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IN SUMMARY: The care and aid of the truly needy and deserving should be a collective responsibility shouldered by ALL of us. And the way that we do this is through our taxpayer dollars. So NO, I do NOT and will NOT give handouts to perfect strangers giving me a story line or a simple request for spare change or spare bills.
You obviously don't know anything about economics, bureaucracy, or charity.
A much larger % of the money you give in taxes goes to kill people in other countries, sometimes bad guys, other times innocent children.
A much larger % of your tax money goes to elderly retired people who have a million or more in retirement, houses, condos, etc, for their medical needs and social security.
The poor and truly needy are the last people that get access to your tax money. And it's usually just enough to keep them from wanting to get a job, wanting to improve their situation, and not enough to help with their real problems like mental and health issues.
Food only, never money. And nowadays, I question even giving them food. I know from experience that in a lot of places, food is easily obtained from food pantries, soup kitchens, and food stamp cards. I'd volunteer to help out with food pantries and soup kitchens, but since I know those services are available and anyone with minimal life organizational skills can avail themselves of the services, I don't feel I have to personally provide food right when someone asks me for it. That person is being really lazy about getting food, like I'm some kind of convenience store for them. I might give them something anyways if I have something I don't want, but I don't feel I owe them, because I know they're not actually desperate for food.
Most homeless are panhandling to get money for drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes.
I live in Los Angeles County. Sometimes you can't park at a strip mall or grocery store with out them running up to your car before you can step out. It's very unnerving because I don't know what their intentions are. There have been a couple cases here in southern CA where a beggar actually set someone on fire because they didn't give them any money.
Then one time My wife and I went to drop off her mom to catch the bus for the casino. We're parked at the strip mall and I'm in the back seat, wife is up front with the window down and wouldn't you know the regular beggar comes to the car. It makes me so angry when they approach the car. I'll gladly give them a quarter only if they don't approach the car and just wait for me to get out and start walking.
I thought it was funny. But I don't believe in giving beggars money either. 11 years of being panhandled within a few blocks of your apartment will do that to you.
I thought it was funny. But I don't believe in giving beggars money either. 11 years of being panhandled within a few blocks of your apartment will do that to you.
Count your lucky stars that you have a roof over your head rather than not.
I find a lot of things funny until we start making fun of the less fortunate. Perhaps you would like to trade places with them?
Count your lucky stars that you have a roof over your head rather than not.
I find a lot of things funny until we start making fun of the less fortunate. Perhaps you would like to trade places with them?
Who says I have a roof over my head? Yes, I'm more fortunate than many homeless. I still have money to maintain a car. But I don't beg, and I don't respect most people who do, because I know their actual circumstances. The only thing I can say positive for them, as compared to me, is they didn't have my advantages of intelligence, education, a relatively wealthy family, and positive family relationships that have been maintained over the years. I can only sink so low, and I started out by choice, because I hate the computer industry that much. I won't be staying homeless, it's just a phase, and not that bad of a life to live out of one's car. But it's not exactly easy to flip a switch and get hired tomorrow either, and I live way, way below the poverty line, so yes I am "really" homeless. People just don't realize that there are degrees of homelessness. Some have jobs. A few simply don't care about living outdoors. But many are addicted to cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs, which is why they beg. They don't beg for food.
I get tired of hearing sanctimonious liberals make pronouncements about "lucky stars" and so forth. They have no experience actually being homeless, nor dealing with them at close quarters. It's the same yuppie do gooder mentality as saving a rainforest without paying attention to poor people whose economic livelihood depends on cattle, crops, or cutting down trees. If you're actually doing something realistic about the environment, or homelessness, then power to you. But don't preach to me about what the homeless are and what they're doing.
Who says I have a roof over my head? Yes, I'm more fortunate than many homeless. I still have money to maintain a car. But I don't beg, and I don't respect most people who do, because I know their actual circumstances. The only thing I can say positive for them, as compared to me, is they didn't have my advantages of intelligence, education, a relatively wealthy family, and positive family relationships that have been maintained over the years. I can only sink so low, and I started out by choice, because I hate the computer industry that much. I won't be staying homeless, it's just a phase, and not that bad of a life to live out of one's car. But it's not exactly easy to flip a switch and get hired tomorrow either, and I live way, way below the poverty line, so yes I am "really" homeless. People just don't realize that there are degrees of homelessness. Some have jobs. A few simply don't care about living outdoors. But many are addicted to cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs, which is why they beg. They don't beg for food.
I get tired of hearing sanctimonious liberals make pronouncements about "lucky stars" and so forth. They have no experience actually being homeless, nor dealing with them at close quarters. It's the same yuppie do gooder mentality as saving a rainforest without paying attention to poor people whose economic livelihood depends on cattle, crops, or cutting down trees. If you're actually doing something realistic about the environment, or homelessness, then power to you. But don't preach to me about what the homeless are and what they're doing.
Whatever. Was it really worth that page of ranting to make your point (and as usual it becomes political).
Go to bed, rest and be grateful for the roof over your head.
Whatever. Was it really worth that page of ranting to make your point (and as usual it becomes political).
Yes it was, because people who don't know very much about homelessness are tiring.
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