USA: HOMELESS PEOPLE IN LOS ANGELES ARE URGED TO GET OUT AND VOTE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Record ID:
328728
USA: HOMELESS PEOPLE IN LOS ANGELES ARE URGED TO GET OUT AND VOTE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
- Title: USA: HOMELESS PEOPLE IN LOS ANGELES ARE URGED TO GET OUT AND VOTE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
- Date: 4th November 2004
- Summary: (U7) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 2, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. SLV PEOPLE WALKING ON STREETS; SLV HOMELESS PEOPLE WITH CARTS 0.36 2. MV VOLUNTEERS BEING BRIEFED AT LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK 0.49 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BECKY DENNISON, VOLUNTEER, LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK, SAYING: "Our aim is to get as many homeless and low income people from the central cities community out to vote today, there's eleven thousand of us living in this community and we need to hear their voices is heard." 0.59 4. MV VOLUNTEERS WITH LEAFLETS LEAVING COMMUNITY CENTRE; MV VOLUNTEERS HANDING OUT LEAFLETS AND ASKING PEOPLE TO VOTE 1.33 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SHANI MANTELEY, SAYING: "Yes, I'm going into Pasadena (to vote) I should be there by four and I'm going to be voting for Bush. Why? Because Republicans represent money and power." 1.50 6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ESTHER LAWRENCE, SAYING: "Well actually, I'm undecided right now but I think I'm going to vote for George Bush, yes I am." 1.56 7. VOLUNTEERS TALKING TO HOMELESS PEOPLE 2.03 8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BILAL MAFUNDI ALI, VOLUNTEER, LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK, SAYING: "Well, the biggest challenge for me today is fighting some misconceptions and untruths that people down here have been told, for instance, those who were in prison and have finished their parole period, they're been told that they cannot vote, so we're out here letting people know they can vote if they're registered to vote with us, they can vote, if they're no longer on parole." 2.25 9. SLV PEOPLE ON THE STREETS; PEOPLE WALKING BY HOMELESS CARTS 2.43 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) "LIGHTER MAN", SAYING: "No Ma'am, I'm thinking very much about voting, it seems to be a pretty tight election, I think, I don't care for Bush that much, he's from my home town, and I don't care for him that much. So, I believe I'll vote for Kerry. I don't even know that much about him, but I kind of like his name, I liked what I've read about him, and he seems to have a nice wife, so I think I'll vote for Kerry." 3.02 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TONY WHITE, SAYING: "I'm going to vote for Kerry, because Bush is not doing nothing for the homeless." 3.08 12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARY ELLEN MARQUEZ SAYING: "First, I lost my privileges of being able to vote because I have a felony. Two, I'm homeless now, unfortunately and I don't know what's going on in this world and that's pretty much it." 3.27 13. HOMELESS CARTS AND EXTERIOR OF MIDNIGHT MISSION; SLV VOLUNTEERS OF LA CAN AT POLLING BOOTHS; MV PEOPLE VOTING 14. MV BILAL MAFUNDI ALI, VOLUNTEER, LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK TALKING TO HOMELESS PEOPLE INSIDE MIDNIGHT MISSION 4.15 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 19th November 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVADPJZIUYOJ0XGVWXM7OGM72VXJ
- Story Text: Homeless people in Los Angeles are being urged to
get out and vote in the Presidential election.
Skid Row is a long way from Hollywood, but the Los
Angeles Community Action Network (LA CAN) is making sure
that homeless people are aware that their vote is crucial
in the Presidential Election.
Thousands of men, women and children spend their lives
on the streets of Los Angeles: some are afflicted with
mental illness, others are ex cons, most have no money, no
work and no hope.
Nevertheless, Becky Dennison is determined to motivate
them, she told Reuters, "Our aim is to get as many homeless
and low income people from the Central Cities community out
to vote today, there's eleven thousand of us living in this
community and we need to make sure our voice is heard."
After volunteers are assigned specific areas of
downtown Los Angeles, they hit the streets, to persuade
those who literally have nothing, to vote in what everyone
is calling the most important election for years.
Shani Manteley is a newcomer to street life, a former
teacher, she's been homeless now for seven weeks but has
high hopes of living the American dream and believes
President George W. Bush can help her accomplish that.
"Yes, I'm going into Pasadena (to vote)" claims Shani,
"I should be there by four (o'clock) and I'm going to be
voting for Bush, because Republicans represent money and
power."
Esther Lawrence, who has been on the streets for a lot
longer, is waiting until the last minute to decide who
she'll vote for, but thinks the current administration
offers more hope for the future."
"Actually, I'm undecided right now," confessed Esther,
"but I think I'm going to vote for George Bush, yes I am."
Bilal Mafundi Ali, is one of a dozen volunteers helping
to get out the vote, but he's the first to admit convincing
homeless people to get involved is no easy task.
Bilal told Reuters, "The biggest challenge for me
today, is fighting some of the misconceptions and untruths
that people down here have been told. For instance, those
who were in prison and have finished their parole period,
they're being told that they cannot vote, so we're out here
letting people know that they can vote. If they're
registered to vote with us, they can vote, if they're no
longer on parole."
"Lighter Man" hails from the same part of the country
as the President, but says he'd rather vote for Senator
Kerry than the current administration.
"I'm thinking very much about voting," confides
"Lighter Man", "it seems to be a pretty tight election, I
think, I don't care for Bush that much, he's from my home
town, and I don't care for him that much. So, I believe
I'll vote for Kerry. I don't even know that much about
him, but I kind of like his name, I liked what I've read
about him, and he seems to have a nice wife, so I think
I'll vote for Kerry."
"Lighter Man" is not the only Kerry fan. Fellow
Democrat, Tony White, says nothing would persuade him to
change his mind. "I'm going to vote for Kerry," says
White, "because Bush is not doing nothing for the
homeless."
Mary Ellen Marquez told Reuters she is not allowed to
vote. "First, I lost my privileges of being able to vote
because I have a felony," said Marquez, "Two, I'm homeless
now, unfortunately, and I don't know what's going on in
this world, and that's pretty much it."
A polling booth has been set up at The Midnight
Mission, but while others ponder and choose, the majority
of homeless people are more interested in watching a movie
rerun. There's no doubt, life on skid row is extremely grim
and these people have little faith in a system that's let
them down time and again, so, it's hardly surprising that
they feel there are more important things to worry about
than the Presidential Election.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None