I was curious when I first heard Michael Moore was making a new documentary. Given his controversial film history I couldn’t wait to find out what he was reporting on. Then, I heard it was about capitalism and I was hooked. “Capitalism: A Love Story” exposes just how corrupt the American business model is and how it exploits some of the hardest working people. The movie was great but I found one part particularly disturbing – tent cities in America. Tent cities are byproduct of the recession. As more and more people lose their jobs and homes, tent cities are popping up across the nation. Literally people who just a few months earlier were living in homes are now camping out together in cities full of tents (hence the name).
Some of the largest encampments are in major U.S. cities such as Reno, Seattle and Nashville according to “Tent Cities in America: Signs of the Current Recession,” by associated content.com. I remember sitting in the theatre thinking “Are you serious? This is happening in America?” I don’t consider myself naïve and I’m aware that there’s a large homeless population but tent cities in America? I can’t help but wonder if there’s a better alternative for people. But after some research and YouTube searches, I learned tent cities aren’t all bad. OK, yeah sure, the idea of people losing their homes and living in campgrounds is awful, but tent cities help more than just victims of the recession. According to a report by Moblogic.tv, homelessness in Los Angeles is such a huge issue that the city directs some homeless people 45 miles east to a tent city in Ontario, Calif. For many who arrive to the tent city, it is a “refuge” the report says and offers a better alternative to sidewalks and park benches. I guess the bigger issue here is homelessness and how America is going to handle the issue but that’s a question I’m can’t answer. In any case, Moore’s new film exposed me to a greater issue than I imagined and I’m sure that was his intent – to reveal some dark truth about American culture.
