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Supervisor candidates clash over hobo bash

September 5, 2014

hoboBy JOSH FRIEDMAN

A planned fundraiser for San Luis Obispo County supervisor candidate Lynn Compton involving “hobo stew” has become the center of the latest controversy in the nasty campaign for the fourth district seat.

The Compton campaign is planning an Oct. 5 fundraiser at the Oceano train depot in which attendees are invited to come dressed in hobo attire and eat soup dubbed hobo stew. The fundraiser has prompted allegations from incumbent Caren Ray’s campaign that Compton is showing contempt for homeless individuals.

“Are you appalled, offended and outraged by this disgusting lack of compassion for a segment of our county’s population which Lynn Compton is supposedly campaigning to represent,” Ray’s treasurer Kathie Matsuyama wrote in an email to supporters.

Supervisor Adam Hill also chimed in, encouraging others to forward Matsuyama’s email and to post about the issue on social media pages.

But, Compton’s campaign says that Ray’s supporters have drummed up a controversy by twisting the definition of hobo.

A hobo is not a homeless person, the Compton campaign says. Rather it is a traditional American lifestyle that values travel over stationary living and involves work, just usually in short stints. They also noted that this same type of hobo event has been done for years by the Oceano Elks.

“This is no way of disparaging homeless people,” Compton supporter Linda Austin said in an email. “Hobos are part of American lore.”

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A hobo wanders and works, a tramp wanders and dreams and a bum neither wanders or works.


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HOBO CODE:


An ethical code was created by Tourist Union #63 during its 1889 National Hobo Convention in St. Louis Missouri. This code was voted upon as a concrete set of laws to govern the Nation-wide Hobo Body; it reads this way:


1. Decide your own life, don’t let another person run or rule you.

2. When in town, always respect the local law and officials, and try to be a gentleman at all times.

3. Don’t take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, locals or other hobos.

4. Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants. By doing so you not only help a business along, but ensure employment should you return to that town again.

5. When no employment is available, make your own work by using your added talents at crafts.

6. Do not allow yourself to become a stupid drunk and set a bad example for locals’ treatment of other hobos.

7. When jungling in town, respect handouts, do not wear them out, another hobo will be coming along who will need them as bad, if not worse than you.

8. Always respect nature, do not leave garbage where you are jungling.

9. If in a community jungle, always pitch in and help.

10. Try to stay clean, and boil up wherever possible.

11. When traveling, ride your train respectfully, take no personal chances, cause no problems with the operating crew or host railroad, act like an extra crew member.

12. Do not cause problems in a train yard, another hobo will be coming along who will need passage through that yard.

13. Do not allow other hobos to molest children, expose all molesters to authorities, they are the worst garbage to infest any society.

14. Help all runaway children, and try to induce them to return home.

15. Help your fellow hobos whenever and wherever needed, you may need their help someday.

16. If present at a hobo court and you have testimony, give it. Whether for or against the accused, your voice counts!


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These “codes” are a sick joke. They perpetrate the bigoted idea that homeless /hoboes are either unable, unwilling, or undeserving of the rights and opportunities that other classes of people are.


If you disagree, here is a test: take these codes and, wherever the word “hoboes” is used, substitute “African-Americans” or “women. ” This should more easily show the bigotry of these “codes.”


This “code” seeks to control a group of people: the homeless “hobo” population.


The first code tells homeless/hoboes to “Decide your own life, don’t let another person run or rule you.” IRonically, this first cod is then followed by 15 codes which tell homeless/hoboes what to do, including ratting out on other homeless/hoboes who run afoul of these controlling codes and end up in “Hobo court.”


Worse, the code itself is demeaning. Hoboes/homeless people come from all walks of life. They are not feral humans who must be told about cleanliness and polite ways to ask for handouts, nor do they have to be told that they should protect children by not allowing “other hoboes ” to molest children.


Can you think of another group of people where “codes” include not allowing other members of the group to molest children? That gives the impression that hoboes/homeless people are prone to molesting children and there needs to be a formal code to encourage others of the group to not molest kids.


And what about child molesters who are not hobos? If a hobo sees a child being molested by a non-hobo, should the hobo ignore it? Or is the implication here that only homeless hoboes molest children?


Also, the code advises that homeless hoboes “…seek out jobs nobody wants.”. Can you think of any other group of people who would be advised not to get the best job they can? Or the job of their dreams? Why should homeless hoboes be relegated to the jobs nobody wants? Are the authors of this code seeking to ensure the homeless hoboes remain homeless?


