		10-Sep-2004 01:09
Well, I'm also a social conservative, but I agree that wasting untold billions in a snake pit like the Mideast means less money at home. Duh. As far as that capon Tracy Parnel, whenever I debate him and ask him specific questions, he deletes me on that forum of his. At least Don Northrup has integrity, and will continue to the point that we agree to disagree, but Tracy is, like so many Shrub supporters, unread. Hey Tracy, what was the religion of the Ba'athist party founder? I said he was a Christian and you just shrugged it off and said I hung around left wing web sites. Now you are accusing others of falling before your debating skills, so I'm calling you out. Tell me what you mean about me hanging around left wing websites. Show me how I'm wrong, or everyone here who is tired of you bragging will see you as I do, a stupid and easily led useful idiot.

Guest		09-Sep-2004 22:45
New gallery for political debate: http://fixthingsnow.com/politics/index.php?

Guest		09-Sep-2004 17:24
Guest People are responsible to feed themselves. This is a capitalist economy, that's the way it works. If they can't work they can go on disability. Thre are programs to help people who are down and out get back on their feet. If you want to debate head over to my gallery.

Guest		09-Sep-2004 16:05
And where is Don Northup now ? Is he proud of this "America" ? They spend 400 billion a year for their miserable armed forces but they can't even feed their people... Good luck, Don...

Guest		09-Sep-2004 04:00
PSSD Off I have been getting messages from mostly unknown people asking me to stop posting since they can't refute me. So I am posting much less often now at galleries other than my own, which should make you happy. At least "n" has stopped by my galleries and debated and he does a good job. Now I have a question for you: Now, Why don’t you "get yourself over to my gallery" (TM) and debate! http://www.pbase.com/wtracyparnell/bush04

n		09-Sep-2004 02:59
I don't agree with much of what he writes, but I at least know who he is.

Guest		09-Sep-2004 02:56
This W. Tracy Parnell really annoys me to no end with it's spamming of pbase. Anyone else feel like this or is it just me?

Guest		08-Sep-2004 19:25
John Davies The facts are not always easy to face but there are many people who are homeless for a definable reason such as drug abuse, alcohol abuse, mental illness and so on. I don't think it is "ignorant" to recognize this fact. All of this business about homeless people always turns up when it can be used against the republicians. And as I say, there are programs and charities to help people. Now, Why don’t you "get yourself over to my gallery" (TM) and debate! http://www.pbase.com/wtracyparnell/bush04

Guest		08-Sep-2004 17:57
If these images grab your attention, take a look at the information on the website set up by the National Coalition for the Homeless -- http://www.nationalhomeless.org/causes.html "In every state, more than the minimum wage is required to afford a one or two-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent." "Approximately 22% of the single adult homeless population suffers from some form of severe and persistent mental illness (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2001)."

Stacy		08-Sep-2004 15:58
I once saw a homeless man holding a sign that said "What about Bob?". If I hadn't been in the car, on my way somewhere, I would have given him money just for the creativity! Stacy >^.,.^<

M Des		08-Sep-2004 15:42
Couldn't agree more with John Davies. It's sad to see the political mudslingers bring over their dirt to a really thought provoking gallery.

John Davies		08-Sep-2004 15:22
To Tracy Parnell. I can't think of a more ignorant comment for this gallery then the one you have given us below.

Guest		08-Sep-2004 13:44
hey thanx for doing this. That first photo just made me stop straight and think. Im gonna download and put it on my desktop just to remind myself how lucky iam and that i should do more. Seriously made me cry.

Guest		08-Sep-2004 05:46
Tim We are in deep doodoo. Kerry sucks he has no solutions and is stuck in the 1960s with the vietnam stuff, I really could care less what he did with the gooks in the 60's Then we have bush, I think the dumbest president ever elected in the history of the US. Dumber than even Hoover for gods sake.

Guest		08-Sep-2004 05:43
We cannot help them because we are busy rebuilding Iraq with our taxdollars. Bush sucks, The last thing I want is my Tax dollars building roads,schools,hospitals for a bunch of Arabs who hate us.

Guest		08-Sep-2004 03:49
I would estimate that over half the people on the streets choose to be there. They are either drunks or drug addicts. In any case, there are all kind of programs and charities to help them. If you would like to debate 2004 election issues go to: http://www.pbase.com/wtracyparnell/bush04

Tim		07-Sep-2004 23:11
Do you know what is bull shit Mr. O'Malley? That we are the richest country in the world and still have so muny homeless and unemployed and that we're led by politicians who, instead of coming up with solutions or programs, can only come up with slogans like "we're turning the corner," "the economy is strong and getting stronger," and "John Kerry is an idiot." Americans MUST vote for an administration that cares about ALL Americans. Vote for John Kerry and John Edwards in November. That's if you really care Mr. O'Malley.

Guest		07-Sep-2004 22:59
http://www.agendaforamerica.com

Guest		07-Sep-2004 17:33
Some great shots here...You really captured something with the signs I think. Check out my gallery on the HOMELESS . I want to shoot more.

EMangl		07-Sep-2004 11:44
posting those photos is a way to help/care: make sheeps see what's really going on outside of their barn

n		06-Sep-2004 16:03
Mr O'Malley --- how do you know what I do in addition to posting these photos to support the poor? Are you a caring person or just a complainer who offers criticism? I have been working with the poor for several years, and with the magnitude of the problem, I feel like I am spitting into the ocean in an attempt to increase its volume. Is the problem so obvious that everyone in the world knows that 17% of US children live below the poverty line? That's nearly one in five children in what is touted as the wealthiest nation in the world. An even larger percentage do not have health insurance. The 100+ cable channels on my TV do not focus on this issue. Screaming about this issue from the sidewalk in front of my house doesn't help. Volunteering by itself doesn't help. The problem is so large that the nation needs to make it a priority. May I give some suggestions to those who want to help: 1) give to your local charities 2) volunteer at soup kitchens and at other events for the poor 3) vote for candidates who make this an issue in their campaign (rather than ones who support tax rebates for billionaires). Local candidates are important for solving these matters given the reduction in federal funding the last few years in the U.S. I, and I am sure many others, would be willing to devote more tax money to this problem. Right now, too many persons have their selfish interests in mind when it comes to taxes. If my photos can make people more aware of these problems, they have served their purpose. And, you are evidence, that they reach more persons than screaming from the steps in front of my house.

Guest		06-Sep-2004 15:10
absolute bullshit. you're not really doing anything except exploiting people for your own publicity. everyone knows that there's 100's and 100's of homeless people out there. Taking photos of them does nothing for them... do something constructive if you have to. Just don't insist that you're helping them by doing this. Fraud!

Marisa Livet		06-Sep-2004 11:14
A very meanigful report, a good way to make all of us think over deeply about certain problems we'd prefer to skip... But I deeply like also the choice of subjects and a some nearly surrealistic paradoxes you were able to capture so well. All what I can do now is giving my vote to this gallery. Thank you Marisa

Russ Wright		06-Sep-2004 04:10
Wow, powerful images. You've done a wonderful job of putting a face on an ignored problem.

Jill		03-Sep-2004 15:17
Emotionally evoking-gets my vote.

Guest		14-Jun-2004 10:17
It's painful shame americans would ignore this gallery. But honestly, this is about the only time I read a homeless person's sign and actually looked at this person's face. It makes me wonder why in the world is there Iraqi freedom when we are having a war of its own. Shame on Bush.

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