← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · weisbrot
Thread ID: 8170 | Posts: 3 | Started: 2003-07-16
2003-07-16 17:28 | User Profile
From the great city of Chattanooga, TN, its...
www.beerforthehomeless.com [url=http://www.beerforthehomeless.com/index.htm]http://www.beerforthehomeless.com/index.htm[/url]
*Welcome to the Beer For The Homeless website This site is dedicated to the thousands of men and women in America who have been relegated to the status of children, regardless of their age, by the do-gooders of society who believe that merely because a person has no home they should therefore not be allowed to drink beer.
There are plenty of organizations that will provide food, clothing, education, even shelter to the homeless. But every one of them refuses to treat their "clients" as mature adults and the vast majority of them even have rules that forbid the legal consumption of alcohol.
What is it about these otherwise well-meaning people that they would refuse to treat their fellow human beings as mature adults? Merely because one has no home does not mean that one is somehow a second-class citizen and is no longer allowed the simple pleasures that society allows to those "lucky" enough to put a roof over their head.
So, that is where Beer For The Homeless steps up and strikes a blow for equality and human rights. Through this website, we will raise money to purchase and distribute beer to those who want it. Good old fashioned 100% American beer. The kind our fathers and grandfathers drank when defending this great country around the world to keep the principles of democracy and freedom of choice strong and alive.*
2003-07-16 21:10 | User Profile
This is one of those things where the first response is "oh come on, this has got to be a joke." but then it dawns on you "oh my, they're serious., aren't they?"
** 70% of all donations received go directly to the purchase of beer for the homeless. We only buy American brewed beer and prefer full beers, not light beers, although we generally purchase the most affordable beers currently available.
The remaining 30% of donations go to cover expenses, such as travel costs associated with delivery and maintenance of this website.
Total donations to date: $128.64 updated July 14, 2003 **
Oh really, there's good beer and then there's cheap beer. I was no stranger to $12/case beer back in my drinking days.
I can see it now... like something out of a comedy sketch... some charitable soul offers a bum some free beer... the bum sees that it is, oh, Natural Light, gets all offended at the idea and goes back to his MD 20/20.
2003-07-16 22:17 | User Profile
*Originally posted by Rumblestrip@Jul 16 2003, 17:10 * ** This is one of those things where the first response is "oh come on, this has got to be a joke." but then it dawns on you "oh my, they're serious., aren't they?"
**
Well, maybe yes maybe no. But it doesn't really matter.
I strongly suspect this is what it appears to be: basically cruel satire with a point. Still, despite the lame humor this "activist" group scores heavily.
Not long ago I reread Tom Wolfe's "Radical Chic"; Beerforthehomeless.com could be seen as a 21st century continuation of that monograph. BFTH uses the trademarked bikini hotties from the beer commercials, mixed with the heartfelt light-to-the- world social conscience of the "no justice no peace" crowd, and throws in the appeal to the radical individualists who might value the urban camper experience.
What Phillip Morris executive could protest? What socially-minded media mogul philanthropist could say this is just another notinmybackyard tactic of the crazed right wing?
This site has it all: Babes, beer and a social conscience. A complete and total synthesis to attract Michael Lerner types along with the tough but sensitive NFL-watching beer swiller, who has nothing against the occasional recreational porno flick. Tikkun Olam personified.
Or- maybe it's just a gag.