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[pnwmom]

This message was self-deleted by its author (pnwmom) on Wed Feb 25, 2015, 06:22 PM. When the original post in a discussion thread is self-deleted, the entire discussion thread is automatically locked so new replies cannot be posted.

[Iggo]

1. You're mad at him because he's single?

[1000words]

2. Unfortunate you would be offended

Last edited Wed Feb 25, 2015, 06:34 PM - Edit history (1)

The love of a good partner is something to be treasured and often helps get folks through hard times.










========================================================
Young guy standing on the street corner holding a sign: "No job. No home. No woman. No . . . ."

No woman? I did a double-take as I drove by.

Yup- no woman. He actually said that.

I don’t even know what the rest of the sign said.

Sorry, guy, but you lost me right there. A woman isn't a thing you own or don't own.

[pnwmom]

16. I'm offended by the idea of a woman as a commodity or a job. n/t

[1000words]

21. Perhaps you could have spoken to him to determine if that was the case.

Alas, he "lost you."

[pnwmom]

29. How do you do that when you're in a moving line of traffic?

But I'm not really interested in talking to guys who think of women as things to have.

[Throd]

31. You assume that is what he meant. You don't know that.

[pnwmom]

32. Yes, because he put "woman" in with his list of things he didn't have. n/t

[Throd]

51. Then assume the worst and hate the bastard.

[Adsos Letter]

128. Thou sayest a book full. n/t

[upaloopa]

34. How do you know what he thinks?

You have know idea what is in his mind.

[pnwmom]

62. Nope. I only know what's on his sign. n/t

[upaloopa]

68. Yes and with the paradigm you see the world

through he means he wants to own a woman.
I am also often willing to assume things we all do that

[840high]

147. Perhaps he lost his

wife because he's homeless. I find nothing wrong with his sign.

[pnwmom]

150. He said he had no woman. As if women are a replaceable thing. n/t

[840high]

165. I would have helped him. Maybe some food and a few bucks.

[1000words]

37. Yet, you sized-up his character and made a judgement in that brief time.

Nicely done.

[closeupready]

3. "cry"? You know, the Bob Marley song...?

Though, strangely, I liked the Boney M cover better:

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

36. That's where I thought the post was going next.

But we aren't going to be told what the next 'no' was, I guess.

[closeupready]

50. Yes, which ironically, was a song of hope:

The title and main refrain, "No Woman, No Cry" is rendered "No, woman, nuh cry" in Jamaican Patois. The "nuh" is pronounced with a short schwa vowel (a "mumbled" vowel, often represented as "uh" in spelling) and represents a clitic ("weakened&quot form of "no". It is the equivalent to the contraction "don't". The song is about growing up in the ghetto and persuading a woman that things will get better, entreating her not to cry.[7]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Woman_No_Cry

[uppityperson]

4. "no partner" would have been better, otherwise it looks like objectifying women.

We don't often agree, but that would catch my eye also. It reminds me of the cliched country western songs of : truck, god, woman, train, rain. I hope his situation improves but I agree, it is odd wording.

[pnwmom]

17. You nailed it. n/t

[dumbcat]

45. That would have been much more PC

and made it OK. It's the words that are used that counts.

[msongs]

46. well that would be objectifiying "partner" wouldnt it? nt

[uppityperson]

56. No. I read what the sign said as making "woman" into a commodity like a job or home

"no partner" would indicate to me a different thing than "no woman". But that is just me.

[one_voice]

79. But 'partner' is another word for person...

still another human being listed as a commodity. No? Only difference is they're now genderless.

I agree with what you're saying women aren't property/commodity.

This guy is down on his luck and had a sign stating how f'd up his life was--no house/job, no woman--one could also take that to mean no one to love or love him back. He could also have 'no family' listed. I think we're judging someone who's in a very bad way and tossing a label on him that maybe he hasn't earned. I don't know.

Maybe our compassion should supersede assuming he's listing a woman the same way as a house, job or car.

