Great Falls Candidate’s Idea Is Really Just Mean

I have to talk about this. There is a city commission candidate in Great Falls that said we should turn our homeless population into a tourist attraction.

(CLEARLY the above pic is AI)

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Homeless Island, Great Falls, The Tourist Attraction

The idea was to have a Homeless Island here in Great Falls where homeless people could live in shelters sponsored by local businesses with some kind of billboard or banner indicating their sponsorship on the outside.

He went on to say that we could have homeless people selling their wares to tourists year round.

For the love of dignity, where do I even start with this?

• Pete Anderson, Candidate for Great Falls City Commission, said he got the idea from Poor Farms back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Anderson also said, "“I think that there’s a completely untapped opportunity with, I guess, making the homeless issue into a homeless profit. And there is a tourist attraction just waiting to happen.”--Montana Free Press
• When interviewed by Montana Free Press, he said he thought it was a hairbrained idea (yep) and that he was trying to make a homeless neighborhood self-sustaining

What Is A Poor Farm?

From Merriam Webster: "a farm maintained at public expense for the support and employment of needy persons"

An example of Poor Farms from Oregon Public Broadcasting:

"For decades, relief institutions known as “poor farms” operated throughout the state. They provided food, shelter, medical care and sometimes burial services. The treatment of residents varied widely, with some poor farms providing refuge for those in need while others operated more like prisons."

Of Poor Farms or the Poor House, The History Channel says, "Poor Houses were designed to punish people for their poverty"

Advertising On Tiny Homes In Great Falls?

As gross as monetizing someone's predicament is, I think this is half way okay if it provides housing for people are desperate for shelter. On a scale of 1 being a decent idea to start a conversation and Homeless Island being the worst idea ever (11), I give it a 4.

We do need to help house and transition people out of homelessness in Great Falls, like the Baatz Apartments. What a great start.

Maybe this advertising is a viable option, WITHOUT giving Homeless Island tours.

How Did Great Falls Get So Mean?

I don't mean Republican party to Democratic party, I mean in general. How come someone feels okay about monetizing a hopeless situation for someone? Exploitation for any reason is wrong, but this is super wrong.

And saying, "I have a friend that's homeless", or "I once hung out with a homeless person regularly" is kind of like some other sayings about race. Just because you know them doesn't mean you know their plight, and it doesn't make you a good person. It's gross you'd say that to make yourself look better.

Why are we so nice to people who only say and do mean things to other humans? Is that REALLY who we want to be? Why are we voting them into office?

The time to vote is here. Help make Great Falls what you'd like it to be for everyone who loves our tiny little river town.

Sources: Montana Free Press, Independent Record