A California man named Josh has undertaken a one-man crusade to show that the way that people treat the homeless is not fair to them, and that everyone suffers because of the judgements people tend to make against the poor. Josh has been a noted youtube prankster for some time, but recent events have caused him to begin focusing on this issue to a much greater degree.
His most recent video features him exposing the hypocrisy in so-called “nice” restaurants. First he dresses like a stereotypical homeless person, complete with a shopping cart full of junk, and asks expensive restaurants if he could sit down and have a meal. Although he is clear about the fact that he has money and is ready to purchase a meal, the restaurants all refuse him service. Most of them will not even let him look at a menu. The entire encounter is recorded by a hidden video camera.
For the next step, he dresses in fashionable clothing and returns in an expensive car. Naturally the reception he receives is very different. He is quick to point out to the fawning maitre d’ at one bistro that he had the money to pay for a meal before, but they would not even show him a menu.
These sorts of courageous videos may do much to change attitudes. By persistently examining the most minute details of prejudice against the homeless, perhaps the way that people act can be gradually altered.