How about the code that urges homeless hoboes to not become a “stupid drunk”? Are homeless hoboes more prone to being “stupid drunks” than other classes of people? If you think that is true, you have probably not spent time doing much golfing or yachting, or at dance clubs. Yet I have never heard of as golf course, yacht club, or dance club with a code that admonishes their members/customers to not be a stupid drunk.


If you want to support Lynn Compton’s election chances, instead of trying to support her bigotry, you might want to talk to her about cleaning in this fundraiser mess, which is centered around her poorly chosen fundraiser event theme. In this way, she can put this mess behind her before we get any closer to election day.


In addition, you might want to consider not posting codes for homeless behavior which are, themselves, examples of bigotry. It just reinforces the idea that some of Compton’s supporters see nothing wrong with bigotry.


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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1n5CQe1krI


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Another ad hominem attack.


Are you trying to get Caren Ray elected, or what.


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Alas, the oppression in a sunset crowd at work again. There is a lesson here. This manufactured outrage exemplifies the Alinsky, rules for radicals, tactics of distraction. Void of solutions, this cabal of so called progressives repeatedly will bleat this sort of nonsense to distract from the uncomfortable truth. They are totally void of practical remedies to address complex problems. In a nutshell, they’re immature children beating the drum of hysteria at the back of the classroom. The injustice here, as Citizen eloquently stated, is associating the so called “homeless” (street based drug addicts and drunks) with the homeward bound. Tell me Mary Malone, how many of these “homeless” would you invite into your home for a meal? My grandmother fed hundreds during the depression, and asked for only one thing; that they write a letter to their mother while they enjoyed their meal. Yes, she furnished the materials and stamp. Would you do the same? I don’t think so, because it would at your own peril. Have a lovely day.


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The issue is not who I choose to dine with.


The issue is Compton’s poorly chosen fundraiser theme.


If you want to help Compton move beyond this, suggest to her that she apologize for her poor choice in fundraiser theme.


She still has time to achieve damage control. However, as long as she clings to talking points which include “there is nothing wrong with making fun of homeless people,” she will not be able to put this behind her.


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The outrage is not manufactured.


Ray did not choose a fundraiser theme which denigrates homeless people. It is Compton who made that choice.


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This race is no longer about who is most qualified, but who is able to sling the most dirt. Special interests are prevailing on both sides. The policos supporting Caren Ray and the money interests supporting Lynn Compton. With this type of fight, there really is not a candidate who does not have their personal interests at heart.


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No political race is ever about the most qualified, or the most experience, wisdom, or gravitas. It’s about discrediting your opponent any way possible, all the way back to 10 years old if need be.


That is why 50 percent of us stay home every election, there hasn’t been a candidate worthy of a vote in 20 years.


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Perhaps you’re right, but voting is worthy if it keeps people like Adam Hill, Bruce Gibson, and Caren Ray OUT of office.


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But they are all in office.


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Because 50% of you stayed home.


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Money interests!


Wow! All the big $$$ coming into Caren are from developers with projects before the county. What $$$ does she need? Does she have an office? Does she have to spend money to get her message out there or is she a frequent guest on TV, radio and The Tribune for FREE? Drop this subject it is a looser.


If a candidate can raise the $$$ then the candidate can do more to get their message out there via media, especially when they are a brand new campaign.


I do not care about the overall $$$, I care about how a supervisor will vote and whether or not they are here to destroy our rights and freedoms or roll back all the restrictions already levied?


The boot of the government is closing in on our throats and your current supervisor wants to make it easier to raise taxes on me and you. Why don’t you all talk about that?


Go Lynn Go!


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I wish they would switch the theme to “Mimes”, then at least everyone would be quiet about it.


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Please, please, please make sure Adam Hill is invited and forced to attend. It will be our ONLY opportunity to see him keep his mouth shut!


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In my experience, not speaking about a problem rarely makes it go away. This is especially true in politics.


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I have long wanted to see Putin vs Obama fight in the octagon (and the obvious outcome). Now I think I’d prefer ray vs Compton in either oil or jello. Just no hair pulling girls.


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Ms. Malone enough with the outrage already! This is an issue made up of whole cloth; comparing 1930’s Hobos to present day homeless people displays a lack of historical knowledge. Further, bringing in slavery and Uncle Tom mixes by innuendo three separate and distinct historical phenomena.


First, Hobos have been celebrated in literature, movies, and song – they cannot correctly be compared to today’s homeless population and such comparison displays only a nefarious and disingenuous motive.


