Housing not Bombs.

Chiller · Sep 22, 2008

Was walking down by the Moss Park armory in Toronto, and came across a protest, so I strolled in. I was swarmed by homeless people wondering if I was from a newspaper. The ralley was in favour of putting money towards the homeless and not the war in Afganistan. The protest was held at the baseball diamond where three reservists from the near by armory kicked to death a homeless guy. A small story here.
http://www.thestar.com/News/Columnist/article/415790

I chatted with a few of the homeless, the police and the performers, and it was a moving experience.

Some of the Parkdale drummers striking up a tune.

One of the speakers points to the bench where Paul Croutch was murdered

The bench is behind these signs.

A homeless man sleeps under the watchful eye of a policewoman on the phone.

A moment

Some watched from across the street

Some just kept a little distance and enjoyed the tunes

Something about this shot made me laugh. They marched over to the armory where the reservists were from. The police gathered around this gun. :lol:

It was not going to save them from the crowd of threatening homeless people.

The march itself was very peacefull, and all of the speakers just wanted more money spent on the homeless instead of the wars. I was surprised to find the different views of the homeless and how they felt. It was a 50/50 split.

Crazydad · Sep 22, 2008

Very tragic story. Makes you wonder where we are headed.

I like the b&w, adds a lot to the mood. Very nice series, well done. And I do LOVE the shot of the cops next to the gun!

250Gimp · Sep 23, 2008

Nice shots Chiller, and interesting story to go with it!!

MichaelHarris · Sep 23, 2008

Excellent shots! I really like the way you put the foreground to use in a couple of them.

ChrisOquist · Sep 24, 2008

I really like the shot you titled "The Moment." You captured a lot of determination and a lot of strength in the subjects, and while they are the focus of the shot, the Housing Not War sign in the back lends the image the necessary context. The people you chose to shoot in this photograph are perfect too - showing how those with diametrically opposed backgrounds can share the same moral compass.

The first shot is interesting too. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but the choice to frame the shot around the first sign really works - you're led from the first ("Budgets Should Build Not Bomb") - to the second (We demand 1%...) in such a way that the message is really staggering. To those people that run the system that leeches off the poor to build prisons and the military, that 1% is nothing - but they cling to every penny - that same amount would be a titanic boon to the homeless. I think if the position of the signs was reversed the effect would be lessened.

Great!

Chiller · Sep 26, 2008

Thanks so much for your kind words. Appreciate it.
Chris...yeah. I noticed the sign. I botched the first shot, cause somebody walked through it, but that one worked ok. I have about 20 more that came out o.k. The performers and speakers had no problem with me walking right up to them.
Sent a few off to the housing not bombs foundation, so I will see if I hear back.

ChrisOquist · Oct 1, 2008

Reminds me of one of my favorite songs:

"Weapons not food, not homes, not shoes
Not need, just feed the war cannibal animal
I walk tha corner to tha rubble that used to be a library
Line up to tha mind cemetary now
What we don't know keeps tha contracts alive an movin'
They don't gotta burn tha books they just remove 'em
While arms warehouses fill as quick as tha cells
Rally round tha family, pockets full of shells"
Rage Against the Machine - Bulls on Parade