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Old 11-10-2014, 10:09 PM
 
421 posts, read 409,443 times
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I used to live in NW near upper Burnside and I grew increasingly bitter to the homeless who asked me for money any time I walked anywhere. I would not live in an area where there are homeless today. Most of the begging homeless are doing what they want to do. THey have made a decision to stay drunk/high and not make any effort too improve their lives and why should we support them? Life is tough and many people such as myself live frugally, on a budget. If nobody gave the "professional" bums money they might just work some. Probably not tho. They would probably start stealing...as Rossana Rossana Danna woukld say, never mind.
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Old 11-10-2014, 10:38 PM
 
Location: Nashville TN
4,918 posts, read 6,446,081 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rzzzz View Post
A pretty typical american response - pass the buck onto someone else. And they say portland isn't representative of 'real america.'
I love this response.. that was amazing but so true.. kudos to you.
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Old 11-10-2014, 10:52 PM
 
Location: Portland OR
2,654 posts, read 3,839,588 times
Reputation: 4853
Quote:
Originally Posted by Metlakatla View Post
The city of San Fransisco sued the state of Nevada for that, so it's probable that it wouldn't be a cost-effective option.
Judge threw case out. It is a viable option.
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Old 11-11-2014, 12:15 AM
 
Location: Baker City, Oregon
5,432 posts, read 8,129,399 times
Reputation: 11533
Quote:
Originally Posted by ccjarider View Post
Judge threw case out. It is a viable option.
It still might not be a viable option because the Las Vegas case was unique.

The Las Vegas homeless population is different from just about everywhere else – a portion consists of visitors who have lost everything gambling. The city sometimes puts them on buses and sends them back to their home towns – unfortunately, often nobody cares about them at home and they remain homeless.

That's why the San Francisco lawsuit was thrown out. Las Vegas could have been more careful about about how they were doing it and who they were sending, but they weren't intentionally trying to dump their homeless on San Francisco.
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Old 02-26-2015, 05:16 PM
 
2,508 posts, read 2,167,921 times
Reputation: 5426
The homeless issue is something that everyone in a big city has to deal with; I myself get asked for $ by panhandlers on an almost daily basis.

It's interesting to read the different responses to this thread - some have posted that they're bothered a lot by panhandlers/the homeless - whereas others haven't been as much.

Note I will not give $ to panhandlers under any circumstances. The problem is that the advice about not making eye contact, ignoring them, etc. doesn't always work.

Note there have been some cases in the past several years (in the U.S.) where folks have actually been killed by panhandlers/mentally ill people. I don't feel comfortable posting links here, but some of these incidents have been in NYC, where these crazy P.O.S.'s have actually pushed people in front of trains, etc. There was also another incident in Austin, TX several years back where a panhandler beat a guy to death.

I find many panhandlers/mentally ill people dangerous, and people that should be avoided...I don't know why I should give money to someone so they can get drunk/stoned, and I'm not going to enable them....I think a lot of them feel entitled to getting something for nothing.

I know a lot of people on here may say that I'm too critical/cold-hearted. However, just ask yourself - would you personally want these people living near your home/family? I know I wouldn't...

Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyAMG View Post
I'd say the majority of homeless I have worked with are con artists, good actors, and able bodied slackers, who love to behave badly and do drugs.
That's my opinion/observation as well.

Last edited by The Big Lebowski Dude; 02-26-2015 at 05:48 PM..
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Old 02-26-2015, 07:20 PM
 
Location: Trekking Through The Hinterlands
72 posts, read 126,138 times
Reputation: 189
What's more bothersome is how few people on these 'homeless' threads ever discuss why there's such a huge increase in the number of homeless people here and around the country. Yes, there are those that are abusive, just as there are plenty of non-homeless that are abusive in a thousand different ways.

Folks we're living in a country that's becoming a feudal society with a small number of wealthy and a huge number of poor. The middle class is disappearing. The business class has offshored many of the jobs that paid enough for workers to live a decent existence. The jobs that pay a decent wage just aren't here and they're not coming back. Many of these people on the streets of 'the land of the free' have every right to be angry about what has happened to them and to show it. Maybe it will actually wake up a few of the walking dead that also wander the streets looking for the best doughnut, micro-brew or fancy restaurant in town.

