I would like to move to Minneapolis, can you answer some questions? (St. Paul: buy, gated)

[Laggard]

In any case, the recent violence downtown is not the result of "crazy lazy willingly homeless illegal refugee bums" but the result of a few drunk idiots getting into fights in clubs and then carrying it out onto the street.

[plain and simple]

[mod cut: in reference to deleted posts]

Originally Posted by audadvnc

Of course there are lazy beggars and slacker panhandlers out there, and always have been. My concern is not so much about them - they take care of themselves.

That's very true. There are also many who own their own home (or rent apartments), have their own cars, etc., who have quit their jobs, dress as homeless folks, and panhandle because it makes more than their jobs paid. The news did a story on that and "outed" a LAWYER several years ago.

The mentally ill who are homeless have nearly all been approached in an attempt to help them. Some want, and get, the help and those are the days it really feels good to be part of the process. Most don't want it. Most are still cognitive enough to make their own choices and the law says they can be held for a few days but after that, it's their choice to leave. 99% of them do. The hope is to diagnose them quickly, get them on the meds for that illness and hope they stick around long enough for the meds to kick in. That allows for more hope that they'll accept help. Many of them choose homelessness BECAUSE people are forcing them to take their meds and they HATE how the meds make them feel. To be honest, I can't blame them. I've heard enough of them explain how it makes them feel and I wouldn't want to take them either if that's how they "work." And it's rarely the mentally ill homeless who bother people. It's the lazy ones you described who only want handouts.

I wasn't kidding when I said to make a donation to one of the clinics. That's the BEST way of helping the homeless who actually WANT the help.

NOTE: To the OP, my apologies for my part in the sidetracking of this thread. I'll be good now!

[plain and simple]

Originally Posted by Laggard

In any case, the recent violence downtown is not the result of "crazy lazy willingly homeless illegal refugee bums" but the result of a few drunk idiots getting into fights in clubs and then carrying it out onto the street.

I agree.

[Laggard]

Originally Posted by plain and simple

I agree.

Thankfully I'm way way in bed by the time most of this idiocy goes down.

My apologies for being so rude. NO AC here.

[tropolis]

laggard, you dont have air conditioning?

[Laggard]

Originally Posted by tropolis

laggard, you dont have air conditioning?

No. Our poor dog.

[plain and simple]

Originally Posted by Laggard

Thankfully I'm way way in bed by the time most of this idiocy goes down.

My apologies for being so rude. NO AC here.

Thanks for that. No grudges. I live here because I like winter. It's free air-conditioning. I can't imagine not having it. It's not an option for me because I'm the biggest heat wimp I know. When I read that you don't have AC my heart fell. Its 101 degrees today! I need it when it's 80! Do you live in an apartment? I'd be glad to help find you a window unit. I know a lot of people and I'm pretty resourceful. This summer is going to be a scorcher and you just can't go without AC if possible.

Please let me know. I'd be very happy to try to locate one for you.

[GBCommenter]

I find it interesting that, if I read all the comments fully, nobody who attacked Plain and Simple so far ever spoke to the comment about making their own voluntary contribution towards private charity towards ending mental illness in Minneapolis- just petty name-calling because P&S wasn't one of the sheeple parroting government is the answer to all problems (as if it ever was...).

No problem in compelling others to speak to your pet cause but contribute yourself? Sadly, an all-too-common mentality we see today - someone else (namely government) should pay for your pet cause but not have to pay yourself. How committed are you really to mental illness when going out to dinner is more important way to spend your dollars then make a contribution to a private charity? At least be consistent...

[plain and simple]

Thanks, GBCommenter. I took no offense from anyone. I think the comment originally came up out of a sincere desire to help the mentally ill that are homeless. Can't fault someone for that. I think it's a great idea, myself, but, with government being what it is (too big, too wasteful and too corrupt - nobody's in the mood to foot another bill. As for the other commenter, hey, I can't blame him. It was 102*F with NO A/C?! Under conditions like that, I wouldn't be all sunshine and roses myself! I'd still like to help the guy find an A/C. In my opinion, it's as important as a stove or a refrigerator to have!

[GBCommenter]

And thank you, P&S. Indeed, extending a helping hand to the mentally ill (and, for that matter) is a good and noble thing. However, it needs to be of voluntary and private choice, not compelled via taxes. This is for many reasons, not the least of which being when it's through government it's wasteful and corrupt. There is a sad belief in that government programs for the "public good" are so wonderful and compassionate when the reality is in the end those programs only make those in government (and their friends) rich and powerful - at the hands of government coercion.

An excellent quote I once read explains it much better than I probably will at the moment: ""Progressives love to describe everyone opposed to wealth redistribution as 'greedy,' but the truth is that socialism itself is founded primarily on greed: the idea that one man can get something for free by using the power of the government to take it away from someone else. Socialism becomes totalitarianism when the haves have been sucked dry, and yet the have-nots are still restless. At that point, the state must resort to false propaganda and violence in order to keep the restless masses under control. We have seen the pattern over and over again, and we don't want it here in America, period."

Please share a little of your time and/or treasure with those less fortunate in love and kindness, but do it voluntarily and with your own time and/or treasure...

All my soapbox preaching said, 1 of my jobs is in downtown and I will say that I rarely have run into trouble. Perception and reality may be two different things, but I think the reality is unless you're looking for it you are relatively unlikely to have it visited upon you.