Hobojacket:: Objectifying the homeless?

[Rudolph Quin]

http://sourcefednews.com/hobojacket-the-politically-incorrect-way-to-clothe-the-homeless/

Jin Pan, a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the brains behind a company known as HoboJacket. The site is a “competitive platform where you can donate your rival college’s jackets and shirts to the unfortunate because it’s terribly unfortunate that people actually went to that other college.”

The site is exceedingly simple, log in, pick the school you attended, locate your rival school and fill in the dollar amount you’d like to donate. You can also choose to donate anonymously if you so wish. Pan then takes the donation and uses it to purchase jackets at the assumed cost of $10 per piece.

Apparently people were up in arms about it because it "objectified" the homeless. Honestly, in my opinion, charity is charity and if emphasizing how pathetic and sad the homeless are isn't working to get people motivated to contribute, then you need to try something else to get donations. Creative ideas can get people excited to contribute. I mean, if we're not going to try and make the problem go away entirely, talking about the homeless as if they're part of the landscape and "nature".

What do you guys think about this?

 

[darkangel76]

I find it funny that people are up in arms about such an attempt when you have people blatantly panhandling claiming homeless all the time. Honestly, I'd rather people get up in arms about that instead since, not to be however, at least where I'm located, the panhandlers are rather rude and obnoxious and in your goddamned face. You have to make sure your windows are rolled up because they'll come to your window and ask you if you even accidentally make eye contact. =/ And this is with small kids in the car....... and what's worse, is a lot of these panhandlers pose as homeless, which is even more shameful. But anyway, I agree. Charity is charity. I don't see what this guy is doing as objectifying really. If you're going to call what he's doing as objectifying then you might as well claim that every charity out there does because you need to do something to advertise what you are doing to call people to your cause you feel passionate about. End of story. I honestly think people just like to bitch about things and that the reason people are even up in arms is because, well, they want a reason to bitch about something. It's sad that whenever people do things that are actually nice for someone there has to be someone out there with a stick up their ass who bitches. But, such is human nature.

 

[Rudolph Quin]

Wow, people posing as homeless? I've never even heard of that but I don't doubt that it happens, now that you mention it. I mean, I see someone on the streets, I'm not gonna ask for their ID and stuff before giving 'em a handout. It'd be a good con.

Yeah, I don't get the objectifying part either, but apparently the guy gave a huge apology and took the site down yesterday because of pressure. As if emphasizing any quality other than the fact that they're homeless and need help is somehow misusing them or taking advantage.

 

[darkangel76]

I find that horrible that he ended up taking it down merely due to pressure. And I bet you those who placed the pressure on the poor guy are reveling in what they've accomplished. Though sadly, all they've accomplished is a means to shut down something that someone had creatively figured out as a way to help out those in true need. It is beyond sad to me to hear this and those who helped in the shut down should feel badly for what they've done. Yeah, I can be a cold bitch when I want to be (my anger here as an example), but the placement of my anger is usually doled out in the 'right' places, if that makes any sense. Or, at least from my own point of view anyway.

 

[Ms_Muffintops]

Meh, at least they're getting coats.