Ask HN: Just got an innocent man out of prison. What now?

Given that MY view is that he should fundamentally have a say, there is no way that what he wants for himself in any way contradicts what I am saying here. You are putting words in my mouth based on prejudice. I have not suggested he should value being homeless. Nowhere have I suggested any such thing.

I suggested that he should be given options and not have publicity crammed down his throat as his only option. If he desires to go the publicity route, awesome! More power to him. But if he doesn't desire it and is given zero options, he may go with it because he has been in prison for 11 years and the world has changed and he has few connections out in the world and a fuckton of obstacles.

I was thinking of starting a website a while ago and even bought the domain, then released it, called www.helpahomelessperson.com. The goal behind it is/was to just list a homeless person and their needs, a person who is more well off would have to post their listing most likely and they would take pictures, video interviews and tell their story for them.

Then you would have people that wanted to help (visitors) and would browse around the site and find a story of someone who struck a chord with them and they could donate anonymously or publicly in terms of anything they wanted.

The key to the site is for someone to be an amabassador for the homeless person and really get that persons story out there and up on the site. The 'internet' would do the rest.

Also caution would need to be taken to not force someone to accept a person's donation, because some people might expect something in return or just be bad news, like a company who just wants publicity.

Anyways, the idea is still valid, I just haven't had the time to pursue it yet.

This happens all the time I am sure. Would be a great Show HN.

Yeah, if our system puts innocent people away they should reimburse them for that severe fuck up. Maybe focus on changing that law, for the big picture.

Just my 2 cents, so please read with a grain of salt.

From your story, you appear to have a stronger connection to Ray's story then most folk on this site. Since you were in similar circumstances (without means), you have an understanding of how one can feel in that situation and your reaction is just, when viewed from that side.

On the other hand, people who read HN are entrepreneurial in spirit and instantly see it through their lense of "solving a problem". It is my opinion that most folk here have no problem doing what is necessary to get their story across or "sell themselves" to achieve a goal (within reason). Hence, to them, Ray's situation should be attacked with a similar POV as drumming support for a startup or idea.

I believe the misunderstanding comes from the way you are viewing Ray as a person and attempting to preserve his decency in the event he's not comfortable with some of the suggestions while others are viewing his situation as an issue to solve/conquer without similar experience. Both opinions are right but for different reasons.

Regardless, I'm glad that you had the strength to overcome your own hardships. Hopefully Ray has similar success.

Thank you for commenting.

My view is strongly shaped by the negative reactions I have gotten over the years on HN, where I have only sought to be taken seriously as an entrepreneur, but have largely failed in that endeavor. So I am very familiar firsthand with how much harm can be done to one's ability to support themselves when there is a lot of public attention given to them in a way that frames them as a victim, a charity case, and so on.

I have about six years of college. I was an award winning student. I am the top ranked woman on HN while homeless and, yet, I cannot get people here to take me seriously that the only damn thing I need in order to make my fucked up life actually work is arranging for an (adequate amount of) earned income that does not keep me ill.

In spite of the famous saying that There is no such thing as bad publicity, I have experienced firsthand that there absolutely is such a thing as bad publicity.

Entrepreneurs are promoting their work and accomplishments. It has a completely different impact on your life when what is publicized is how you have been a victim, how pathetic your life currently is and so on. That in no way convinces people to give you paid work, whether as an employee or a freelancer.