My husband often says he wouldn't be where he is today without his woman--that'd be me and you better believe I don't let him forget it. Kidding aside--I get what you're saying, if this person was on a dating site I could see the argument but here...not so much.

[jeff47]

82. Why does "no woman" imply ownership/commodity when "no partner" does not? (nt)

[uppityperson]

88. If you are asking seriously rather than for a quick sound bite and snark...

They are different to me. "no woman" strikes me as lacking a generic other to have in your life. "no partner" strikes me as lacking someone with whom you are working together with. One has ownership qualities, the other you are working together. I apologize, am tired, again, and finding the definitions hard to articulate.

[jeff47]

93. Why does that not apply to "no job"?

We don't usually consider ourselves to own our job.

I apologize, am tired, again, and finding the definitions hard to articulate.

You're doing just fine. And no, I'm not trying to snark.

IMO, the guy was going for a repetitive theme - no (something positive). The repetition and simple phrasing would be easier for people to quickly read and get his "I'm downtrodden" point across more quickly. Also, "no partner" would risk triggering an anti-gay backlash.

But that's my opinion about someone I didn't even see.

[uppityperson]

96. A job is a Thing. A home is a Thing. A woman is a Person.

It seems different to me.

[cyberswede]

106. I agree...partner conveys "companionship"

[jeff47]

111. But you can't own or touch a job.

They seem to be "things" in as much as they're nouns. A job isn't a physical object, and the worker definitely doesn't own the job.

I don't think we can casually dismiss the danger "no partner" would cause him. Perhaps "no love" would have worked better?

[Sissyk]

69. That cliched country song doesn't

say woman. It says: drunk, mama, prison, rain, truck, train. lol!

[annabanana]

5. .... sounds lonely. . n/t

[NCTraveler]

6. He shouldn't have lost you.

You really don't know what has put him there. The list of possibilities is so long that it isn't even worth the assumptions. We should all try to not make such quick judgments. There is also this weird little problem out there with many homeless that some aren't aware of. It is a problem that effects thought. It's called malnutrition. The list goes on.

[Rex]

143. His internal organs are taking damage. His brain is taking damage. If he has not had food in days

then there is no telling how much harm is going on inside. His teeth will fall out, his hair will thin and fall out. Being homeless can be a death sentence...and in the richest country in the fucking world!

[Liberal Veteran]

7. Maybe it is his way of saying "I have no one to love" or "all alone".....

That seems sad to me.

I'm curious as to why that turned you off?

[pnwmom]

18. Because it's turning "woman" into a thing that you have or don't have.

[Rhinodawg]

27. Wow !!

That doesn't mean that at all.

I think this should be a learning moment for you...

Why don't you go talk to him and offer him a meal ??

It will be a good moment for you.

[Exhibit A]

47. "No woman" probably just fits better on his sign --

-- than "No relationship, family, or friends."

Also, we do use the verb "have" with regard to other people: we speak of whether someone has children, has a partner, has siblings, etc. It's not exactly a non-standard usage.

[Liberal Veteran]

52. Having a significant other (male or female) in your life is very important to some people.

People even sing about it:

(Queen)

Can anybody find me somebody to love?
Each morning I get up I die a little
Can barely stand on my feet
Take a look in the mirror and cry
Lord what you're doing to me
I have spent all my years in believing you
But I just can't get no relief,
Lord!
Somebody, somebody
Can anybody find me somebody to love?


(Jefferson Airplane)

When the truth is found
To be lies
And all the joy
Within you dies

Don't you want somebody to love?
Don't you need somebody to love?
Wouldn't you love somebody to love?
You better find somebody to love

[Blue_Tires]

131. +1

I long for a special someone in my life too...(I guess I don't dare say I'm hetero and would prefer that someone to be a woman)

[Journeyman]

8. Got you to notice the sign. That's half of marketing -- getting noticed. . .

Others will notice as well, some won't have your hesitancy and may give because they perceive it as funny or pathetic or simply an opportunistic appeal.

