Our House
Last night, thanks to Kevin aka "The Homeless Guy", I received a phone call from Steven at the Hallmark Channel about a movie they would be airing later this month on homelessness. They overnighted the movie to me and I have to admit, it was interesting. In the middle of the movie, I had to call them to let them know, this was so familiar to our life. In many ways I agree with Kevin about movies that try to capture the issues of homelessness, but, I disagree that this is a 'chick flick.' I liked this movie and requested more copies since we don't get the Hallmark Channel here in the Penninsula.
Other than the age of the character, the geographical aspect and the financial position, I could really relate to Doris Roberts character who took many homeless people into her plush home. I can't relate to the inexperience her character was going through. I truly enjoyed the trueness of the aspects of homelessness they depicted in the movie. All in all I think they did a good job capturing the reality of any person trying to solely help the homeless and the situations that can occur.
The one thing I wish they would have looked into, during the lawsuit, is adoption. Many people don't think about this in order to get around the law. Most states have a 3 unrelated person law in regards to housing. I thought and was going to start initiating an easy solution: adopt the homeless. Under the law, unless it states blood related, an adopted person is still considered 'related' to you. An adult is much easier to adopt and the procedure is very painless. I actually considered this when they tried to get me for having 24 homeless living with us.
But, I would have to say, if you are a member of Hunger/Homeless Taskforce, study the issue, or live in an area that gets Hallmark Channel, watch on the 25th. It is a job well done!
The following is Kevin's review:
Well, I did get to see this show after all. The Hallmark Channel people sent me a press kit, with a DVD of this made-for-Tv movie. "Our House" will air on the Hallmark Channel March 25th. (see previous post for links).
The most important thing for me with this kind of presentation of homelessness is that they get it right. All too often the homeless are either demonized or glorified. As long as the homeless are accurately portrayed, then I'm happy.
It is because of this, as my first concern, that I can ignore much of this Tv show, as it is full of formulaic Hollywood PC claptrap. Sure, it's a chick flick, but I could even overlook that, if it was a good chick flick - but it's not. As with all of this kind of fair, women are the heros, men are the villains, and someone is dying of some incurable disease. Even the women who appear to be villains at first eventually reveal themselves as not villains, or have a change of heart by the end of the story and become heroic. Then, the women as heros save all the marginalized citizens, overcoming the efforts of evil white men.
Ok, so much for the bad news - now on to what's good about this show. Except for some weak acting performances and a watered down script, the homeless are fairly well represented. Though not every aspect of homeless people is shown, what is shown is accurate. Most homeless people are goofy and difficult to deal with. Sometimes they become homeless because of their goofiness, but sometimes homelessness makes them that way. This is addressed in the show. Also what is shown is that the homeless are often reluctant to accept help when it comes their way. And, sometimes this refusal to accept help is taken to mean that the homeless want to be homeless. This is not true, and somewhat explained in the show as well. Often what happens is that a regular citizen decides to help the homeless, yet doesn't have the foggiest idea what they are getting into, and then bails out at the first sign of difficulty. Of course they only bail after showering the homeless with promises that are never fulfilled. And this leads to all sorts of problems of rejection for the homeless.
What I have always advocated, as the best means of helping the homeless, is for people to get personally involved. And this, of course, means staying committed to the cause, regardless of the hardships. In the story "Our House" the hero woman becomes personally involved in the lives of the homeless. Though her motivation is less than altruistic, she finds reward in that the relationships she develops with the homeless are as beneficial to her as they are to the homeless. She finds herself lonely and living without purpose in her life. Taking care of some homeless people, by opening her home to them, assuages her lonliness and gives her a purpose for living - (even though she is dying of an incurable disease).
What the movie gets right:
If you let homeless people into your house, some of them will steal from you, some of them will do drugs in your house, some of them will be wanted fugitives (although their offenses will usually be petty crimes, like failing to appear in court on a shoplifting charge).
If you let homeless people into your house, they will test your patience - they will behave in ways not usually accepted in "normal" society. Many homeless people, who have slept outside for some period, will opt for sleeping on the floor, even though a nice comfortable bed is available to them. Some will feel just as at home urinating up against the outside of your house as within a bathroom toilet. And all of them will go through an uncomfortable period of learning to trust you.
If you let homeless people into your house, so to help rehabilitate them, you will need professional assistance from people who have already dealt with the homeless.
Most of all, if you let homeless people into your house, you will most likely have to change your priorities, whereby the welfare of people, especially homeless people, becomes your number one priority. Getting involved in the lives of homeless people, and attempting to change their lives for the better, is not an easy thing. But it is a very rewarding thing. And you can be very successful at it, if you are willing to do what it takes, and not give up.
So many people scratch their heads in confusion - wondering what could end homelessness. But the cure to homelessness is no mystery. Every one of us has known how to end homelessness. The real mystery is why most every person is reluctant to do anything about it.
"How can to stand having homeless people living in your home?" he asked.
"Well, if they're living in my home, then they're no longer homeless, are they." she replied.
