Saviors they are Not
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC
Saviors they are Not
PIVOT or PIMP IT? Troubling, it appears the latter as PIVOT which purports to assist the marginalized and poor in Vancouver's Oldtown district has now embarked on a disgusting campaign of offering reward for someone to write an academic essay on best practical solutions to homelessness.
This is no different than putting out a booty call and offering reward for someone to write an academic essay on practical solutions to prostitution. Or sending out a cattle call for someone to write an academic paper on practical solutions to rising poverty among First nation citizens. Or what next, are we going to offer reward money for someone academically inclined to write about practical solutions to Native Child Apprehension issues?
PIVOT's initiating a financial contest by engaging in a stupid publicity stunt will backfire on them. Starting a contest at the expense of lower income citizens in actual fact, demeans humanity and is exploitation of the poor.
Commodifying serious issues such as poverty and making them into contests, demonstrates a clueless and classless attitude .
As quickly as PIVOT rode into the Oldtown area billing itself as saviors of the poor and downtrodden, their more recent actions will ensure residents speak out as we want no condescending saviors to lead us to the judgement halls.
Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com
posted by Jamie Lee Hamilton @ 8:41 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
It would be impossible to do an essay solving the housing problems by April 30, 2007.
unfortunately, money makes the world go 'round, and is a requirement for solving social problems. Its not just coincidence that the terms 'poor' and 'marginalized' are used together so frequently.
Offering money to solicit solutions to reduce costs in the future is actually an economically sound tactic.
how is this any different than your friend Sam Sullivan paying over 300000 to Ken Dobell for a report that basically says the solution to homelessness is more money for housing.
Maybe that 300000 should have gone for housing. Where's the outrage Jamie?
Bertram J.
J Bertram,
Its up to the electorate to decide if what the Mayor did was wrong and that will come at election time and during the public hearings, the public will also have an opportunity to express our viewpoints and concerns.
However, the public does not have an opportunity to decide whether what PIVOT did was wrong since PIVOT can do what it wants as a private group and they have.
But to use a financial contest to entice responses which PIVOT will ultimately decide who is the winner seems really insensitive to the plight of the poor and marginalized.
As a writer and activist, I expressed my opinion on PIVOT and I'm entitled to do that. Just as you are entitled to your opinion.
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