[pnwmom]

22. Except I missed the rest of the sign. No time to read it as I followed the traffic past him. n/t

[one_voice]

9. Really--he has no job, no home...

who knows what else is going on...but 'no woman' you found offensive? He lost you?

I don't want to assume or put words in your mouth---what does it mean he lost you? Your help? Your compassion?

[Atman]

10. I tossed a spare woman into his empty Starbuck's latte cup.

Seriously? "No woman?" Maybe because he's standing on a street corner begging for money. I hear women find that to be a particularly attractive trait in a man.

[unblock]

15. i don't think he's asking anyone for a woman.

and i rather suspect he's fully aware that panhandling and announcing no job, no house, is hardly the best way to find a life partner.

he's just asking for money, and pointing out his lousy situation in an effort to get the necessary sympathy.

[pnwmom]

20. You get it. This is turning women into things to have. Thanks, Atman. n/t

[TheKentuckian]

80. If someone says they have no family are you assuming they think of family as a commodity to own?

You ever been homeless and alone?

When did a job become something one owns?

Hell, even "no home" doesn't mean necessarily property ownership as much as somewhere to be, a place to retreat to rather than life as an exposed nerve.

I bet that answer is no otherwise it would not be so easy to "lose you".
Sounds to me like someone looking for something, ANYTHING to disqualify a person from "deserving" help or even a less than hostile thought not so different than the Calvinist right wing religious types but with a different criteria.

[BronxBoy]

95. Those were my thoughts exactly.....

The OP has some serious logical inconsistencies but she's ragging on some guy out in the street holding a sign.

[TheKentuckian]

168. It makes me sick to the point that of tears. Shrink this fucking tent! I don't want to be associated

with this sort of thinking anymore than I want to be associated with racists and theocrats.

[unblock]

11. yeah but, for me, jobless and homeless outweighs poor word choice to express loneliness

especially given that, at least in some cases, the same underlying problems that lead to joblessness and homelessness might also lead to poor word choices....

[Rhinodawg]

12. Maybe he needs a soul mate ??

cut the guy a break.

[Mosby]

28. yeah, he could have said that

Or "no partner"

Or "no one to love"

But "no women" pretty much lost me as well.

Sorry.

[arcane1]

13. Am I missing something? He sounds sad and lonely to me

Why would you skip the rest of the sign because he's alone?

[pnwmom]

25. I skipped the rest of the sign because I was driving past, along with the rest of the traffic,

and the double-take on that phrase meant I didn't have time to read whatever followed.

[BronxBoy]

100. But yet you rushed right home to come pass judgement....

Last edited Wed Feb 25, 2015, 06:34 PM - Edit history (1)

on some poor slob on the street. Why don't you make time the next time you see him to stop and tell him to make sure that as he's scraping through life that he takes the time to make sure his sign adequately addresses your worldview?

I'm even sure he'll jump right on it as he tries to make sense of his obviously miserable existence

Oy Vey

[NCTraveler]

14. The part you should find offensive...

is where a guy is homeless on a street corner in the richest country in the world.

[Exhibit A]

19. +1, n/t

[romanic]

23. +100

Great response, agree completely.

[1000words]

24. Exactly

[Throd]

26. +2

[Atman]

33. You win the thread.

Seriously.

[sundevil2000]

63. and that people are just driving past...

nt

[BronxBoy]

97. In a hurry........n/t

[TerrapinFlyer]

107. Then whining about on the internet...

instead of helping.

I guess the complainers about "ownership" have lost all compassion.

When I read the phrase "No Woman".. I immediately thought of the Bob Marley song.

[BronxBoy]

117. And I guess....

we should trash just about all of traditional blues music as well as a lot of R&B because...well possessions and everything.

Unfucking believable.

