Something from the event and its details/discourses was the idea that homeless people are people, too; it is so easy to forget that. While the homeless community may appear to be unsightly and a hindrance to some neighborhoods and/or businesses, they deserve to be treated the same way as any other humans we interact with. Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera said it best: to most people, “homelessness is not a lifestyle choice.” A lot of homeless people are in need of some grace because of their current circumstances. Whether it be financial or personal, the world needs to always keep the homeless community in our minds; they must not be forgotten.
I think there are multiple ways that homeless people are portrayed in mainstream media. One way paints them as the problem. This manner in which homeless people are portrayed implies that homeless people need to be cleaned up off the streets and minimized. The other way I see homeless people portrayed in mainstream media is similar to my takeaway mentioned above. News outlets and journalists describe the homeless community as a group that needs the rest of the world’s help. They advocate for homeless people, which is beneficial to them because most cannot advocate for themselves.
Sweeps Kill, and other comics like it, could benefit public policy and public perception regarding homeless people because of the different anecdotes and images presented to the reader. I think it is very easy to forget about the homeless community and/or view it in a negative light. However, comics like Sweeps Kill help keep the homeless in the minds of readers. If comics like these become more prevalent in society, many will have no choice but to at least consider extending grace to homeless people.
In the future, I think journalists can cover the homeless in a humanizing manner; this goes for both sides of mainstream media. I do not think kicking most of the homeless population to the curb is the solution, and I also do not think that everyone needs to contribute everything they have to the issue of homelessness. However, I do think that if journalists and media outlets encourage everyone to view homeless people in a humanizing manner, including quotes and real-world anecdotes (like Sweeps Kill does), the world will be better for it. The homeless population consists of humans and, if journalists portray them as such, I think there will be more solutions created than problems; people will come together for the greater good, whatever that may be.