LOS ANGELES—In an effort to reframe the conversation by ending the discussion altogether, advocates across the country encouraged the public on Monday to stop using any term at all to refer to homeless people. “Given the widespread chronic issue of unhoused individuals, we recommend that people who want to discuss the homelessness problem in the United States refrain from making any reference to them whatsoever,” said activist Daniel Morganson, who added that instead of saying “homeless,” it would be far more acceptable to silently stare off into the distance. “Any mention of the homeless could be considered offensive, which is why it’s important for everyone to act like they don’t exist. We don’t want to risk humanizing them.” At press time, the advocates clarified that it was still okay to call the homeless “subhuman leeches on society.”
link: https://www.theonion.com/advocates-encourage-public-to-stop-using-any-term-at-al-1851012110
I watched the miniseries on the cult in Oregon in the 80s recently, and my biggest takeaway was the anchors referring to “street people” as if it wasn’t the strangest thing to say. I guess it’s better than hobo.