| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 2/9/2006 8:50:53 PM | if I have something to give, I give it. Yes some of them dont need to be out there but there are a lot with addictions and mental health problems that get left behind by the system.
I also give to charity as often as I can, every year around christmas I sit down with my daughter and we pick a charity and one of her gifts is that gift to charity. I teach her about Africa and other poor nations and hope it gives her a sense of empathy and compassion as she gets older because there are a lot of people out there who are truly in need of our help. Our regular charity is Nelson Mandela's 46664, we give to them atleast twice throughout the year and also give to the local food bank, and salvation army. My friends think it is great that I give but think I am crazy for not claiming it on my taxes, but it does not matter to me I am not looking for a tax break. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 2/10/2006 2:35:59 AM | I do not give them money, as i am not really sure that some of them are homeless. I give to the local food pantry and homeless shelter instead.
Bang on !!!
Eliminates the possibility of financing someone's drug habit. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 2/10/2006 2:57:03 AM |
I do not give them money, as i am not really sure that some of them are homeless. I give to the local food pantry and homeless shelter instead.
agree as well
here, we've got plenty of romanian kids begging in the streets, and generally many kids begging around supermarkets, I always just give them sth to eat off my cart...
they might just throw it away if it's not food they're after, but there's a chance that's sth they need...
plus sth most ppl probably do... I give money staright to charity organisations, they know better what to do with it.. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 3/16/2006 7:18:34 AM | sometimes people fall on hard times ,most dont want to be out there.some thats all they ever knew, you should always show compassion.you never know it could be you. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 3/16/2006 9:47:20 AM | | Bums don't like me and have a tendency to yell at me and/or chase me. The last bum that chased me only really hobbled, so I was able to out-run him. He was shaking his fist and yelling like the crazy cat lady in the Simpsons (although he didn't throw any cats at me). | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 3/16/2006 10:54:57 AM | Yesterday I saw a guy and his dog sleeping on the street I passed and went to my appt, on the way back he was still there READING a book! I passed a sandwhich shop and got 2 sangys and 2 waters and gave em to him said have a good day and actually petted the dog etc and he was shocked! He said I was the first person that had talked to him in days! I mean its pretty easy to be nice sometimes......
What goes around comes around people!!! | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 3/16/2006 11:38:51 AM | | I guess bums are a little spoiled where I live. People are always buying sandwiches and coffee for panhandlers.. I see it every day. Everyone is always giving their change, yet day in and day out, the bums remain. It's not the giving change that I have a problem with.. it's not knowing where it goes. There was this young guy who came up to me and asked me for some change because he's trying to get home, he lost his wallet, blah blah blah, so I have him a couple toonies. But then I though about it while he was walking away, and I would bet those two toonies that as soon as he had collected enough money from people as gullible as me, he ran out and spent it all on drugs or booze. I have no pity for young bums. The older men and women, okay.. they probably at least have some story to tell. But a 18 year-old bum who sits on the street asking for change, I'm sorry, you're not going to get it from me. | |
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yna6
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Joined: 5/2/2004
Msg: 58 | |
| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 3/16/2006 11:59:00 AM | | Yeah....had one young guy sitting on a bench in downtown hamilton...every day. He'd hit up everyone for "spare change". Saw him wearing brand new workboots of a good quality, and asked him why he did what he does. Basically...he was lazy. he could sit all day, talk to people, not have to put up with the crap of working for a living, and he made out ok for himself. Made enough to pay his rent, pay the bills, feed himself, etc, and do nothing but run his mouth. (Somewhat like a politician!). When I see someone who has been hurt or crippled, usually they have some form of income...but it usually isn't near as much as needed to maintain a decent quality of life. I give a little...but giving to foodbanks and places like the Sally Ann are best. You know it will go to actually helping those who ask for help, rather than funding god knows what for whomever is asking. Sure...someone can be a bit down on their luck...need to raise busfair or whatever...maybe help out there a bit...but not when it is their regular hangout just to make a few $$$s. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 3/16/2006 1:43:59 PM | nobodys said this yet , but i was the kid on the street. back in the mid-90's i was hitchin the country w/ the Dead. i left NCarolina w/ 30 bucks, a pack and a coleman stove. i made grilled cheeses and sold em in the parkin' lot for gas money so i could get a ride to the next show. if i had any extra i buy a beer or somethin of anther vender in the lot. it was a good time. after tour, i ended up on Haight/Ashbury where nobody bought grilled cheeses.
being as how i was never any good at selling pot, (smoked it all) i started " flying a sign". i was trying to get up some cash for fall tour. well jerry died and there was no fall tour and there i was ; stuck-like-chuck.
basiclly i got up early and walked from my camp in golden gate park. i tried to catch the morning folks going to work. id make a funny sign like " Buying a Harley - help a brother out" , then crack wise and tell jokes to people as they went by.i made a new one each day so it was never the same. i figured if i made people smile they might give me a quarter or something. id make enough for coffee and maybe a dougnut, ya know a bagel or something, then get right back to it. i musta got pretty good at it cause i started getting " regulars ". some regular folks would get there early and rap w/ me awile b4 they went on to work. i tried to always make em smile. four bucks later id get me a pack of smokes. that was from about 6AM til about 10am. id stay at it til about 1PM when the shelter served lunch. after lunch id check w/ the heads on the street and see what was going on. usually somebody would smoke some pot w/ me around then. never had to pay for pot. i was a " good head" and well liked so folks that" had" kicked down. i always stopped " spangin' " (spare+change) about 4pm. this old guy used come by and give me a doller for my sign every day. he said he took them down to the mission district and made good money w/ them. a good bit more than i made on the Haight, he said.