[Sissyk]

73. You got it!

(and I self deleted this message before posting it)

[JoePhilly]

83. +1

[MADem]

92. Yeah, I gotta get with you on that point--well said. nt

[frylock]

126. word

[TheSarcastinator]

127. NCTraveler, for the win!

Very well stated. Thanks.

[840high]

149. Amen.

[rocktivity]

30. He's unemployed. He's homeless. He's either lonely, horny, or both.

And he's straight.


rocktivity

[Enrique]

35. sexism is rampant among the homeless

not to make light of your observation, but the power imbalance between you, driving by in you car, and the homeless man, out on the street, makes your semantic complaint seem a little callous.

By the way are you in a part of the country suffering horrendous winter weather? If so, what I said even moreso.

[pnwmom]

40. It's 55 degrees here and cloudy. Not horrendous unless you're from LA, I guess. n/t

[BronxBoy]

103. Being homeless.....

is horrendous no matter what the weather. But judging from your OP, this fact is obviously lost on you

[Rhinodawg]

38. GO TALK TO HIM AND BRING THE POOR GUY A MEAL !!!

shheeeeesh

[pnwmom]

166. Is that what you do every time you see a person on the street with a sign?

I doubt it. (Unless you very, very rarely see such people.)

I didn't stop to talk to this particular person. But I give to a local shelter and three years ago, we took in a young woman who desperately needed a home. She's still with us, going to school, and welcome to stay as long as she wants.

No one can do everything, and we all have to pick and choose who we help. But his sign didn't increase the odds that I would want to help him.

[titaniumsalute]

39. Sorry but this OP is just more fake angry poutrage

There are so many bigger fish to fry than a homeless guy's sign. Let's focus on why he's homeless more than focus on what his stupid sign says. Sheesh.

[uppityperson]

49. Some of us are capable of multi-tasking, being upset at someone being homeless and the sexism

in his sign.

But, this IS du I guess.

Being homeless is wrong. Sexism is wrong. Let's jump on someone for saying they noticed the sexism because they obviously don't care about the sea stars. Mixing threads, sorry.

[titaniumsalute]

70. You kind of made my point

If we all look hard enough we can find something to be upset about. How likely is it that this guy who is quite possibly starving, suffering mental issues, and is in dire straights is thinking clearly about the wording on his sign?

I try to prioritize my outrage.

[uppityperson]

74. I see sexism in the sign, you see mental health issues in the man.

We all make judgments.

[titaniumsalute]

75. No I see a human being who needs help

Not an opportunity to be outraged about a the wording on a sign.

[Rhinodawg]

76. Thaaaaaaaaaank You.

[uppityperson]

84. I see someone who needs help and I also see sexism there.

I am not outraged by every bit of sexism I notice, but I do notice many and wish all those "isms" were not accepted as too often they are but that's another story.

[840high]

152. Thank you!.

[davidn3600]

78. "Love" and "relatedness" is considered a psychological need by most psychologists

It's probably a way for the guy to say he's lonely and would like someone else to be in his life.

[uppityperson]

81. That could be, poorly worded way of saying that. I'm not saying the guy is a sexist ass who wants

"a woman, any woman, so long as it's a woman" but that the wording bothers me, can see it as sexist.

[closeupready]

41. German women traditionally refer to their husbands as 'my man'.

In German, that is.

[arcane1]

48. And in English, possibly, if it's their 2nd language.

[BronxBoy]

137. As do an awful lot of Black and Brown Folks.....

My Man
My Woman
My Main Squeeze

I'm sure we can find more examples

[pnwmom]

151. He happened to be white. n/t

[BronxBoy]

157. Way to miss the fucking point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was responding to the poster who said that saying my man or woman is common in German. I was responding by saying it's common in other cultures as well.

But I guess when someone can't look for context in a homeless person's sign, it's probably too much to ask for her to look for it in text that's laid out right in fucking front of her.

[WDIM]

42. Sounds like no worries to me.. j/k

I saw a sign the other day where the man said "why lie want cigarettes and beer" I almost thought about buying him a case.

