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Yes, I'll give out a dollar here or there sometimes. I can afford it. What the receiver does with that contribution is his/her business and I'm not going to pass judgement on them or huff and puff about "what I would have done." They live their lives and I live mine. It's OK.
Those who choose not to contribute certainly don't have to justify it. Same goes for those who do. If the feeling moves you, do it. If not, then drive on. I do either, depending on my mood at the moment. It's all good.
No. Never. Especially if their sign says "god bless you". My bf and one of my other friends have each made the separate gesture of offering them food instead of cash. In both cases, the food was rejected, in fact tossed away in disgust. So anyway, I don't know anyone that gives cash to beggars. We aren't interested in enabling their addictions to alcohol or drugs.
And also never give money to beggars in foreign countries, because they will stalk you throughout your entire stay there.
07-31-2013, 11:27 AM
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Hell no.
I pay enough supporting free food, free shelter, free healthcare, etc for the lazy and entitled. We're always spending more and more and more on homeless programs and it's not helping. It just attracts more bums who see the city as a haven where they can get free stuff at working people's expense. I'm certainly not going to dole out more cash to put in the hands of bums who are likely just going to blow in on getting high or drunk anyway.
I get that many of the homeless have serious issues and don't fall squarely into the "lazy and entitled" camp, and it'd be nice if those people got help, but I have neither the time nor inclination to evaluate every person I see begging for money.
I used to give 50 cents here, a dollar there until I wised up and realized it goes to their drug and/or alcohol addiction. Now, I give nothing. I wish these people (I know, some of them have mental issues) would stop making their problems everybody else's problems. YOU screwed your own life up, don't look at others to support your poor decisions.
The ones that bother me are the ones that camp out on street corners with their dogs, with the idea that people are more sympathetic that way. I'll contribute a can of dog food. The dog isn't responsible for providing for himself. The human is.
They are not all "bums". There are those that are legitimately homeless through no fault of their own and lost all will when they lost everything.
I would say half of those on the streets are alcoholics, drug addicts and frauds.
When I was in NYC last month I was amazed at the junkies sitting in the streets with their signs "Please help me I'm hungry". If they weren't nodding out they were sitting there in a daze and you could see the track marks running up their arms.
If I see someone who I think is homeless I will tell them I won't give them money, but I will buy them a meal. It's up to them if they want to take the offer or not. If they accept it I'll go into a store and buy them some food. Junkies aren't usually hungry for food.
But how can you be "legitimately homeless"?
I feel like that is a long process in which you have to, at some point, actually decide that you want to live on the streets in order to end up there.
Otherwise, what is stopping them from getting some kind of job (even minimum wage) and then living in a low income apartment and collecting food stamps to keep themselves fed? That is like the bare minimum that needs to be done to "not be homeless" and it's not very hard.
So, really, I would like to hear why that is not possible for anyone who is "living on the street" other than "they don't want to do it".
Once while it was raining we saw a guy with a sign saying "please help GOD bless etc" My wife rolled down her window and handed him an umbrella. I wonder if that was the kind of "help" he wanted....I think not
Only if I know the "bum" - and know their situation. If it is someone new in the hood attempting to work a lucrative beggar's corner - who I see as being a crook- dishonest and a drug addict...I give them nothing. There is an nice old native man who squats on my gentrified street. He is a withered old guy with hat in hand. I know his history - that he took care of his dying mother..that he gets a small check at the end of the month...He runs out of money for food..for his cat that he loves and for himself. So if I have it I give it .
On the other hand there was this weasel beggar who insisted on 5 bucks and that he would pay me back "on Tuesday"....Tuesday arrives - no money...I irritated the jerk when I finally ran into him and asked where my money was. He skirted around not wanting to give up the bit of cash- Eventually he did pay up.. Bums have to be taught responsibility. If someone wants money and you know the street person - insist on repayment...and if they make no effort - never give to them again.
Yet there is a way to tell a genuine beggar. Its hard not to tell a faker from the rest.
That aside, I also tend to believe giving makes one healthy in other aspects.
Turning away from giving may not eradicate the needy. We must admit that through some spiritual or physical accident, some of us can't flap our wings properly. Whether I give or not may not change a lot but I'd rather give where my mind tells me I need to. I will agree with thous that state that it is not everyone that deserves our attention but then I admit there are some and I do find them. But I'd hate to be "bummed" and know it instead of doing something worthy.
Lastly, though I give I admit am a beggar in other aspects of life to a large extent and appreciate this by giving.
Now I hope someone should shine a flashlight on artificial and natural scrounges as well.
Not usually, no.
However, there was a guy at the ferry dock in Seattle years ago. He was holding a sign that said, "I won't lie, I need it for beer!" As a reward for his honesty, I gave him a dollar.
I figure when /if the worst happens, I will park the motorhome in the corner of a parking lot, go to a surplus store and get some original BDU uniforms, and stand on the street corner (with my Corgi on a leash) holding a sign saying "Vietnam Vet, Retired Navy, needs enough money to get me and my dog out of your town! (it will take $250 to fill the gas tank)!"
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