Hoboes vs. Homeless

In seeking permission to use some material for the website, I was reminded of a very important distinction. while our culture tends to use the terms "tramps", "bums", and "hoboes" interchangeably (and often as synonyms for "Homeless"), they are NOT the same thing, and shouldn't be confused with each other.

Hoboes and tramps, as opposed to the other groups, work for a living. Although tramps are a little less inclined to do so and often use work as a last resort, hoboes are frequently migrant workers who simply move from place to place.

I've often thought of hoboes as being associated with trains, and although that may be true of some, it is not universally true. In fact, looking pretty closely at the hobo culture, I've pretty much been a hobo much of my life.

I don't want to detract from the larger point I am trying to make with the website, though. What I am hoping to eventually emulate is the hobo CULTURE, which can permeate just about any segment of society. The idea of taking care of one another, of warning folks of danger and telling them where they can get a good meal, well, that's just downright Christian hospitality. Although, as the hoboes have shown, you needn't be aa Christian to do it.

A large part of the inspiration for this site came from my growing familiarity with the busking community, and with tramps out on the road that I have picked up for the ride. I've often picked up tramps that were looking for a place to bed down, always afraid of the local police, and I've told them of places where they could rest their head for the night without worry from the police. And ever since I took a young couple into Amarillo looking for a place where they could score some food, I realized how desperately we need a place where all of that information is gathered at once.

The fact is, folks, we've come upon hard times, and are likely to see hard times for the foreseeable future, and all of us -- hoboes, tramps, bums, homeless and just plain ordinary folk...are going to have to learn to work together to stick it out. And who better to learn from than the hobo culture?