Shoving these people 'out of sight and out of mind' is not going to correct the economic inequality in this country. What's also more bothersome than these homeless, is that the average citizen has been so brainwashed by the parasites at the top of the economic heap that they not only accept the increasing inequality that exists, but are only disturbed because they're not in on the take. Yes, there are exceptions, but they are few a far between these days.

This problem is only going to get worse as time goes on and the society reverts more and more to a feudal reality, and looks just like any other third world country. Yes, it's definitely far to late to turn things around, particularly in an economic system that's designed to increase wealth in fewer and fewer hands, but watching the inevitable deterioration of the society with eyes wide open will at least prevent surprise and might increase compassion in a few more of the willfully ignorant.
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Old 02-26-2015, 07:48 PM
 
2,508 posts, read 2,167,921 times
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I understand the points you're trying to make, but you're not addressing one of the issues involved in someone becoming homeless: drug/alcohol addiction. I take public transportation on a daily basis where I live (during the week), and I see these people on a regular basis - i.e., those on drugs/alcohol, those coming off drugs, etc. I have also heard of cases in my area where these addicts have attacked innocent people - for no reason.

Again, I don't know why I should give someone $ to fuel these addictions...

Note I completely understand not all of the homeless/panhandlers are addicts/alcoholics - however, based on what I've seen, a lot of them are.

Obviously, a lot of them are also mentally ill - which is no less scary than a drug addict/alcoholic looking for their next fix....Based on what I've heard, their being out on the street has a lot to do with Reaganomics closing a lot of the mental institutions in the '80's....

If you haven't had the bad experiences I have re: dealing with these people, I think it's easy to say that I (and people like me) are hard hearted....

Last edited by The Big Lebowski Dude; 02-26-2015 at 08:00 PM..
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Old 02-26-2015, 07:58 PM
 
3,750 posts, read 4,947,930 times
Reputation: 3667
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Big Lebowski Dude View Post
I understand the points you're trying to make, but you're not addressing one of the issues involved in someone becoming homeless: drug/alcohol addiction. I take public transportation on a daily basis where I live (during the week), and I see these people on a regular basis - i.e., those on drugs/alcohol, those coming off drugs, etc. I have also heard of cases in my area where these addicts have attacked innocent people - for no reason.

Again, I don't know why I should give someone $ to fuel these addictions...

Note I completely understand not all of the homeless/panhandlers are addicts/alcoholics - however, based on what I've seen, a lot of them are.
I used to apologize endlessly for the homeless, and I still do have a lot of pity for them, but some of these people honestly make me feel unsafe. I agree with you.
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Old 02-26-2015, 08:48 PM
 
Location: Nashville TN
4,918 posts, read 6,446,081 times
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I like the homeless in Kentucky they are not that bad here, most of them are vets and good decent people.
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Old 02-27-2015, 12:00 PM
 
Location: Sarasota, FL
2,682 posts, read 2,171,572 times
Reputation: 5170
Quote:
Originally Posted by Winnyard Bletch View Post
The homeless have bothered me. One tried to kill my wife with a saw, because I did give him change.This man needed more than spare change.
In other news: NOT EVERYONE WHO APPEARS HOMELESS ACTUALLY IS. In a town where one can make a living begging, many people do exactly that. A man in my neighborhood stands outside the convenience store and literally cries because he is "so hungry." When the marks are gone, he eats his hot dog and pulls out his wad of cash to pay for his 40oz.
The homeless don't bother me nearly as much as people who preach that we have to help them even if we have to risk our personal safety. It is possible to be compassionate and not be a helpless idiot. I will occasionally give them money, and used to give them cigarettes (back when I smoked them) when I feel that it is safe, but if I feel any kind of threat to my safety I have no qualms about doing whatever I have to do to protect myself. Crossing the street or rolling up the window when you feel threatened is not a sin or an injustice.
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