Occupy Gates Street? Protesters Camp Out At Foundation, Demand Funds For Homeless

After 15 shelters were recently shuttered, about 100 activists and homeless people staged a "sleep-out" protest in front of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation building on Monday night, nwcn.com reports.

When the SHARE/WHEEL Foundation lost critical funding, dozens of locals were left without homes, yet still held on to the determination to pressure the Seattle billionaire family to help.

"[SHARE/WHEEL] is tired of seeing the Gates Foundation fund projects all over the world, while homeless suffer poverty right here at home," the organization said in a released statement.

The network noted that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has endorsed a 10-year program to end homelessness in King County.

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Comments

[Kimpeach]

11:41 PM on 10/17/2011

The Gates never do anything for you without getting something in return. Look at what they are doing to our education.They are no different than Murdoch--they are just more undercover with their dealings.

[elenor3]

12:28 AM on 10/13/2011

It is considered conservative and American to defend the rights of billionaires but not working and unemployed people.
There is a question which needs to be adressed in these discussions we're having on the disappearing middle class.
DOES ANYONE NEED TO HAVE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS?Even millions are more than one needs for a comfortable life.

[Oil Can 2]

01:36 AM on 10/13/2011

Who are you to decide what money another should be allowed to earn through their work or even as heirs to a legacy?

I'll never understand how libbs think they can help themselves to other people's money or dictate how it is used. Case in point -- this article. Protesting Gates? Really????

[glockman]

08:25 AM on 10/13/2011

"DOES ANYONE NEED TO HAVE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS?"

It's not your place, my place, nor any other person's place to decide this. And rights aren't about "need."

The Gates give away million upon millions of dollars. Who are you to tell them how to live their lives?

[loveis22984]

10:24 PM on 10/12/2011

Why is the article lacking locations? Which Kings County?

[Nelson Jacobsen]

07:55 PM on 10/12/2011

I have to ask what responsible government would shutter 15 shelters at one time. Do they think the problem goes away once the line item is eliminated. I also agree in the whole think global act local part and hopefully a leader in this town can emerge to help move this disenfranchised population back into fabric of their town.

[LadyLeslie]

04:37 PM on 10/12/2011

Closing fifteen shelters is going to create a lot of hardship, not only in terms of having somewhere to sleep at night and a meal, but in having access to those who can help you to get out of your bad situation.

[deltalady]

03:38 PM on 10/12/2011

I've been saying much the same for years. I don't begrudge anyone, regardless of borders, of the help we can give. But you can't save someone from drowning if you can't swim. It seems if we admit in this country that we, as a people, need help as well it's somehow un-American....WE'RE THE GREATEST....but, actually we no longer are. We're hurting in numbers unheard of for generations. Perhaps these folks are making a point. I know where they're coming from. Face it. We're all only a few paychecks from where they are. Don't berate them. Just pray it doesn't happen to you.

[blongn]

03:24 PM on 10/12/2011

Because you are homelss does not ENTITLE you to someone else paying your way through life. It is through GENEROSITY of others they owe their ability to eat and have shelter. Why must someone else OWE you assistance?? If you don't like the fact that no one is there to give you a hand out, then up your game and provide for yourself. But you really CANNOT complain about how a private citizen or foundation chooses to spend their $$$!!

[TruelyFedUp]

03:23 PM on 10/12/2011

We are in the bizarre situation of living in a land with and abundance of resources yet people are homeless and hungry. Our government holds in "trust" for us nearly 30% of the land of America - if it was gathered into one land mass say on the West side of the country one could drive inland for 2 days or for 1000 miles from anywhere on that coast and still be on the government held lands.

We must demand that the government release to our "trust" our own arable land so we can build self sustaining eco villages. We must also demand the resources needed to establish and maintain those villages.

Here is an example of wasted funds from a long list of such waste "Washington spends $25 billion annually maintaining unused or vacant federal properties.[3]" http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2009/10/50-examples-of-government-waste

[Eric Frie]

05:53 PM on 10/12/2011

last reply got yanked for some reason????????????

who are you to DEMAND anything?

and if the villages you so DEMAND are self sustaining......then why the heII would you need to DEMAND resources to maintain them??? wouldnt they maintain themselves?