Last night, thanks to Kevin aka "The Homeless Guy", I received a phone call from Steven at the Hallmark Channel about a movie they would be airing later this month on homelessness. They overnighted the movie to me and I have to admit, it was interesting. In the middle of the movie, I had to call them to let them know, this was so familiar to our life. In many ways I agree with Kevin about movies that try to capture the issues of homelessness, but, I disagree that this is a 'chick flick.' I liked this movie and requested more copies since we don't get the Hallmark Channel here in the Penninsula.
Other than the age of the character, the geographical aspect and the financial position, I could really relate to Doris Roberts character who took many homeless people into her plush home. I can't relate to the inexperience her character was going through. I truly enjoyed the trueness of the aspects of homelessness they depicted in the movie. All in all I think they did a good job capturing the reality of any person trying to solely help the homeless and the situations that can occur.
The one thing I wish they would have looked into, during the lawsuit, is adoption. Many people don't think about this in order to get around the law. Most states have a 3 unrelated person law in regards to housing. I thought and was going to start initiating an easy solution: adopt the homeless. Under the law, unless it states blood related, an adopted person is still considered 'related' to you. An adult is much easier to adopt and the procedure is very painless. I actually considered this when they tried to get me for having 24 homeless living with us.
But, I would have to say, if you are a member of Hunger/Homeless Taskforce, study the issue, or live in an area that gets Hallmark Channel, watch on the 25th. It is a job well done!
The following is Kevin's review:
Well, I did get to see this show after all. The Hallmark Channel people sent me a press kit, with a DVD of this made-for-Tv movie. "Our House" will air on the Hallmark Channel March 25th. (see previous post for links).
The most important thing for me with this kind of presentation of homelessness is that they get it right. All too often the homeless are either demonized or glorified. As long as the homeless are accurately portrayed, then I'm happy.
It is because of this, as my first concern, that I can ignore much of this Tv show, as it is full of formulaic Hollywood PC claptrap. Sure, it's a chick flick, but I could even overlook that, if it was a good chick flick - but it's not. As with all of this kind of fair, women are the heros, men are the villains, and someone is dying of some incurable disease. Even the women who appear to be villains at first eventually reveal themselves as not villains, or have a change of heart by the end of the story and become heroic. Then, the women as heros save all the marginalized citizens, overcoming the efforts of evil white men.
Ok, so much for the bad news - now on to what's good about this show. Except for some weak acting performances and a watered down script, the homeless are fairly well represented. Though not every aspect of homeless people is shown, what is shown is accurate. Most homeless people are goofy and difficult to deal with. Sometimes they become homeless because of their goofiness, but sometimes homelessness makes them that way. This is addressed in the show. Also what is shown is that the homeless are often reluctant to accept help when it comes their way. And, sometimes this refusal to accept help is taken to mean that the homeless want to be homeless. This is not true, and somewhat explained in the show as well. Often what happens is that a regular citizen decides to help the homeless, yet doesn't have the foggiest idea what they are getting into, and then bails out at the first sign of difficulty. Of course they only bail after showering the homeless with promises that are never fulfilled. And this leads to all sorts of problems of rejection for the homeless.
What I have always advocated, as the best means of helping the homeless, is for people to get personally involved. And this, of course, means staying committed to the cause, regardless of the hardships. In the story "Our House" the hero woman becomes personally involved in the lives of the homeless. Though her motivation is less than altruistic, she finds reward in that the relationships she develops with the homeless are as beneficial to her as they are to the homeless. She finds herself lonely and living without purpose in her life. Taking care of some homeless people, by opening her home to them, assuages her lonliness and gives her a purpose for living - (even though she is dying of an incurable disease).
What the movie gets right:
If you let homeless people into your house, some of them will steal from you, some of them will do drugs in your house, some of them will be wanted fugitives (although their offenses will usually be petty crimes, like failing to appear in court on a shoplifting charge).
If you let homeless people into your house, they will test your patience - they will behave in ways not usually accepted in "normal" society. Many homeless people, who have slept outside for some period, will opt for sleeping on the floor, even though a nice comfortable bed is available to them. Some will feel just as at home urinating up against the outside of your house as within a bathroom toilet. And all of them will go through an uncomfortable period of learning to trust you.
If you let homeless people into your house, so to help rehabilitate them, you will need professional assistance from people who have already dealt with the homeless.
Most of all, if you let homeless people into your house, you will most likely have to change your priorities, whereby the welfare of people, especially homeless people, becomes your number one priority. Getting involved in the lives of homeless people, and attempting to change their lives for the better, is not an easy thing. But it is a very rewarding thing. And you can be very successful at it, if you are willing to do what it takes, and not give up.
So many people scratch their heads in confusion - wondering what could end homelessness. But the cure to homelessness is no mystery. Every one of us has known how to end homelessness. The real mystery is why most every person is reluctant to do anything about it.
"How can to stand having homeless people living in your home?" he asked.
"Well, if they're living in my home, then they're no longer homeless, are they." she replied.
posted by Patti @ 7:15 PM
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