[dilby]

43. So you also believe that people own their Jobs?

Just because he was listing what he is missing in life it does not mean he believes he owns a woman.

[Jackpine Radical]

44. I took it as a lament for what he had lost: Job, home, life partner…

[deutsey]

114. Me, too. n/t

[jcboon]

53. yes because poor people have to be ideologically pure

Political correctness is a luxury of the moneyed classes by the way. . .

[Brickbat]

54. I would find that annoying and tiresome as well.

[davidn3600]

55. And if a homeless woman had a sign: "No job. No home. No man"

Would you do a double-take then?

[uppityperson]

57. I sure as hell would, but then I am an uppity woman

[pnwmom]

60. For sure. n/t

[guillaumeb]

58. agreed.

Perhaps if he had said that he needed or wanted : a job, a home, and a woman, that would have been better. Maybe he chose his words poorly. Without knowing him we cannot know.

Or perhaps he was trying to be humorous, again I do not know him.

It would have been clearer if the sign did not place woman in the same category as possessions.

[BronxBoy]

104. I can't believe this fucking thread.....

The guy's FUCKING HOMELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He's probably worried about where his next meal is coming from and there are people on this thread taking him to task because they don't think he worded his sign correctly..

[guillaumeb]

110. perhaps the grammar police are here, perhaps the post is an overreaction

in some posters' view, but given the level of violence against women in this society, how can we be sure. Given the fact that, judging by pay inequity and an epidemic of sexual violence targeting women, women are obviously still not seen by many people as being equal to men.
The poster may be reading too much into the sign, but I vote on the side of the poster here. The sign talked about two things one may possess. People should not be categorized as possessions.

[arcane1]

112. Nothing says "liberal" like "always assume the worst in people" n/t

[guillaumeb]

115. If you will read post #58 you will see

that I do not assume anything about the person with the sign.

2 possibilities
1) he meant to equate woman with possession or
2)he did not.

I do not know. But I stand by my points.

[BronxBoy]

116. Sorry

I've been homeless. You ain't thinking about the whether your sign meets societal norms. You're worried about surviving.

And I take exception to the fact that the things he listed are possessions.

[BronxBoy]

134. HE'S HOMELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And if those 2 words on his sign is more of an issue for you than the fact that he's homeless and jobless, then you're more offensive than he'll ever be.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

59. I believe he was just trying to convey how much his life sucks./NT

[Liberal_in_LA]

85. plus one

[Rhinodawg]

91. PLUS 2

[BellaLuna]

148. no no no... he's hates women

I'm sure his subliminal message was women are to be owned like cattle.

[bravenak]

61. Homelessnes is so tragic.

We should take better care of our people.

[SheilaT]

64. I'm with you. That man really was equating

women with something to own. Those who interpreted your post as being completely unsympathetic, well all I can say they are doing as much as they possibly can to end homelessness, and the sad plight of men who have no women.

Me? I do volunteer work at the local homeless shelter.

[frankfacts]

65. That's not a very feminist attitude

Feminism is more than nitpicking a homeless person's signage. In fact, its principles aren't any different than a representative democracy's. Or, that much different.

[F4lconF16]

71. Care to elaborate on that idea?

You haven't said much in this post besides fluff.

[snooper2]

77. yes

[uppityperson]

101. Feminism's "principles aren't any different than a representative democracy's"? What do you mean?

[frankfacts]

136. You mean they are?

Perhaps you should start by saying where they diverge.

[uppityperson]

138. I asked what you mean. What do you mean by 'Feminism's "principles aren't any different than ...

'Feminism's "principles aren't any different than a representative democracy's"?'

[HappyMe]

66. The fact that the guy is homeless

should have offended you.

[F4lconF16]

67. Yup, I've seen a sign like that and had the same thoughts.

When you place women in a list with other commodities, you imply that they are one, whether you mean to or not. I don't know about the "lost me" part, though--there is so much that we don't know about him, his life, etc., to make any judgement calls. I agree that it could have been said better, and I think that the casual way that he used women in his sign has societal implications.

