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You wouldn't think those two qualities could coexist in the same body, but they do.
I have never panhandled--I have a hard enough time asking people who owe me money to pony it up. So, I have never understood the panhandling mentality.
The gall part: The panhandler seems to think that you will not mind that he is interrupting your conversation, meal, phone call, reading, or quiet stroll, and will be inclined to give him cash after having done this. Anyone with chutzpah like this should be able to walk into an H.R. office and knock 'em dead.
Total Lack of Self-Respect: The most blatant example of this was one Saturday morning when I was biking to work. I saw a guy whom I had seen panhandling in the past. The guy ran after me for a block, shouting, "Excuse me, sir! Excuse me, sir! Excuse me, sir!" How low can you sink when you're running after strangers begging for money? Were I not running late, I would have explained that this was a Saturday morning, when I would much rather be home in bed, but I was up at dawn's early light to earn more money. But, I was running late, and explaining "work" to this guy would be like describing plaid to a person born blind.
I always wonder about people that spend a good deal of time demonizing those in the most need.
Not that there are people that don't do it but the vocal minority does not mean everyone does it. As an example not to be mean but from my real life...I used to live near some Unitarian folks (as the OP puts their faith) and they used the bug the crap out of me and my family most weekends trying to get us to join them. I finally had to say that if I saw them on my property again I would call the cops. If we were walking around they would still call out to us and prevent us from continuing until they said their long speal and we told them to go away a number of times.
Never been hassled before or again. I knew they were a vocal minority.
I don't go around saying how all Unitarians are bad, but these ones were real nutballs. On the other hand they had a choice to join and stay in the faith. Most people that become homeless are pretty well stuck once it happens...and I would dispute people who make up many are there (and stay) because they really choose to be there.
Volobjectitarian's tried and true rules for dealing with panhandlers:
1) Ignore.
2) Ignore some more.
3) No seriously, ignore like you're a 3 year old playing the ignore game.
4) If Steps 1-3 do not work, take a menacing step towards the panhandler and bark "get the hell away from me."
In 5 years of walking around downtown Cleveland past countless panhandlers, I've gotten to #4 like a half dozen times. Steps 1-3 tend to work really, really well.
Survival comes first. When a person is hungry or thirsty or other needs aren't met, what others think of you is a line that divides you from those that have.
I never had to resort but when our home was flooded, the banks and credit unions were flooded and the National Guard kept us from our homes for a couple of weeks, I had a taste of how life's circumstances can change you and make you stronger.... or not. For instance, I learned to not care what people think.
I'm sympathetic to those in need, I really am, but having heard stories about people making 60k a year panhandling I really have to wonder how many are truly out there due to circumstances and now many out of laziness and a lack of desire to want to do real work.
Anchorage has a lot of pandhandlers all over mid and down town and I find them to be an eyesore. There are intersections where you'll have groups of them on every corner. Not exactly the image a tourist friendly town should encourage. I think the city needs to enforce the laws on the book or pass some with teeth and clean them up. I've had them walk up to my car and knock on the window when I'm stopped or in parking lots. I usually use my best "cop voice" and tell, "Step away from the car, sir or ma'am" and that tends to get them walking away.
Panhandlers earn up to $200 per day which is better than a lot of the people inclined to give them money do. I'd like the IRS to go after some of them for tax evasion.
I walk one and a half blocks each way from a train station to my work in a large east coast city.
The fewest number of panhandlers I've seen on my walk is 1. The highest is 5, in that small span. They are very familiar faces. These are people who are quite comfortable with what they are doing, not desperate folks in temporary crisis.
I actually give money to the ones playing instruments - they aren't begging, anyway, just performing for tips. Those who warm the same bench daily, asking for money thousands of times? They'll never see a dime from me.
Normally, I'd call people full of it, but I'll definitely buy that.
In terms of your points, you speak about panhandlers as if they're all one hive mind and they all act the same. I live in a city, am panhandled most days and, no, they don't all act the same.
Plenty of homeless people are plenty crazy, so that they're not shy about asking for money doesn't mean that they can hold down a 9-5 job.
A lot of panhandling money goes straight in to drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. Anyone who feels the need to give, should just give money to people like the United Way.
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