[TruelyFedUp]

07:49 PM on 10/12/2011

Why Eric, I am a free American in my own country. Isn't this the land of the free? Don't WE run the government? Of course I can demand. The government works for ME, for US. Or have you forgotten that?

Why should I live in a country in which I am forced to pay taxes that are used to create illegal wars in other people's countries? Why should I support a government that does not defend my right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Why should I have a private corporation called the Federal Reserve create money which is actually debt and force me to pay interest on bailouts to banks, foreign banks and their corporate cronies that have no flag and have a moral code of greed and exploitation that affects the quality of my life and that of my fellow countrymen?

You may beg for the right to exist but I don't.

The demand for resources to MAKE self sustaining villages is important for those 46+ million Americans living in poverty in this country. Try living it sometime - you'll hate it, and you'll want to demand something better.

[demdame1]

03:19 PM on 10/12/2011

Americans helping Americans - novel idea

[George Hoffman]

03:13 PM on 10/12/2011

These protesters are after the wrong rich people. Bill and Melinda Gates have provided financial aid and help to many people throughout the world and in the United States.

[StarChambers]

10:32 PM on 10/12/2011

Wrong. As far as I'm concerned Bill & Melinda Gates can move to India. They built India's IT support industry off the backs of Americans under the guise that they couldn't find educated workers in the USA. A total US corporate myth. What they didn't want to do was pay Americans a fair wage SO WE COULD BUY THEIR PRODUCTS.

[blitznstitch]

03:09 PM on 10/12/2011

"give us your money that you are going to give away!" Rather than protest in front of the homes of their state congress, who actually have the responsibility of providing for them - they protest in front of people with money who have no responsibility to them at all.

[Tom Mc]

01:55 PM on 10/12/2011

Sorry this is disgusting. What kind of sick individuals are that selfish to protest against a CHARITY. You don't like who they give away their money to, well you can get lost. They should pick their battles properly because no one likes people that steal from charities.

[JoniDMiller]

02:01 PM on 10/12/2011

Here here. Well said.

[Eric Frie]

05:42 PM on 10/12/2011

not to mention that they had the gumption, physical ability, organizational skills, to get this put together, but cannot figure out how to put that kind of effort into HELPING THEMSELVES?!?!?

[Brian Omv]

01:28 PM on 10/12/2011

THIS I can be behind, bring charity home to your OWN country where it is needed the most at the moment. STOP adopting little babies abroad on paper, babies you dont even know if exist, these people you KNOW exist and you KNOW need help.

[JoniDMiller]

02:03 PM on 10/12/2011

Perhaps you should lead by example. When you give millions to this country in the form of charity, then you can politely ask your fellow millionaires and billionaires to give in ways you find important. Thank God for people who give to others and better their lives, regardless of who they're giving to.

[Maritess420]

01:28 PM on 10/12/2011

They should be protesting the local government not the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation.

[cadawa]

12:49 PM on 10/12/2011

I think you can probably blame this on the supremely callous on the King County Council. I watched them try and slash the social spending to 0 at the same time they had no trouble finding lots of money for cops, prosecuting marijuana smokers and to support inflated housing prices.

[TruelyFedUp]

03:28 PM on 10/12/2011

Here is a short list of of wasted funds http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2009/10/50-examples-of-government-waste

[StarChambers]

10:46 PM on 10/12/2011

And here's more waste:

"Did you know that each year the Treasury allots a certain amount of taxpayer money to go to the “Senate Hair Care Revolving Fund”?

Yep… The Federal Government has a fund that was created specifically for the hair care of its Senators! For fiscal year 2010, $33,387 was used to outlay this expense. The word outlay simply means “to spend, an amount expended, paid expenditures”.

There are only 100 Senators – 2 representing each of the 50 states.

This means that on each senator $333.87 in taxpayer money was spent to keep them looking sharp for the cameras, hairpieces and all!

But then, I guess that’s about what you’d expect from a fake Hollywood production like this.

But even more importantly, this “revolving fund” has a balance, which is appropriated solely for this Senatorial hair care. That fund balance, which is invested and gains each year, is $261,117.19. That represents a gain for this fund over fiscal year 2009 of about $36,000.

So we have a quarter of a million dollars designated for Senatorial hair care while many U.S. citizens live in destitute tent cities. It’s kinda funny… and kinda not."

source: http://realitybloger.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/the-senate-how-much-does-it-cost/