A Hobo Wedding

[flat-top]

This is apparently causing quite a commotion on the internets:

http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/handmade-weddings-depression-era-hobo/?ref=fp_blog_title

 

[Feraud]

Sounds like a fun time.
Real hobo wear looks a lot better than modern folks version of dress up..
The commotion seems like one or two folks with bugs up their butts who don't know how to loosen up.

 

[Lady Day]

People were most likely offended by the word 'hobo'. Who gives a crap. That looks like a swell and well meaning shindig. If they had called it 'depression era' or 'dust bowl' wedding, I'm sure no one would have said a word. I gotta say, I think it's an awesome idea!

*Reading on*
Apparently the link got posted to regretsy, a horrible site for making fun of all the things they don't think are 'cool'. Then it kind of spread.

I love that in the comments people used the 'my granddad was in the depression, I find this horrible'. They still had weddings in the depression, and they still spent money on them. And I read one comment of, 'this is so offensive it's like they were in blackface'. No sweetie, its not at all like they were in blackface, period.

LD

 

[LizzieMaine]

It's a pity all those Outraged Commentators aren't equally outraged about actual rural poverty today.

 

[Flipped Lid]

If you go through this world trying to make everyone happy, you're going to be frustrated more often than not. Make yourself happy without harming others and let your critics go pound sand. This sounds like a fun event to me.

The bride also mentioned their limited budget. I know a few people who have gone tens of thousands of dollars in debt to put on a fancy wedding. It's none of my business, but it always seemed like a terrible waste of money to me.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Interestingly, comedic "bum" iconography was extremely common during the Depression era itself --

So I suspect that a lot of those grandfolks who Were In The Depression were as "insensitive" as the hobo-wedding people today. Sometimes the only way to keep your sanity in the midst of a crisis is to laugh at it.

 

[Flipped Lid]

Freddie the Freeloader, a hobo, was probably Red Skelton's most famous character on his television show. I don't recall anyone making a fuss about it. Let's face it. There are very few things you can do anymore without offending someone. Even grabbing an occasional burger at McDonald's upsets some folks.

 

[Lady Day]

I don't even think that it's genuinely offensive to these people. I don't even know if they know what it means to be actually offended by something. I mean their comparisons are actually ridiculous.

I think this is about people having specific topics in their head red flagged as 'offensive' because they have been told to.

LD

 

[ButteMT61]

It's a pity all those Outraged Commentators aren't equally outraged about actual rural poverty today.

Far and away more positive comments. As I say, eff those that want to take away from your happiness - assuming it hurts nobody else. This is cool to see. Happy people. Wow, what a concept...sure irritates me!

 

[flat-top]

This article first came my way linked from a site called Regretsy. And as you would imagine, the comments there were much more brutal.

 

[thecardigankid]

I am offended by the lack of un-offended people in this thread. How dare you! Dont you know my great grandfathers brothers next door neighbors mailmans neice was offended once?! You are spitting on her legacy by not being offended!

On a lighter note haha, I think this was a great idea! I really liked it, and I am a little peeved someone would post this on regretsy, how can someone take something so important to people and try to bring them down a peg by making fun of it. I personally wish I knew these people personally so I could have gone to their wedding haha!

 

[Feraud]

It's a pity all those Outraged Commentators aren't equally outraged about actual rural poverty today.

Haha, indeed!

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Looking at the pics of the wedding, it brought to mind The Waltons -- especially the house. All they needed was John Boy as best man and it would have been perfect. It definitely looks like a good time was had by all.

 

[fortworthgal]

I have to admit that it looked like a fun wedding!

 

[Pompidou]

It's a shame Etsy backed down to the hoard of overly uptight people and apologized for posting the article. I think the couple should be commended for coming up with an original idea and pulling it off.

 

[sheeplady]

The bride also mentioned their limited budget. I know a few people who have gone tens of thousands of dollars in debt to put on a fancy wedding. It's none of my business, but it always seemed like a terrible waste of money to me.

The couple spent $15,000 on the wedding. The couple also later suggested that they were poor, and that is why they had such a limited budget.

To me, that is not a limited budget, but to each their own.

 

[Oldsarge]

Fifteen K for a wedding is poor? My, how things have changed. We got married in my home church and my bride wore a gown she had sewn herself. Afterwards she cut it off above the knee as a pretty dress to wear. Her parents paid for the reception dinner and I rented a white dinner jacket. As a pair of students at the time I think we qualified as lot more 'poor' than they were!

 

[Feraud]

All things considered 15k is not a lot for a wedding these days.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Mine cost $10. And it was worth every penny.

 

[sheeplady]

I think what upset a lot of people about this is that:
1. They said they had a limited budget (to some people 15K is a good chunk to spend on a wedding)
2. Decided on a theme that some associated with poverty.
3. When attacked by those who were upset with #2, they presented themselves as something they are not- impoverished- in order to validate themselves with the people who were upset about #2. ("Poor" was the actual term used by the groom on his twitter account.)
4. Used the 15K wedding figure as evidence of their "poor" or impoverished financial state.
5. And therefore looked flippant about actual poverty.