Standing in line with the Homeless

[Lise]

What do you guys make of this? Hire a homeless person to stand in line for you at the passport office. I'm not sure what to make of this.... on one hand, it's great that you're giving the homeless something to do and paying them for it, on the other hand, I'm not so sure if I want to be in the same line as a homeless person as I'm not comfortable about  the smell or behavior. (no offense)

   [H2]Homeless stand-ins offered for long passport lineups[/H2] VICTORIA - Travellers who don't want to start a vacation with a 10-hour wait in the passport line have a new option - hire the homeless to stand in line instead.

 Wendy Stone, program coordinator for the Victoria Cool Aid Society's casual labour pool, is encouraging people who don't have the time to line up to hire her clients to wait for them.

 A couple people have already called the office. "One man wanted to hire someone to meet him at 4 a.m. and pay him for 10 hours," Stone said. "He said he'd check on his status during the day to see where he was in the lineup."

 Stone thinks it's such a good idea, she was handing out flyers about it to people in the lineup Wednesday, and she'll be doing the same thing this morning.

 "We just want to have opportunities for folks," she said.

 Since Jan. 23, Canadians travelling by air to the U.S. have been required to show a valid passport. The new rule has prompted thousands of people to get passports - resulting in hours-long lineups at offices around the country every day.

 Yet not every one thinks the idea of hiring the homeless is a great idea. Stone said the commissionaire on duty Wednesday commented: "The police are going to walk those people right out of here."

 One woman said she didn't think the practice was ethical. And she didn't like the idea of being in a line-up with drug addicts.

 "But you'd be giving them an opportunity to put some money in their pockets, they can eat, they can take care of themselves. They won't be panhandling," replied Stone.

 Victoria Times Colonist

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[ripper]

I hear you Lise. While it sounds like a good idea, i could imagine the glares i would get after i pay the panhandler and get in line. I mean what if he smelled and pestered the other people in line for change.

[Lise]

Actually, I'm just as shocked at the 10 hours waiting in line than the news about paying the Homeless to wait in line for you.

  I can imagine the types of dirty looks your fellow wait-ers (if there's such a word) would give you as you hand out money to the panhandlers. You're much liable to get glares as well as a few dirty words thrown your way.

[ripper]

Can one take a passport photo with a fat lip and a black eye.

[Lise]

LOL. Probably not. That would just ruin your day.

  Long before they implemented this rule, I was actually sent away for taking the wrong photos. Apparently I smiled. Nobody told me or the stupid photographer you couldn't smile. I was so pissed.

[Moolah!]

Job description: Waiting in passport line for other people



Requirement: Must have showered in the past month      

[Russ]

really lise? my last two passports have me with something of a smile or a smirk. Im serious.

  If this is true I might use a homeless person if I apply for a passport in person.. I think Im going to apply by mail completely next time. I have a number of firends that have done that with no problems. Just send it registered mail, with whats inside noted. If it gets lost then the government has to pay for it and replace it in a timely fasion.

[Lise]

I don't know, Russ. Maybe I had a super pissy teller or it was just my bad luck. She pointed out that the form states NO SMILING whatsoever. So everytime I had to renew my passport, I look like a zombie who doesn't know the meaning of a smile.

[Sportsdude]

I think its wrong.  Just doesn't make any sense at all.  

[Lise]

What's wrong? The fact that some people would pay the Homeless to stand in line or the fact that my non-smiling photo scares you?

[Sportsdude]

lol no lise I like your avatar.

It just seems odd and bizarre.  Yeah the homeless are getting paid but at the same time we are degrading them by treating them like a slave or lower class person. Its like "well I can't stand in line for a few hours to get my passport, so, I'll get one of those homeless people to do it. Because you know they've got nothing better to do."

I see it as degrading.
 

[Lise]

True enough, SD.

[kingy]

how does the homeless person get ahold of you to let you know that your turn is coming up next in line?

  non smiling passport photos has been in place in the uk and the states for a few years now. it is because the officer can more easily identify your features. lets face it, when you are talking to him/her, the chances are that you wont be smiling so they want you to look as natural on your photo as you would in person.    

[M50]

right or wrong its a common occurence in other countries that some might term 3rd world...I guess the line between the 1st world and 3rd is eroding on some fronts but I read something the other day on another forum:

in the eyes of some, before you are born, you are a sacred thing, but that ends once you ask them for spare change  

[P.C.]

I've held off responding to this, because I couldn't put it into words. Although it appears to fall under the guise of humantarianism it bothers me.  SD's comment comes the closest to how I feel about it.

  It just seems odd and bizarre.  Yeah the homeless are getting paid but at the same time we are degrading them by treating them like a slave or lower class person. Its like "well I can't stand in line for a few hours to get my passport, so, I'll get one of those homeless people to do it. Because you know they've got nothing better to do."

I see it as degrading.



Me too