All those complaining about you noticing this need to get over themselves--we can manage to point out sexism in society (whether intentional or not) and discuss the facets of homelessness...at the same time.

Edit to say that I do agree with other posters here that "no woman" can mean a whole lot of things in a whole lot of different ways, and in many contexts makes sense to use it. However, since we don't know the context, I assume that it's reflective of the prevailing sexism in our society, since that's what it is the vast majority of the time I see things like this. Probably shouldn't make assumptions, though.

[arcane1]

99. Probably shouldn't make assumptions, but let's assume the worst possible context?

Why not assume he's inarticulate? Or just simply unaware that his word-choice offended people?

[F4lconF16]

158. I assume so because in my experience it is that way.

Almost every time. Women are treated as property in our society, and have been for 1000s of years of history. There are almost inevitably patriarchal attitudes under phrasing like that.

This is where i say yes, we shouldn't assume anything about the person. So I don't. I won't judge the guy unless he provides some sort of comment or action to show that he thinks of women as property (those actions may be subtle, mind you). The guy is clearly in a hard spot, and probably lonely as hell. I have a lot of sympathy for him.

That said, I don't think it's wrong to assume that the words were sexist. Again, it's been thousands of years now that women have been considered property under a long, long rule by men. The effects of this patriarchy on our lives range from obvious to incredibly subtle. Whether this guy meant it that way or not, that language and phrasing do mean something. Words matter.

I don't assume the man is sexist; I assume his words are rooted in sexism. The distinction is critical, and looking at the responses to my post, I'd say I didn't make it clear enough. My apologies.

[arcane1]

169. Thank you for the follow-up, I understand what you were saying now.

I'm going with the assumption that this is how he knows to say it, and may be completely unaware that it's offensive to some.

Benefit of the doubt and all that

[upaloopa]

105. Whether they mean what you think they mean

or not you are sure their sign that they made means what you think it does.
Weird!

[F4lconF16]

160. See post 158.

www.democraticunderground.com...

Hopefully that clarifies.

[BronxBoy]

140. No you shouldn't

But let's think the worse of the guy on the street

[F4lconF16]

162. See post 158.

www.democraticunderground.com...

[DescendantOfMany]

72. Pretty sure political correctness is the least of a homeless person's worries.

And frankly it sounds like an excuse to be insensitive toward someone who has actual problems.

The world is a big place full of people with hundreds of differences that separate them. There will never be uniformity in the way we express ourselves. And the sooner people quit trying to enforce it, the better.

[Catherine Vincent]

86. He did it to get attention..lperhaps make you chuckle

Like the ones that was being honest asking for money to buy a beer.

[MADem]

87. "No Woman No Cry" perhaps? Did he look like Bob Marley?

[JoePhilly]

89. He definitely deserves to be out of work and homeless!!!!

A straight man with no "partner" has "no woman".

A straight woman with no "partner" has "no man".

A gay man with no "partner" has "no man".

A gay woman with no "partner" as "no woman".

And a Bi sexual person with no partner has "no man or woman".

Of all the stuff to be outraged about ... a lonely, straight, jobless, homeless guy, who has "no woman", might not be at the top of the list.

[Kurska]

90. I'm sure that unemployed, homeless man.

Is very concerned that you found offensive his way of expressing that he has nothing in this world, not even companionship.

When you go demand an apology from him, be sure to inform this homeless man how he occupies a socially privileged position in society. He clearly doesn't understand how he used his immense political and economic power to most painful wound you.

I'm sure he'll appreciate the education.



Seriously, it is a homeless man. He could be a vet with crippling PTSD or he could have serious mental illness. He might have a crippling addiction. All these people are massively overrepersented in the homeless.

Cut him some slack.

[LittleBlue]

94. Why didn't you go yell at him

because he's sad he doesn't have a girlfriend or a home.

