Big Issue?
Before I start, I know this is a contentious subject, and I'm by no means racist. Just so you know.

In our small market town there's been a guy who sells The Big Issue outside the town supermarket for around a year. I bought it from him for the first few weeks because I thought I'd like to support someone who needed help.

He's of an ethnic persuasion, presentable and polite.

However, at times, he was replaced with an ethnic lady selling the mag. Then a few days later, a different ethnic guy. Then, again, the lady with a small child.

This got me thinking. Is this a homeless family? There's no hostel or anything in this town, no facilities within fifteen or twenty miles for homeless types. Did all four of them sleep rough in our small town?

Secondly... isn't selling The Big Issue supposed to be a path to getting housed, getting a 'normal job' as opposed to a long-term career?

I've always felt uneasy with this kind of guilt-inducing marketing so I stopped buying it. And the thing with the 'family' members selling too just didn't sit right with me.

Am I a bastard? Or does anyone else feel the same? Your thoughts please.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Wed 22 Oct 2008, 13:30, 6 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Why not ask them?
A bet not a lot of people chat to them. Give it a try. Maybe they get up really early every day and take a bus to your town from the nearest city where they live in a homeless hostel. Who knows?

I challenge you to find out and report back.
(Che Grimsdale Best before:, Wed 22 Oct 2008, 13:37, Reply)

Don't they get vetted by the magazine people?
.
( girlinthehole, Wed 22 Oct 2008, 13:46, Reply)

You don't have to be homeless
so I understand. If you have been homeless you can sell it.

*edit* From their website:
The Big Issue is sold by homeless and vulnerably housed people. In order to sell the magazine a potential vendor will need to prove they are homeless, by showing receipts from any hostels that they have been staying in or a letter of referral.
( Mrs Entity is in hiding., Wed 22 Oct 2008, 13:47, Reply)

I don't think
the big issue is guilt induced marketing. Some people like to support homeless people by giving them a quid.

Some people like the magazine so they buy it to read.

Personally, I think it's a brilliant idea and fully support it, but I hate the magazine itself as it's far too left wing for my liking (i'm a pretty liberal bloke as many of you who have met me will attest to, but i'm not as hardline as the editors of TBI). So I don't buy it.
(Bazongaloid, Wed 22 Oct 2008, 14:07, Reply)

.
If the question isn't racist, then what does the BI seller's "ethnic persuasion" have to do with anything? Given that thickos of the white persuasion have no trouble at all in living a trouble-free life entirely at the expense of everyone else.
( browser still relating boring anecdotes into a void on, Wed 22 Oct 2008, 23:31, Reply)

The ethnic thing
was to indicate that I believe they're from the same family. There are hardly any minorities in this town.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 7:49, Reply)