if any ya ll gave a hippie from carolina a dollar while walking down Haight, thanks. i never lied to anybody about what i was buying and i never spanged if i had money in my pocket. i was always nice to folks. you cant get a quarter pi$$ing people off.
i seen kids up there spange all day then walk into ben&jerry's and buy ice cream or a slice at the pizza place w/ mommy and daddy's gold card. i was a crusty head and it made me mad too.
just before i left san fransico, this guy walks up and i do my bit as he walks up to his car. he stops and looks my dirty-hippy-a$$ up and down, and askes me if i want to do a couple days work for regular money- 5 or 6 bucks an hour - i asked him if he d give me a lift back up to the Haight after the job, and he said "Sure" so im pickin up my pack and he's tellin me about these horse stables and how the mexican guy that was cleanin' em didnt come back and the mess. im like "ok , yessir , alright , cool" i reach for the door handle to get in the car. the guy stops and looks at me over the top of the car and says , ' you really want the work?" i say " hell ya......." he says "there arent any stables kid, i just wanted to make sure you'd work." so he bought me lunch and listened to my story while we ate then we had a good beer at a bar at the end of the street. before he left he gave me 50$ and wished me luck. i left the Haight before i spent the whole 50$. sorry this was so long, but i figgered it fit , so i hope it helped the thread.
Beetle the hippy (ret) | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 3/17/2006 3:18:26 AM | i throw em a little if i beleive em. i gave a guy 50 cent one time ,about a year after i was of the street. he started cussin me cause he asked for a dollar. i beat that B1tch down and took my 50cent
back. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 3/18/2006 9:43:25 AM | I dont see many beggars around here.....
When I have they have signs
WILL WORK FOR FOOD..... but heard none of them want to work
they just want a handout. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 3/20/2006 9:17:27 AM | Well whats the big deal of actually getting someone a meal or a handup? It could very easily be you down in the dreads and wouldnt ya want to have a little help?
I blame the damn govt as they just turn the other way!!! | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 3/20/2006 10:11:48 AM | | My heart goes out to those that are down(for whatever reason...drugs,badchoices...etc)I dont give them money at all...one time i had this man tell me he was cold and wanted to get himself a coffee..or something to warm himself..so i went and bought him and hot chocolate(sure thats not really what he wanted?). Another time a man came into my place of business...beggin from our customers,so I gave him the shelters card and my lunch...he was none to impressed... help in the ways that are from the heart...money isnt the answer..... | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 3/20/2006 10:25:16 AM | | True while they may not look to have any physical impediments, there are those that have things such as a seizure disorder or mental issues that can't be readily detected, but keep them unemployed. Then, there are the ones that are simply looking for money for drugs or beer. My motto is if someone looks like they haven't eaten in a while and is begging, I offer, if I can afford it, to bring them back a bite to eat. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 3/20/2006 10:38:54 AM | Beggers are people too
its just hard these days to figure out who needs it and who doesnt.
I would hope 99% of people wouldnt beg if they didnt have too but what do i know.
hmmmmmmmmmm | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 3/20/2006 10:59:58 AM | | I personally know people that beg for handouts that do not need it. I'd say it's about 80/20. I've lived on the streets before as it was difficult to find a place I could afford and I couldn't find work. I never once begged because I had an income for my seizure disorder, but I know those that had an income and still begged, because they also had an alchohol or drug problem. That's why when I see someone begging for money for food, if I can do it, I bring them back something to eat. I never give out money and that way I know it's not being used for anything like drugs or alchohol. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 4/15/2006 9:20:19 AM | Oh night we were out making the rounds on "George Street, St. John's, Newfoundland", for you who don't know it is filled with bars, clubs and pubs.
This guy came up to me and ask "Dollor for a coffee?", I replied "no thanks, I'm not drinking coffee to night!" When I thought about it at our next drinking location I had to laugh. He want the $1.00 for himself for a coffee, I thought he was selling coffee. I guess I had one to many beer. LOL | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 4/15/2006 9:49:50 AM | I worked for a brief time in Ottawa. Every morning I would walk down through the market area from my hotel. One morning, I was approached by a well dressed (nice suit/topcoat) guy carrying a briefcase. He told me that his wallet had just been stolen and he didn't have enough cash to get his car out of the underground parking and he was going to be late for a very important meeting. He said he was very embarrassed to have to ask someone for a "loan". I gave him $10.
When I passed by the same general area the next morning, he was giving someone else the same line.
I bet he made a lot of money that way. Needless to say, I don't give money to people on the street anymore. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 4/15/2006 1:24:08 PM | People are on the street for different reasons- I dont know of anyone who begs because they want to. What our community has done is created a newspaper written by homeless or otherwise very low income people. In turn, these people go out onto the street corner and sells the paper for donations. I will often give $10-20 if I have that much because they are trying. Otherwise if I see someone struggling I offer to buy them some lunch. I wont give cash. Suprisingly, many have declined my offer for food!
Other consideration, a good portion of street people (at least in my area) are either legitimately there as they are poorly educated, suffering from mental illness, came to Edm due to booming job market but found that it wasnt as easy as they thought and if you dont have an address/tel number an employer cant reach you to interview you cycle, they cant quality for social assistance as they dotn have a permanent address, or are having difficulties with racism issues. | |
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