Hey, there! Log in / Register
Sanctuary
By adamg on Wed, 10/01/2014 - 8:19am
JB Parrett photographed a homeless man on the steps of Arlington Street Church yesterday.
Neighborhoods:
Topics:
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
Nice Exploitation!
I love how you composed the New England church classical design lines along with the seasonal plants outside the first public building in the Back Bay, and used filtering software, to take a smug sense of your own satisfaction picture of someone down on his luck trying to get some rest.
The Arlington Street Church has been a place of sanctuary for years. It allowed Vietnam resisters into the church in the 60's. It was once of the first churches to openly attract a gay congregation, and it let this poster get married there when my only connection to the place was that I worked in the neighborhood. Maybe you should have let this person have their own time and space and not be placed into the twitsphere. Cut the person a break Weegee.
Wow, the stable called
They're wondering if they can have their high horse back.
Strongly Disagree
First of all - you can't even see the person's face and s/he probably had no idea this person was taking a picture.
Humans have spoken with images for many years - and images that tell a story like this one are very impactful. I think a picture like this clearly evokes empathy and reminds the rest of us how lucky we are. It also tells the world what a wonderful, welcoming place the Arlington Street church is ( many churches now shoo people away - or even fence off their covered spaces to keep the homeless out - unfortunately part of that is due to the behavior of some individuals and the churches do this as a last resort).
One of the most powerful pictures I've ever seen was of a homeless person sleeping in the street - see this link here and scroll down. You can indeed see the person's face - but it's a constant reminder to me that none of us should be "Leftovers". Pretty powerful message for a photo essay I spent about 5 minutes scrolling through several months ago - I didn't even remember seeing most of the other pictures when I brought this back up.
The least of these
http://www.npr.org/2014/04/13/302019921/statue-of-a-homeless-jesus-start...
Photographers capture.
This is what they have been doing since the advent of photography as an art form. From beauty, to suffering, in war and peace, life and death. It is all in there.
To infer that the photographer is doing this for some smug sense of satisfaction on his/her part is a bit smug on your part, do not you think?
wut?
wut?
as someone who has been
as someone who has been homeless and slept in situations like this, I completely disagree with your description of this picture and the tweet.
Both the picture, and the tweet, convey exactly what you say the message of the church is, the church is providing a place of refuge to this man as he sleeps. The title used by the photographer "Sanctuary" is exactly how you describe the place.
This is one of the most loving photos of homelessness in Boston I've seen, showing a loving community. I am not sure why you are offended by it.
This may have modified my behavior this evening
There was a woman who was either extremely intoxicated or very ill (likely both) lying on the sidewalk in the rain. I asked her if she was okay and she sort of responded, but faded out as I asked her if she could get up.
I called 911 for her.
Some people were stepping around her and looking annoyed or grumbling, and one person with a dog was chatting on her cel phone as the dog got very insistent that she "Do something! Person on ground! This is not okay!", but she scolded the dog and kept walking.
When I returned from the pay phones around the corner because I forgot my phone today (and, yes, the dispatcher had gotten a call but without the added information about her responsiveness level), somebody from St. Anthony's Shrine was with her, holding an umbrella over her, waiting for an ambulance that would come more quickly because they got one more call with more information on her state of consciousness.
This image reminds us what compassion looks like.
Boston Public Library Copley Square Buildings...
Boston Public Library could improve library services within the Copley Square buildings to better include homeless, folks living on the street, less enfranchised folks
http://www.ala.org/offices/extending-our-reach-reducing-homelessness-thr...
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/diversity/outreachtounderservedpopulations/s...
It would be nice if the
It would be nice if the library could be a library for research and learning and NOT a homeless shelter, mental asylum, and social services center. Those things should be dedicated facilities separate from the library.
Or develop Library Reading Rooms to be ever more welcoming!...
Or develop Boston Public Library Reading Rooms and Galleries to be ever more welcoming to all, a better culture among BPLusers and staff that puts into practice welcoming and greater understanding for all.
Beautiful Picture...
...Of a sad, unfortunately reality.