Posted on 02/27/2005 11:20:21 AM PST by TheOtherOne
This has been going on in Hollywood since at least the 60's, the beacon of stardom, cheap and plentiful drugs, and the "sex, drugs and rock and roll" lifestyle calls them. I used to have to deal with them when i was hanging out in Hollywood at the peak of the 80's boom when Guns N' Roses debuted - most of these kids *chose* to run away from home and think living on the streets is glamorous - lots of the wannabe rawk stars back then even thought it gave you more credibility to be "from the streets", and lots of musicians who made it would lie about it in interviews, claiming to have lived on the streets to make them look tough, when we all knew that were trust fund babies or had stripper girlfriends who paid the bills on comfy apartments. We used to talk to these kids, they're just fanatically naive - they thought getting a job was "selling out", they just did'nt get it - they expected free handouts, got bitter and nasty when you did'nt "share" what you had with them, and were more concerned with their drug use than eating, all the while badmouthing everyone and everything because society refuses to fund their extended vacation from responsibility. (sound familier?)
I just can't summon any pity for these kids, we used to try and help them, but they'd just spit in your face if you tried to do more than just hand your money and possesions over to them, rip you off blind if you turned your back, and laughed at you if you tried to talk to them about getting out of all that.
There's plenty of organizations that try to help these kids out, like Children Of The Night, donate if you want, but the best solution is to give these kids car fare so they can go home. Nothing forced these kids there, they're rolling the dice for "stardom", and childishly refusing to better themselves so they can perpetuate a silly rawk and roll posture they think makes them better "artists". Like the article says, most of them will try it for a while, and when it gets colder at night around November, they'll skedaddle back home.
If you make it easier for them, there will just be more of them, thinking it's cool to live off handouts, spare change and dumpster diving.
this is typical...Immature kids punish Foster parents for the sins of the real Parents. They try to believe that they can run away and erase the past. but life is tough for everyone in some way.
They "Blew it" when they ran off.
Now they wallow in self pity..and form their little "Victim" identity. justifing Lieing,stealing,and not really trying to work.
It all boils down to Rebellion, and blame of others.
they never get better untill they "Grow-up"
It's a place fairly dripping with dispair. It took me all of about three days to come to that conclusion, turn around and get my sorry ass back to school. No regrets.
They probably don't even know what "growing up" is. Broken families are a pretty consistent theme. It's not reasonable to expect a person to understand something they've never been exposed to.
I fall into the Generation X age group and for me to have an 18 year old right now I would have had to have given birth in high school. You are really stretching the limits there.
When I lived in Santa Barbara in the late 70's, we had many homeless as well. And, yes the weather was a big draw. There were always slews of guys from Boston or Philadelphia who had decided to "go West, young man!" working as bartenders and busboys or waiters, as well.
I think the myth-making machine of Hollywood creates a reality to the weak-minded. I grew up in the Central Valley and always knew the "make it in Hollywood" scenario was nonsense. Unfortunately, when I lived on the East coast I can't tell you how many people, young and old, got starry-eyed when I told them I was from California.
They were under the impression that it was wall-to-wall movies stars and we all palled together.
You must live near me.....the urban outdoorsman have it pretty good in Santa Monica. They get ocean front meals and sleep on the beach.....people in 3rd world countries don't live as well.
But I knew better anyhow. ....well someone had to say it. THANKS!
You're right, but I also think that by the time he was placed in the foster home at 14, too much damage was done for him to think rationally.
That's exactly right. It's easy to say he made poor choices but, while that is technically true, it isn't that simple.
If your whole life is lived in turmoil and you're filled with anxiety it's pretty damn hard to make all these wise choices people are talking about. I am by no means a bleeding heart, but what happens is that these kids just don't have the same tools to cope with their situation and make decisions that others do.
Covenant House does heroic service in the best tradition of Christian chairty. Bill Simon is a major supporter of that organization, something he did not emphasize enough during his gubernatorial campaign.
Isla Vista! Gad! You poor thing. I lived on Olive St off of Micheltorena. I could walk to work at the El Presidio.
Santa Barbara is indeed a beautiful city, and is the only city in the USA to have completed their landscaping project. The big concerns when I was living there, was the development of East Beach and the Futures Foundation which at that time was headed by Fess Parker.
Is the AP really that stupid? Do they REALLY believe that when 20,000 no-talent doofuses come to LA every year and fail to become stars, that society is at fault?
Well, at least you don't call us slackers anymore.
Why are you hassling MR? He agrees with you, ya nut. :P
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