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