| How do you feel about baggers on the streets?
Posted: 5/23/2006 11:07:50 PM | Generally I give em some cash to help out if I can...
Sure I might be getting scammed, but what if Im not.
what's $20, or $50 over the course of a lifetime.
I'm a bad reference though, as I still pick up hitchikers, stop to help people on the side of the road, and all the other things they say not to do in this day and age.
I also give a guy cash who had a sign that read:
"Need money for alcohol, weed, and hookers... At least I ain't bullshittin' you"
just for appreciation of the sign | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 6/8/2006 10:28:17 AM | | Yup - Zero unemployment in Alberta; I had rough times too but begging wasn't an option. Alberta was good to me so there's my tip - when the going gets tough; the tough get going. If your choices include a park bench & booze and/or drugs - look for sympathy in the dictionary; you will find it between sh.. and syphlis | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 9/20/2006 2:13:29 AM | | i just got through 5.5 years of no jobs available,i have been to food banks,they will give food to someone needy but not report it,some people dont have any skills,some places dont have any jobs available,but you say that they just need to get a job?it is bigots like you who always have oppions,but never have a clue as to how things really are or how to do something about it.most of the beggars are just trying to do the best they can and people like you are trying to put us down because you have never been in our shoes and would rather run your mouth than learn. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 8/19/2008 1:23:06 PM | | Work at an office tower downtown Toronto and try to have a peaceful lunch sitting on a bench outside - trust me, beggars are not what they used to be, they are aggressive and a LOT more are mentally unstable. I won't give a dime to anyone anymore, and when they become confrontational I walk as quickly as possible to a safe zone. AND some get pissed if you only flip them a quarter or whatever change you happen to have - I've seen women get spat on, lit cigarettes thrown, people sworn at, jumped at...easier to avert your eyes, keep on walking and get the hell away. | |
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| How do you feel about baggers on the streets?
Posted: 8/19/2008 1:59:21 PM |
I was living on the streets at 17 so I've been hungry and homeless and unemployable.
I almost always give homeless people what small money I have. any country that is as rich as this one and lets people starve has some serious issues.
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| How do you feel about baggers on the streets?
Posted: 8/19/2008 2:34:02 PM | I have mix feelings....I don't feel comfortable handing money to homeless people because I'm not sure where the money might go to. Some can be drug addicts, so giving them money to help them with their addiction is not my attentions. However, I have seen homeless people with signs stating "Will work for food". I can't give them job, but I remember one time I drove to Burger King and bought a value meal. I returned to the location where the homeless person was at and gave it to him to eat. Now, that I feel comfortable doing....Also I can't be handing money out to every homeless person I see because then I would be broke. I hope people don't think I sound selfish, but this is how I feel.
It's sad to see people in that situation, but I can only give so little. | |
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| How do you feel about baggers on the streets?
Posted: 8/19/2008 3:15:29 PM | | There are specific organizations that go out at at night and feed and help the homeless, I am more apt to give them donations then some of the really disturbed people who lurk outside my subway station. In no way do I wish to demean the plight of people in this situation, but I am also raising a child on my own and could not give money to every homeless person I see, even if I wanted to. I do my part with United Way and 2 other charities I support, I also give $5 every payday to the one homeless guy I see every day who plays violin every morning on Bay Street - it's nice to hear each day. But then I draw the line. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 8/19/2008 3:35:54 PM | I feel about beggars the same way, I feel about advertisements. Both Beggars and advertisers are looking to separate you from your hard earned cash. The difference maybe a product that's over hyped or a feeling that doesn't last.
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 8/19/2008 10:14:19 PM | I have given $$ to beggars serval times. They all either said they were hungry, or didn't have local bus fare to get home.
Each time I did it, I gave them more than they needed. Each time, I watched them after haven given the the $$ -- only to se them NOT use the $$ for what they said thy wanted it for. Instead -- I saw them immediately hit someone else for cash.
I used to work in Dallas, TX, where anyone with kids can get free housing, food, medical care, and just about their every whim met for free. Those with no kids can sleep in shelters, get free food, and hand-out programs for used clothes.
Any able bodied person who wants to can at least get a day labor job.
Now I give my $$$ to charitable agencies who have are professionally equipped to help the homeless. I have also worked with seveal ministries in soup kitchens, or street feeding programs.
When I worked in downtown dallas, I made maps of to the feeding centers and shelters to give to beggars along with a kind word and respectful tone. I also carried small folding umbrellas, and space blanket in my car to give away.
If someone asks me for food or bus fare, these days -- I will buy them some food, or escort them to the bus and pay their local fare to the driver.
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 8/20/2008 7:19:26 AM | I don't give them money at all.
I remember Christmas shopping one year and a guy came up to me outside of the mall and asked for change for a coffee. All I had was a loonie so I handed it to him. He held it up in disgust and said "That won't get me anything at Starbucks!" So I took it back and told him to go to Tim's like the rest of us.
Another time I grabbed coffee and a dozen doughnuts/muffins for the people at work and while I was walking this guy comes up and asks for money because he hadn't eaten in 3 days. I told him that I didn't have any on me but he was welcome to a couple of doughnuts or muffins. He told me that was no good because his wife and kids were at home and they hadn't eaten either. So I offered him the whole box and he refused again. Guess he wasn't as hungry as he thought.... | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 8/20/2008 7:25:43 AM | Yeah. Some of those beggers have choices. However, some are mentally inequipped to handle life as we know it. Others have probably been stuck in the indigent welfare system so long they can't qualify for assistance, in addition to the fact that you can't get a helping hand without a permanent address.