Word of advice, I wouldn't repeat this in real life. You come across as cold and heartless. This thread is like a right-wing parody of of liberalism. Is this thread an experiment?

In the English language, it's normal to speak possessively about a SO. The word "have" in the phrase "I don't have a boyfriend/girlfriend" isn't meant to objectify. It's just the English language's way of expressing relationships.

[bluestateguy]

98. I tend to give homeless people a pass on political correctness

They have other fish to fry, than to worry about offending you.

[Liberal Veteran]

109. I have to admit I am amused and bemused by this entire thread.

It pegs my "Poe's Law meter" and yet at the same time I cannot help but be amazed we are over 100 replies into discourse of possible implied sexism in a homeless person's sign.

[Jackpine Radical]

124. I think the majority of the posts attend to the major issue,

which is of course the homelessness, and criticize the OP for its lack of compassion.

[treestar]

118. Well but would it be OK if

on the sign he put something racist?

[arcane1]

122. What would be the racist equivalent, in this absurd hypothetical?

[herding cats]

108. I can see what he was trying to say, and it wasn't he wants to own a woman.

To look at his list with a critical eye it would seem he's missing some basic things in life.

A job with which to support himself.

A home in which to find shelter from the elements.

A partner with which to find love and companionship.

And something else, which we don't what it was. Could be food, money, a car, etc.

I'm willing to bet when he wrote out his sign it all made perfect sense to him to express the missing elements in his life the way he did. These are some of the basic things most of us take for granted and he wanted to express that others, such as himself, don't have them.

I don't believe he was equating women to items to be owned at all; he was just pointing out the missing element of a relationship with one in his bleak existence.

[BronxBoy]

113. Have you ever been homeless?????

Have you? I have. For several years on some of the meanest streets in NY. I had to ride the subways at night to have somewhere to sleep. I went hungry. I was robbed. There were a few nights I walked straight to the middle of the George Washington Bridge and really thought about jumping off. I came to know what true despair was. And here's the kicker.....My existence was a lot better than a lot of homeless on the street. I could have had it much, much worse.

I never had to stand on the street with a sign asking for help. But if I did I sure wouldn't be worrying about how fucking politically correct my sign was. People like you crack me up. You speed past this guy on the street on your way to wherever you're going to deal with a life that's obviously much better than what this guy is dealing with. You don't comment on his homelessness. You don't comment on the fact that he's jobless with all the ensuing issues that brings. Nope you find time to down the guy for two words, the context of which you don't even know because you were too busy driving on by to live your life.

You don't like his choice of words. Tell you what. Go find the guy. Help him get a job and a home. And then, maybe then your pretentious ass can explain to him all your theories about the objectification of women. And as other people have pointed out, you don't own a job and it's possible to not own a home. So maybe you should work on clarifying your language before you trash some poor guy on the street.

What a shitty, clueless OP.

[bpj62]

123. thank you

I was trying to find a proper way to convey my thoughts and you did it for me. The last thing this guy is thinking about is sentence syntax and word meaning. I would interpret his sign to mean that he needs a job, money and because of his circumstance he does not have a women/companion in his life and he is lonely. I normally stay away from the sexism and men are pigs comments but has the poster ever been homeless a day in their life. This post is exactly why some people have grown tired of DU.

[BronxBoy]

129. I agree....

This is just stupid

[Marr]

119. I expect he's still out there, while you're complaining about his sign in your comfortable home.

I'd be embarrassed posting something like this.

[TheSarcastinator]

120. this OP demonstrates a sad reality

that while some people may be lacking in money, others can be equally as bankrupt in terms of generosity of spirit.

[Fumesucker]

121. I posted this a while back..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023007056

Ever had an OP unexpectedly "blow up in your face"?

Yeah, I've had it happen back on DU2 and got my ass handed to me and no I'm not linking to it even if I could find it.