Second, the Depot has been the site of similarly themed parties without so much as a peep of opposition.


Third, Ms. Compton nor her campaign intended any disrespect to any group by organizing the party nor should any such intent be inferred.


So, lighten up Ms. Malone and let’s discuss the real issues in this campaign not manufactured hysteria!


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Hobos received no public assistance from shelters, food stamps, medical aid, Adam Hill or Dee Torres. The homeless situation is very sad, Different time different circumstances. Let’s move on.


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I would love to move on. Just get Compton to stop pimping a disadvantaged group of people for political purposes, and take responsibility for her clueless mistake, and I am done here….


…that is, until Compton’s next debacle.


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Hobos, beatniks, and dunites (Oceano) are historical groups. They no longer exist, but they are all part of California’s history. Compton is not pimping the homeless.


The clueless mistake was made by Caren Ray’s treasurer, Kathie Matsuyama, and she’s the one who needs to offer her apology for her lack of knowledge about U.S. and California history.


While I realize that some people may use the term hobo for a single man on the street corner with a sign asking for money, the usage is incorrect, just as calling the dunites “homeless” would be incorrect. They built and lived in modest homes in the sand dunes, just not in a housing development.


In my opinion, this attack by Caren Ray’s campaign is like the attack Adam Hill made on Colab–accusing a nationally known comedian who impersonated both Bush and Obama by donning masks and make-up–of being a racist and using blackface in his act.


The only people riding trains these days are the illegal immigrants coming in from Central America, and that’s because the Mexican train (the beast) travels at an average speed of 10 miles per hour.


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Geeze Mary…enough already! Make another point, you’ve beat this dead horse enough.


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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k80nW6AOhTs


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Nice try at rewriting reality, but it won’t wash.


Hobos include homeless people. Not all homeless people are unemployed. Whatever way you look at it, homeless people are disadvantaged in our society.


Therefore, Compton showed horrifically bad taste by using a group of disadvantaged people to laugh for political fundraising purposes.


She needs to take responsibility for her debacle so she can move on.


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You’re just… wrong.


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I thought the Colonial Bros and Nava Hos party showed more creativity. This is the best Lynn could come up with– a Hobo stew fundraiser. Very weak. She should have consulted a fraternity or two. Now I question her creativity and research abilities.


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Hobo ethical code

An ethical code was created by Tourist Union #63 during its 1889 National Hobo Convention in St. Louis Missouri. This code was voted upon as a concrete set of laws to govern the Nation-wide Hobo Body; it reads this way:


Decide your own life, don’t let another person run or rule you.


When in town, always respect the local law and officials, and try to be a gentleman at all times


Don’t take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, locals or other hobos.


Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants. By doing so you not only help a business along, but ensure employment should you return to that town again.


When no employment is available, make your own work by using your added talents at crafts.


Do not allow yourself to become a stupid drunk and set a bad example for locals’ treatment of other hobos.


When jungling in town, respect handouts, do not wear them out, another hobo will be coming along who will need them as badly, if not worse than you.


Always respect nature, do not leave garbage where you are jungling.


If in a community jungle, always pitch in and help.


Try to stay clean, and boil up wherever possible.


When traveling, ride your train respectfully, take no personal chances, cause no problems with the operating crew or host railroad, act like an extra crew member.


Do not cause problems in a train yard, another hobo will be coming along who will need passage through that yard.


Do not allow other hobos to molest children, expose all molesters to authorities, they are the worst garbage to infest any society.


Help all runaway children, and try to induce them to return home.


Help your fellow hobos whenever and wherever needed, you may need their help someday.


If present at a hobo court and you have testimony, give it. Whether for or against the accused, your voice counts!


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Lee Marvin in “Emperor of the North”


A no. 1: [At the end of the movie, A No. 1 throws Cigaret off of the train, into a pond, and shouts to him from the train] Hey kid you got no class. Hit the bums, kid. Run like the devil. Get a tin can and take up mooching. Knock on back doors for a nickel.


A no. 1: Tell them your story. Make ‘em weep. You could have been a meat-eater, kid. But you didn’t listen to me when I laid it down.


A no. 1: Stay off the tracks. Forget it. Its a bum’s world for a bum. You’ll never be Emperor of the North Pole, kid. You had the juice, kid, but not the heart and they go together. You’re all gas and no feel, and nobody can teach you that, not even A-No.1. So stay off the train, she’ll throw you under for sure. Remember me for that. So long, kid.


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