# Criminalization of Poverty/Homelessness and the Holocaust **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 14, 2015, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674 "2015-04-14T18:36:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![protoboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/21 "2015-04-15T00:26:49Z")
> [@Jack\_of\_Words](#): > > When they put the homeless (note, not ‘homeless people’, because dehumanisation is part of the process) in labour camps (rather than ‘work for welfare’ programmes) and then gas them (rather than just letting them die) _then_ you can come here and tell us we should have woken up sooner, you crazy hyperbolist. The phrase “human capital” sounds pretty damn Nazi-esque, I must say. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/22 "2015-04-15T00:55:42Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > How is letting them die much different from the Holocaust? Not all of the Holocaust victims were gassed, many of them were simply worked to death and/or starved which is what the right wing wants to do to the poor. Exaggeration and hyperbole doesn’t help the cause. Even if it’s a good cause. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/23 "2015-04-15T01:40:03Z")
> [@Stuffy](#): > > That’s so cute. Thanks! I also do Barmitzvahs and children’s parties. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/24 "2015-04-15T09:46:03Z")
If the poor are victims of genocide, so are the elderly, the sick, the disabled, the mentally challenged, illegal aliens, people of color, the under-educated, people with HIV, and to some extent women, gays, Jews, Muslims, atheists, children, etc., etc., etc. Equating any of this to the Holocaust is insulting to victims and survivors or the Holocaust, and their families. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/25 "2015-04-15T10:51:26Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Is poverty a serious problem in America? Yes. Anyone who thinks there’s _real_ poverty in the U.S. needs to take a tour of third-world countries for a month. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/26 "2015-04-15T11:13:14Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > The phrase “human capital” sounds pretty damn Nazi-esque, I must say. Swing and a miss. > [@](#): > > Economist Theodore Schultz invented the term in the 1960s to reflect the value of our human capacities. He believed human capital was like any other type of capital; it could be invested in through education, training and enhanced benefits that will lead to an improvement in the quality and level of production. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/27 "2015-04-15T11:27:47Z")
Wondering what the Nazi equivalent to Oprah is? A poor, black, woman, born out of wedlock, in a racist backwater, in the 50’s. Now one of the richest and most powerful people in America. Worshipped by many, admired by the world. Your comparison is beyond silly, in my opinion. It’s offensive to thinking people, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/28 "2015-04-15T13:58:07Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > How is letting them die much different from the Holocaust? Not all of the Holocaust victims were gassed, many of them were simply worked to death and/or starved which is what the right wing wants to do to the poor. Like I said, you’re making up a fantasy world. Nobody on the right wing wants to work poor people to death or starve them. At worst, some people on the right exploit poor people and some people on the right wing ignore the fate of poor people - but nobody is encouraging a program of actively killing poor people. You’re doing a service to the right wing. By accusing them of something they’re innocent of, you’re diverting attention from the things they’re actually doing. You want to help poor people? Stop writing about non-existent problems and start doing something about real problems. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/29 "2015-04-15T13:59:53Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Anyone who thinks there’s _real_ poverty in the U.S. needs to take a tour of third-world countries for a month. “Things are worse in Burundi” is no excuse for problems in America. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/30 "2015-04-15T14:22:39Z")
It’s not against the law for a middle class or rich person to take in a homeless person, and let him live in their spare room, attic, garage, or tool shed, to feed him, and give him cast-off clothing. It was against German law to do this for Jews. > [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Anyone who thinks there’s _real_ poverty in the U.S. needs to take a tour of third-world countries for a month. This is true. However, it is an embarrassment to the US how unevenly distributed resources are. ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/31 "2015-04-15T16:45:14Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > I’m sure many people in Nazi Germany thought the idea the Nazis would actually kill the Jews en masse was silly, even though they openly suggested it for years. The GOP never outright say they want to physically eliminate the homeless and disabled and enslave the poor, but they are nonetheless very open about their desire to. You’re Gallileoing here. People didn’t expect the Nazis to kill people, but people also didn’t expect GWB to refuse to leave office on January 20, 2009 – and they were right. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/32 "2015-04-15T16:56:08Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Swing and a miss. > > > [@](#): > > > > Economist Theodore Schultz… That wouldn’t be the notorious Sgt. Shultz, would it? The sadistic prison guard at a Nazi POW camp during WW II? Protoboard is right! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/33 "2015-04-15T17:17:53Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Like I said, you’re making up a fantasy world. Nobody on the right wing wants to work poor people to death or starve them. Speak for yourself, buster. _:runs off to annex the Sudetenland:_ Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/34 "2015-04-15T17:40:18Z")
I am as liberal as it gets but this comparison is offensive. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674/35 "2015-04-15T18:34:43Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > The comparison is odious. > > That said, let me point out that there is a war against the poor. Get caught with an ounce of pot, go to jail for ten years, get out and then try to get a job. Practically every job app wants to know about criminal record and will not hire if you do. So you turn to selling pot. Back in prison for 20 years and your life is essentially finished. I agree but it’s an unintended war meaning that politicians from both sides don’t seem to want to do anything about it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criminalization-of-poverty-homelessness-and-the-holocaust/717674.md?page=1)