Beware folks, in today's failing economy: There but for the grace of God, go I. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 8/20/2008 7:35:24 AM | I myself was homeless for a while and lived at a rescue mission for about 6 months.I got to know a lot of people there and most of them including me were not beggers.Theres only a few i saw that went around bumming for food and money.I went to work everyday and rode public transportation to work and back.I think calling homeless people beggers is kind of prejudice.As far as real beggers go 99 % actually need the money.Their is only the other 1% that are like i saw on a dateline show on tv one time that lived in a 200,000 dollar houses and yet went out on the streets of New york everyday and claimed they could bum as much as 200 dollars a day.Or the one's who bum and go and get drunk with the money or buy drugs.That one percent is the only ones i dont care for.People say to these people holding signs get a job.But honestly,would you hire somebody to work for you that looks like those poor people?I bet most of those hipocrites who tell those people to get a job wouldnt. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 8/20/2008 8:57:11 AM | But honestly,would you hire somebody to work for you that looks like those poor people?
Several years ago I use to work for a chemical plant that consist of temporary help. I live in Mass near an area called Fitchburg and homeless people living in Fitchburg is quite prevalent in that town, so most of our temps were from this town. We would get several good guys, not all were homeless, but at times we would get tht special temp that we knew he was homeless. This wasn't like once a year thing, we would get a temp like this once or twice a month.
Now I have to say I got a lot good help coming through this temp agency, homeless and none homeless. Any homeless people we received actually did their job and performed all the tasks that needed to get done with no problems. However, I've had from time to time some difficulties from homeless and none homeless. But, the ones I remember dealing with were the homeless because they seem to put on a real good show. I got so many stories that I can tell you that it would make you fall off your chair.
There was one guy in particular that I will never forget. I'm not going to tell you his real name, so we will call him DM for short. DM was a tall and chubby Jamaican man about in his mid thirties with a very strong Jamaican accent. A friendly giant I would call him. This guy would love to sing and he had a very good voice, espeically with that Jamaican accent. I would think at times I was at a Bob Marley concert. There were two things he would love to do everyday on lunch time. One was sing for us none stop, and two he would ask all of us for a "dolla", so he could grab something from the snack machine. DM would show up for work for like a two weeks straight and then disappear for another two.
If you met DM you would think he is a space cadet because his mind would drift at times. I would watch him do his job at times and his job was unload product from a truck and carry it to a certain machine on a two wheeler dolly. It was about 700 ft from the truck to the machine. DM would walk and halfway there he would stop, standing there for like 5 minutes and just argue with himself. It was quite weird and I had to go there and snap him out of it. He would just smile and say "Okay Mon!!" and move on.
My old job loved DM and we always brought him back with open arms. Maybe because he was entertaining and had us rolling, but he also did his job. When he disappeared, we would always wonder where he went to. There was one time a topic came up about DM when he wasn't there and a new temp we had knew DM. She said she grew up with him and knew him since high school. She said that DM use to be some big time drug dealer with tons of money and nice cars. She also said DM use to get all the girls back then too....I was amazed. I would not have thought of DM that way. But then DM just lost his mind is what she said....Maybe that explains everything about DM. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 8/20/2008 11:08:25 AM | Personally, I feel sorry for the homeless who have mental health issues because it's obvious that they didn't choose to be this way.
However, I do NOT feel sorry for those who use thier addictions as an excuse for thier homeless lifestyle. I know of a couple of people who used to live on the streets and they made the decision to get help & work towards a better life. If they can do it, so can anyone that's fighting an addiction.
A number of years ago, as I was walking to my bus stop from work downtown, I was disgusted (and somewhat embarrased) to recognize a young relative and his friends, dressed up like "street kids", panhandling.
I KNEW that these kids came from good families and with nice homes in the suburbs. When I notified thier Parents, it was discovered that they were using the money for drugs. Shameful behaviour really-using the homeless as a "front" for thier deceit!
I donate to charities who help the homeless (such as Missions & Salvation Army) but I never hand out money to directly panhandlers because you never can tell. | |
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 8/20/2008 2:21:32 PM | I stopped feeling bad for beggars when one evening, one guy sounding was doing his bit in front of a cash point queue.
He sounded quite pathetic but I didn't give him any money because it was the beginning of the evening.
I said to him:
"Maybe you should wait till the end of the night when ppl have change and are a pissed, you're more likely to get something"
to which he replied quietly and sounding quite coherent...
"It's alright mate, I know what I'm doing"
I'm not going to tell you what I said to him a few weeks later when he tried his pathetic act on me again.
I've never given a penny since.
Including some guy who was selling the big issue and because i was wearing a suit said... big issue? you look like you can afford it.
I didn't even respond.. but then i thought to myself.
Cost to me:
Suit - Zero (buy 1 get 1 free)
Shoes, pants, socks - Zero (They Presents
Tie - (My ex bought it for me for a fancy dress party before i wore suits to work - £2)
Umbrella - £2.49
Watch - £3.99
TOTAL PRICE I PAID FOR EVERYTHING I HAD ON - £5.48. bit of a peasant really.
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| How do you feel about beggers on the streets?
Posted: 8/20/2008 2:45:17 PM |
I stopped feeling bad for beggars when one evening, one guy sounding was doing his bit in front of a cash point queue.
He sounded quite pathetic but I didn't give him any money because it was the beginning of the evening.
basing your opinions of the millions of the worlds poor on the actions of one guy is a bit of tunnel vision, don't you think? | |
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