The documentary “Taylor’s Campaign” reveals what it is like to be homeless in Santa Monica, CA. As a man runs for local office with the platform to help the poor, the city begins to implement new laws that strip away homeless people’s rights. The new laws create a context where the poor are treated like criminals. One of the opening scenes plays an audio clip of a radio DJ sharing his feelings of the poor, describing them as, “a waste of space” and saying they should be “put to sleep.” Such individuals who live on the street are dehumanized and treated horribly. They are considered to be a burden to the city. These new laws are meant to keep the homeless away and out of sight so that the area will maintain its status as a popular tourist location.

The privileged citizens of the city stated that they do not like seeing homelessness in the city. These same people however, do not support solutions to homelessness. I find these contradictory attitudes quite interesting. People don’t want to see homelessness but they also do not want to help. They do not give money to the homeless in fear that they will be irresponsible with their charity. People want to know what someone will do with their charity. It is a common response to give only if they know it is going to a trustworthy cause, to be spent on something that they approve of. The same people also often do not support public leaders who want to contribute to solutions (as Ron Taylor did not win the election). Voting against or creating a public dialogue about the new laws implemented would also have been an alternate approach to solving these issues. However, many cities are beginning to adopt similar criminalizing laws and strategies for dealing with homeless populations.