Monday, January 09, 2006

Comments on Northwestern Story

I appreciate Alex Hummel's work on the Father Carr story Sunday. He has laid a good foundation for future stories. Here are a few gut comments on a few items...

'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'...

When Fr. Carr goes to the movies, everybody goes. He's not going to leave anybody back at the shelter where they might raise hell or smoke a cigarette. Anyone who saw this entourage saw the sum total: Fr Carr, one or two helpers and 100% of the clients. This means even the theatre employees know the count.

Note that my contention right along is that the big news story is: No One Stays There! If Green Bay is housing 90 at their main shelter, it would make sense that Oshkosh would be housing 40 to 50 (using population figures as a gauge).

My moles tell me that Carr's shelter for men housed:
  • December 20 -4
  • December 27 -5 or 6
  • January 8 -10 or 12

On shelter client curfews...

Carr not only prefers day shift but looks for excuses to boot out anyone working 2nd or third shift. If he follows what was said in the Northwestern he will have a stressful time the next few months learning to deal with odd work hours. Time will tell. We all know that the last person hired for any job gets the worst hours. My neighbor just started a new job: reported midnite Sunday for the first day of work.

Not only does Fr Carr want day shift jobs, he considers signing up for Temp Services as not even a real job. He expects clients to get real jobs...40hr day shift jobs. Maybe someone could ease him into understanding the reality of 2006. The Temp Services provide jobs that can be rolled into those real jobs after a while.

The fact that he had 10 or 12 clients the night of January 8 is encouraging. The Northwestern article was probably influencing Fr. Carr before it even came out.

As long as it's cold out, this story ain't going away.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

when I read Fr. Carr was going to "provide" the real numbers I knew what he meant, that he only says it, but when asked it's "between me and god" well between you and God your lack of info has been harming people.
Who would Jesus starve????

Kay Springstroh said...

Hang in there, Buddy! I think the "renaming" of your blog is one of the funniest things that's happened in an otherwise kind-of crappy week. Thanks for the laugh and keep on snipin'!

AngelAiken AKA Thee U.M.O.G said...

me too

Anonymous said...

Hi Gary,

I'd like to say I understand this issue fully, but I do not. I'll work to get more understanding. It does seem that you are an absolutely key person in exposing and solving a serious problem.

I hope you are completly un- disturbed by whatever criticisms you receive on your reporting methods (gosh, are you "unprofessional" too?) or whatever the complaints are.

WAY not the issue.

Unfortunately our society is such that a person who shouts "Hey! This guy is bleeding to death over here!" will be criticized for the way he tlaks or dresses - the message itself being completely ignored.

"Don't listen to HIM, he wasn't wearing a tie."

Please stay vigilant and strong. And PLEASE keep right on talking.

Anonymous said...

to the last poster: I am 10000%shocked!
-welcome, keep posting!-

Gary said...

Be at the New Moon Cafe at 3pm today Jan.16 to celebrate the MLK Holiday. If you can't afford it, come anyway. Someone may buy you a java. Thank you so very much for the comment. Peace.