I've had my thinking changed several times by that sort of thing, make an assumption and make an ass of myself.

Most of the time these days I manage to get my brain engaged before I hit <enter> but every now and then...

That's what happened to this kid, he wrote something that you took in a way he may well have not meant..

Has it ever happened to you on DU?

[BlueJazz]

133. What Fumesucker said. Yep.

[frylock]

130. Question: are you married, and do you refer to your partner as MY husband or MY wife?

and does that not also imply ownership?

[titaniumsalute]

132. Of COURSE NOT

I call her my old lady.

[BronxBoy]

141. SEXIST!!!!!!!!!

[titaniumsalute]

144. LOL

My wife was standing next to me when I types this. I showed it to her and she punched me. And it's her birthday so an extra sore subject today regarding the word "Old."

[REP]

164. It implies a relationship, the same way "my mother" or "my brother" does

I refer to the man with whom I've entered a legal relationship as "some dude I married."

[NanceGreggs]

135. And you lost me the minute you posted this.

Your lack of empathy and compassion is only surpassed by your incredibly bizarre need to find sexism in a sign conveying this poor guy's plight.

YOU are the one who immediately jumped to the conclusion that he was expressing "possession" by saying he had no woman. You might want to consider what that says about you.

[Agschmid]

139. THIS.

[Rex]

142. I hope you never have the Blues.

Or have to live in destitute alone. Seriously, you should delete this OP it is sad on so many levels. 'No woman' means he doesn't have anyone to love or feel compassion for. Why you must read something into it that is not there, I have no idea.

Thank GOD you didn't stop and embarrass yourself in front of that poor homeless man. I can't even believe what I am reading. I've seen cold hearted before but WOW. Did it occur to you that he might not have had a meal in days? Do you have any idea how malnutrition effects the brain and body?

Seriously, I know you won't be...so I will be embarrassed for you.

[pnwmom]

146. Three years ago I took in a young woman I didn't know, who desperately needed a home.

And she's still with us, going to community college and welcome to stay as long as she wants.

So I understand about people who need a home. I also understand about men who think women are objects.

[BronxBoy]

154. Well good for you.........

Without speaking one word to this guy, without know his situation or frame of mind, how do you come to the conclusion that his words meant what you think they mean? Really...Absent any sort of context, with you speeding by...how did your size this guy up as a sexist?

[arcane1]

155. Hopefully, other people acted like liberals toward him.

[Rex]

163. Do you understand how to read minds? That is the only way to know what he meant.

You can make this into a mountain, but it comes off totally cold. He doesn't have a women in his life...'no women'. Sorry, but you are just making this into something it is not. What if he is semi-literate yet has a lot of empathy toward people? Maybe the marker he found in the garbage was running out.

You sound like Mr. Scrooge.

[BellaLuna]

145. Please advise us how to convey such things

Is this wrong?
My husband/wife'
Her husband?
His wife?
Her wife?
His husband?
His girlfriend.

etc..

All those imply possession by the use of the words her/his/my. Why is what he said different really?

Perhaps you simply like to be outraged and can't take a guy down on his luck who is saying he is broke and lonely.

[pnwmom]

153. Don't include "no woman" in a list of items you lack. Women aren't possessions, and

they're not interchangeable.

[BronxBoy]

161. I'm going to ask you again.....

how do you know that's what he meant?

[Skeeter Barnes]

156. I don't know what's more sad, you or the homeless guy.

[TheManInTheMac]

159. Cool story, bro.

[prayin4rain]

167. Nothing to call his own. ...

That poor man has nothing to call his own and you want to whine about the fact that many men in this society think women are something they own? And that many men act accordingly by punishing their women when they act unacceptably or kill them when they try to leave the men who own them. Sheesh, have a heart stupid woman and some compassion for this poor man without a woman, a house, a job, or a dog. I swear, some of the women on this board are just out of hand with the mentalities that bother them. Next time you have a thought, please keep it to yourself, a message board is no place for such things.