The Russian mainstream media have given huge coverage to American blogger Jackson Hinkel's visit to Moscow for flattering the city. However, his views on the homeless remain highly questionable.
He extolled the virtues of the capital and largest city with over 13 million people: "I'd love to live in Russia: clean streets, no homeless on the sidewalk and affordable living. Sounds great compared to living in America that's falling apart," declares a euphoric blogger called Jackson Hinkel while making a video wandering around Red Square in Moscow. In the short video Jackson tells how he is stunned by the beauty of the city which surpasses that of other cities in America and Europe. He states that if you compared Moscow to New York, Miami, Los Angeles and London it is much better.
He goes on to claim that Moscow has an excellent infrastructure, good quality food, 24-hour services where you can get a coffee at 7 in the morning, and a much higher level of safety. He states that "the best hotels are only 1000 dollars a week." Only!!!
His Russian girlfriend--like many others—regards this as pretty expensive. While Jackson commends the fact that shops are open 24 hours a day his girlfriend interrupts him by pointing out the shop next to them is closed. It sounds hilarious! To his credit, Jackson does not edit out those comments.
You get to witness a bizarre situation where an American who has only been in Moscow for a few days is trying to convince a Russian who was born and bred in Russia… lecturing her about how she fails to understand how Russia is really great! Work that one out!
Jackson expresses immense relief that he can't see any tents of the homeless or angry and aggressive homeless people about to attack him…
…He claims that in contrast, in America some homeless people on drugs will attack you simply for breathing. He is convinced Moscow has no homeless on the streets or certainly conveys this impression.
What are we to make of all this? Without doubt, Jackson is right to point out Moscow's merits. The city is certainly far from being as dangerous as Chicago or New York. It's infrastructure especially in transport has vastly improved and the streets are far cleaner than in many American cities.
It might be true that compared to many American and European cities, Moscow is much greener. It is blessed with so many enchanting and alluring parks. In fact, if Jackson went beyond Red Square and the Kremlin, he would also be even more amazed by the countless gems of magnificent architecture. And the people here don't have horns coming out of their ears.
As some of my friends, football fans who visited the Moscow Olympics in 2018 discovered, these visitors to Russia were pleasantly shocked to find their hosts warm, friendly, hospitable, and helpful.
But one quickly gets the distinct impression he is viewing Moscow through rose tinted glasses…
Of course, we have the right to question his views on the homeless in Moscow and America however much it makes his fans indignant!
Jackson claims there are no homeless on the streets of Moscow. He can't see them so there can't be any he concludes. This is news to me! On the same day I read a Russian report on Jackson's impressions, I went out for a walk and passed some real live homeless persons--few of them in the nearby park sleeping on some benches. Granted, they were not in tents or about to attack me for breathing but they existed.
If Jackson visited the 3 railways stations of Kazansky, Leningradsky, and Komsomolski, he would find the place swarming with homeless people!
But just because you can't see the homeless or you don’t notice their inconspicuous actions doesn't mean they are not numerous or active in the area. According to some experts there are approximately 100,000 homeless in Moscow and 60 to 70,000 in Saint Petersburg.
And that does not take into account the rest of Russia!
Why can't Jackson see them? Who knows? Maybe he either does not want to see them or has no time to look for them. It could also be the fact that not all the homeless spend their time on the streets or look rough in terms of having an unkempt or worn out appearance. They could well be working and also 'couch surfing.'
The homeless can also be hidden. They might not want to attract the unwanted attention of the police or hostile people who bait them. The authorities constantly stop, move, detain, and even kick them out of the city. So the homeless learn to quickly become streetwise.
I remember that during the 1990's, we could not see the homeless children in Moscow during the day. We later found out that the orphans who had fled from orphanages never surfaced during the daytime because the police would catch them and return them to the orphanages. It emerged the children only came out at night.
By watching his video you might obtain a dark impression of the homeless in America. He makes curious comments about them which represent a misleading and oversimplified generalization. That would be putting it mildly. Anyone watching his video might think the homeless who live in tents will attack the people on the sidewalk without any reason or pretext. Supposedly, the homeless attack you for 'just breathing.'
In a sense Jackson's odd outburst mirrors the growing toxic hostility which has been growing for the past 30 years or more in America. This hostility often borders on hysteria.
Many homeless activists think that Jackson has got things upside down. In fact, it is not the housed who are under threat or attack but more likely the homeless…
Jordan Neely, who was murdered on the subway in New York City on May 1, 2023
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A homeless person is more likely to be murdered on the streets than a person with a home.
Suffice it to say, there have been many recent violent crimes against the homeless. Consider the horrific cases of the recent murder of Jordan Neely on a train in New York and how a 68-year-old homeless woman in San Diego, Annette Pershal, was murdered by two teenagers who shot her with air-rifles while she was in her tent. They were thought to be 'hobo -hunting.' In answer to people such as Jackson who view the homeless as dangerous and threatening, the daughter of Pershal answered "How threatening could my mother have been to these two young men?"
Perhaps Jackson should take heed of the proverb 'The Grass is always greener on the other side.' Of course, it is only natural and normal for most people to look for a better place to dwell. But journalists should not fall prey to what Buddhist monks have warned is the Shang-ri Syndrome. This is a condition where you imagine you have found paradise in another place especially in an exotic kingdom or city far from home.
Of course, some other people who can't or won't leave their homeland learn to switch off from reality. They don't want to see the ugly side of life…
They prefer to live in a bubble. Some withdraw into what is called 'an urban trance.' They are oblivious to their immediate surroundings. Such people might not even see or hear the homeless.
Sometimes, when homeless activists attempt to raise the topic you can hear city-lovers argue, "Let us change the subject…" or "I don't want to see or hear this." This is perhaps why so many Russians are also flattered by Jackson's remarks.
Those people remind me of the story of the emperor and the four dragons. When the dragons plead for the emperor to help his people who were starving to death he was angry that someone had disturbed his sleep. He made false promises to the dragons just so he could return to his favorite pastime which was to enjoy pleasant dreams. At one point he told the dragons "Don't disturb me, I need my beauty sleep."
Apparently, a lot of people need their beauty sleep!
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Acknowledged sources:
1. For statistics on the rate of homelessness in Moscow and Saint Petersburg I consulted page 7 of the 2021 report by Nochlezhka (Nochlezhka - Russia's oldest charity providing assistance to homeless people).
2. You can watch Jackson Hinkel's video on -U-tube by simply clicking into the internet under his 'Visit to Moscow.' It lasts for only 5 minutes. The comments following his video may strike you as starry-eyed and uncritical.
3. The British newspaper the “Guardian” has published well-researched articles on the cases of the murder of Jonathan Neely and Annette Pershal. There is also a great deal of relevant research done to dispel and undermine the negative myths surrounding the homeless. This information should not be overlooked.
4. “Evening Moscow,” 21-28 September, Number 37, page 3. This “Events” page provides commentary (in Russian) about Jackson's lavish praise of Moscow compared to American cities.