Monday, September 4, 2017

Make Rio Grande Street Home Central for Street Entertainers

   If a city had acting troupes acting in the streets, and it was the first thing visitors saw, would that be a good thing? Right now, as visitors arrive at the Greyhound station, and are whisked away by their rides, the first thing they see are the homeless.
   First impressions, they say.
   So, what if we had acting troupes, musicians and comedians entertaining the homeless -- in the streets? To begin with, if they were there -- all these street entertainers -- they would be a tourist draw in and of themselves. As your ride picked you up, he would say, "You might want to see the street entertainers since we're down here. They're just a block over." And, he would drive you just a block to the east, park the car, and you would get out and walk down Rio Grande Street to see all the free entertainers.
   Rio Grande Street is closing as part of the plan to deal with the homelessness and crime, so it makes it perfect for having street entertainers there.
   An idle mind is the devil's workshop, it is said. I suggest there is some value to providing entertainment for the homeless. Get them working, if you can. I have already blogged on that. But, also provide them things to do, entertainment being one.
   If we do believe there are many among the homeless who are there simply because they are down on their luck, we should want to serve them, and lift their spirits. And, probably even those who are there of their own errant ways, we should want to cheer up and help. When you love all men, you love all mankind -- those who have strayed as well as those who have not. Remember the story of the prodigal son, and how his father threw a party for him?
   Throw a party for the homeless, for the poor, every day, all up and down Rio Grande Street.

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