America's homeless resort to tent cities

ginock · 02-13-2012 @ 01:47 PM / 2 replies / 142 views

Panorama's Hilary Andersson comes face to face with the reality of poverty in America and finds that, for some, the last resort has become life in a tented encampment.

Just off the side of a motorway on the fringes of the picturesque town of Ann Arbor, Michigan, a mismatched collection of 30 tents tucked in the woods has become home - home to those who are either unemployed, or whose wages are so low that they can no longer afford to pay rent.

I don't claim to know everything that is currently happening in America from a political or economic perspective, I don't know how bad it is, I don't know what the average American makes in terms of a annual salary but this has made really upset me, seeing these children who are just trying to grow up in the world in a country that is meant to be the wealthiest nation on the planet depresses me. Now I don't know the full story, this could be here to tug on heart strings, it could be they have chosen some of the worse situations but I really don't think that is the case, it just upsets me.

Crouton · Reply Posted: 02-13-2012 @ 03:08 PM

It's sad, but it's great that the schools are helping. That video isn't the first story I've seen about school's packing food for their kids to take home. It's great that they are looking out for them like that. Real dedication on behalf of the school. I couldn't even imagine having to go to school just before I can eat.

SmilinSilhouette · 07:15 PM

When I saw the title I thought "there's one of those down the road from my folks house". I'm from Ann Arbor. It has been there for a few years now.

That's what I would do if I fell on hard times. Although I would probably not do so in a group setting. I would probably avoid an urban setting as well or pick a hidden place out of the way.
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OK, now I was able to find and watch the video. Not surprising how the BBC presents a one-sided docudrama where conservatives and republicans are the bad guys who are totally insensitive to "the poor". The usual liberal caricature of the right.

A little FYI: Detroit has been run by democrats for decades. How come they don't mention that. Google "Detroit public schools" and find out for yourself the corruption of stealing tax dollars that are supposed to educate Detroit's children and see how it enriches the corrupt.