Panhandling and harassment downtown (Albany: live in, housing, farmers)

[ATLTJL]

Well, we can use the same tactic Atlanta used to shut down Buckhead....just let the situation get so bad that eventually something drastic has to be done.

If everyone is running around downtown pepper spraying each other, sooner or later Atlanta will have to step it up and solve the problem.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Well, we can use the same tactic Atlanta used to shut down Buckhead....just let the situation get so bad that eventually something drastic has to be done.

If everyone is running around downtown pepper spraying each other, sooner or later Atlanta will have to step it up and solve the problem.

Perhaps. So make the first move, tough guy.

[belleislerunner]

We had this same debate a month ago and it really just boils down to those who think they are somehow more productive members of society (i.e. superior breeds) that therefore warrants punishing anyone who dares inconvience them in any way. The ultimate form of identity crisis/insecurity.

[ATLTJL]

It has nothing to do with being a superior breed.

But I guarantee you I'm a more productive member of society. By definition of the word productive.

[onemanarmy]

We have a concentrated homeless problem in Atlanta. This is due to a lot reasons. Specifically downtown has been designated the depot for homelessness by everyone, not just the city. I will outline why METRO Atlanta as a whole plays a part. I live downtown and this is my theory.

Atlanta has very few residences downtown, so it’s populated with workers & tourist during the day, which is the target market for a panhandler. It’s desolate at night, so this is a pan handlers Live, Work, Play environment.

The resources for the homeless are centered downtown. There are several churches, Pine St Shelter, United Way, City of Atlanta and their corporate donors are all located downtown. Let’s not kid ourselves; most of the people downtown didn’t grow up there. They migrated to downtown because of the two factors I mentioned above.

Suburban guilt is also a reason. Every day, I witness vans upon vans of suburbanites (ALL RACES) doing their holy deed of bringing food to the homeless men at Pine. It seems like a noble gesture, but it’s not. These people should concentrate their volunteer work locally, to homeless men and women in their communities. If they do not have any, they should open up a homeless shelter in their neighborhood. These people are homeless, not hungry. They have mental and drug addictions that takes resources to resolve. If you feed them on schedule regularly, they have ALL DAY TO PANHANDLE.

So yes, Atlanta has a panhandling problem, but it’s not one you can solve with Police enforcement. If police can arrest people for nonphysical begging, my girlfriend would have me locked up every week.

[midtown mile girl]

The problem is not with the homeless who are looking for legitimate help, it's with aggressive panhandlers who threaten the safety of others, especially those who target women. There are laws, but they are not enforced like they should be.

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by belleislerunner

We had this same debate a month ago and it really just boils down to those who think they are somehow more productive members of society (i.e. superior breeds) that therefore warrants punishing anyone who dares inconvience them in any way. The ultimate form of identity crisis/insecurity.

They also have no sympathy for the underlying issues of many homeless people...mental illness, drug addiction, physicaly disablement, etc - and sometimes just plain rough luck. For some people it's easy to declare yourself superior to those less fortunate.

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by midtown mile girl

The problem is not with the homeless who are looking for legitimate help, it's with aggressive panhandlers who threaten the safety of others, especially those who target women. There are laws, but they are not enforced like they should be.

But the sad thing is that they all get lumped up together. I would guess that the truly aggressive panhandlers are a small percentage of the overall homeless. I for one have never had a real problem with them when I totally ignore them (acting like I didn't hear them). That works like a charm.

[midtown mile girl]

Originally Posted by JoeTarheel

But the sad thing is that they all get lumped up together. I would guess that the truly aggressive panhandlers are a small percentage of the overall homeless. I for one have never had a real problem with them when I totally ignore them (acting like I didn't hear them). That works like a charm.

That may work because you are male, but with more people living intown, and more of them young women it is something that needs to be addressed.

[RoslynHolcomb]

Originally Posted by midtown mile girl

The problem is not with the homeless who are looking for legitimate help, it's with aggressive panhandlers who threaten the safety of others, especially those who target women. There are laws, but they are not enforced like they should be.

Exactly! The aggressive panhandlers are NOT HOMELESS.