"Sleep in" Protest outside the Gates Foundation

About 200 protesters camped out in front of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Headquarters in Lower Queen Anne Monday night. They called for the Gates Foundation to devote more of its resources to fight homelessness in the Puget Sound area.

Source

I guess around 200 people are protesting outside the Gates Foundation. The people, who are saying they have no affiliation to the Occupy movements, are upset at the fact that, according to them, the Gates foundation doesn't give enough to charity.

“We’re tired of seeing nice projects for the world funded out of the 5th & Mercer Headquarters while we suffer in poverty,” said the statement.

But it turns out that the foundation has given over 100 million dollars to aid the fight against homelessness in the area.

This seems like its in pretty poor taste, Bill Gates gives a ton of his money away in the area to various charities, where do the people get off demanding more?

reply to post by GringoViejo


If these people want more money devoted to the homeless in the Puget Sound Area, THEY should raise the money not tell someone else to spend more on their behalf. The Gates foundation has the right to spend their money any way they feel is appropriate.

I understand that people need help, but how do people feel so entitled to something that isn't theirs? The man chooses to give his money away, and he does it quite often. When do we draw the line? I believe that however ill informed the OWS crowd seems, their hearts are in the right place. That does count for something, in my opinion.

But this just seems selfish. They're not mad that they can't get and hold jobs, they're not mad they have no medical coverage, they're not mad that they lost their house or car.

Quite simply, they are mad because they don't feel that Bill Gates is giving enough of his money away to them, or the cause they support.

Yes homelessness is a real problem, especially around here. But is this the way to fight it? By asking for more handouts?

reply to post by bphi1908


I 100% agree. This is just sad, the guy, like him or not, helps out in this area so much already. Now he has to deal with angry protesters as a result of his kindness.

I'm telling you, if I had such protesters, "I'd go outside and tell them, if you insist on protesting, I'm shutting down the doors of this charity."

I, in the same situation, can provide for my workers and the charity I do in private, without it being untaxed for a few months, just to get rid of them.

Yeah this is ludicrous. Gates worked very hard to make it were he is today, and unlike many other billionaires, wasn't part of some billionaire family or clubs.

He actually made something that he became famous for instead of just building from someone else work.

I hate gates haters.

reply to post by doom27


I have no problem with Gates haters as long as it focuses on Microsoft's AWFUL operating systems over the years not his charity work.

I don't even think the story is true and if it is, I wouldn't be surprised if those guys were CIA working a cointel op on the American public to discredit the OWS movement motives. Food for thought.