Homeless, Not Phone-less

by Shannon Moriarty · 2009-03-24 04:06:00 UTC
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Hate to say to those conservative pundits "I told ya so"... but I'm gonna do it anyway.

After all of the outrage and disbelief following the AP photo of a homeless man snapping a picture of Michelle Obama with his cell phone at a DC soup kitchen, we learn from today's Washington Post that cell phones aren't uncommon at all among DC's homeless population. In fact, 30 to 45 percent of the city's homeless population carry cell phones.

Here's what the WaPo had to say:

Today, it's not unusual for the homeless to whip out Nokia 6085 GoPhones (with optional Bluetooth and USB connectivity), stop at a public computer to check e-mail or urge friends to read their blogs.

It's another sign of a society in transition by way of technology, as businesses shed physical addresses for cyberspace and homeless people can establish an online presence and chase opportunities digitally.

There's no question this technology has become extremely affordable, so why shouldn't homeless people partake of this modern day convenience? According to Rommel McBride, who spent six years living on the streets of DC, there's no reason they shouldn't:

A cellphone is the only way you can call to keep up with your food stamps, your housing application, your job. When you're living in a shelter or sleeping on the streets, it's your last line of communication with the world.

Perhaps this learning opportunity is the silver lining in the media storm surrounding Michelle Obama and "the homeless guy with the cell phone." I hope people have gained a better understanding of the significant challenges that coincide with being homeless, and how an inexpensive cellphone can help ease these burdens.

So, can you hear me now?

Good.

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
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