Obama’s Brother Found Nearly Homeless In Kenya

Obama’s Brother Found Nearly Homeless In Kenya

posted by LA's Homeless Blog

Would a President of the United States be more sympathetic to the cause of ending homelessness in America if his brother was nearly homeless himself?

This could very well be the scenario.

The British media outlet, The Telegraph, as well as the Italian version of Vanity Fair, are reporting that Obama’s half brother (they both have the same father) is squatting in a hut in a shantytown outside of Nairobi, Kenya. He says he earns about $1 per month.

It appears to be another sad story of a person falling into the lifestyle of extreme poverty. An annual income of $12 (yes, $12 dollars) is certainly considered extreme poverty. Even many of those living homeless in America earn more than that. But this sad story is different, because this man is the half brother of a person who could hold the most powerful position in the world.

Would homelessness be a priority if Obama became President?

I don’t know if this would be a certainty. Look at Vice President Cheney. His daughter is a lesbian with a long-time partner. But gay and lesbian issues are certainly not a priority for the Vice President.

Perhaps Obama could be embarrassed for having a homeless half brother, and might not want to remind others about this. The profile of homelessness could actually be lowered because of this. (Especially since the millionaire Obama could lift his half brother out of poverty with a simple check.)

No matter who becomes President, Obama or McCain, let’s hope that both men continue the quest to end homelessness in America.