As I was stopped at a RED light going to work a homeless person walked up to my car window and asked for some $. I said here take the want ads and find yourself a job. If you can stand out here for 8 hours a day then I am sure Wal-Mart is looking for cashiers and will hire you. Of course the light changes and cars are honking but I am not done talking to this person....I said, If I give you some $ you will be right back out here tomorrow, but if these want ads can help find you a job, then your beggin days are over......He told me to F&^$ off and I of course flipped him off and shouted "Loser". I just don't understand people during the holidays how many want to go out and feed the homeless for a few days out of the year.....if only they would get a job they could eat everyday of the year......I tried to help but OH WELL
Do you give the homeless a dollar or not?
- Thread starter SKEETER1
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Just some advice. If your going to roll down your window and converse with someone like that, its not safe. Especially engaging them with want ads and get a job discussion. Alot of these homeless have mental problems. They could easily reach for the want ads your offering and stab you in the neck with the shiv they use to protect themselves when they sleep under a bridge at night. Then you die over a dollar and no one can find the homeless guy that killed you in your own car.
If you roll your window down give them the buck and get out of there.
If you roll your window down give them the buck and get out of there.
no, giving a dollar to that guy is rewarding that diseased behavior....and as a result, a terrible thing to do for the individual as you are delaying the treatment that he needs
i give to other charities which actually help people
i give to other charities which actually help people
My fav is those with signs "will work for food" everytime I see one I tell em I got some work for them--have YET to have the 1st one even ask what job was. They all have given me the deaf routine.
i give `em money many times.....i guess i`m just thankful that i`m able to afford a buck or two for somebody that`s in bad shape.....
druggies?.....alcoholics?....probably some ..yeah,maybe most....we`ve had some of that type of problem in our family....and it`s hard...
maybe it`s "liberal" guilt(anybody buyin` that?.. :lol: )....
who knows.....
druggies?.....alcoholics?....probably some ..yeah,maybe most....we`ve had some of that type of problem in our family....and it`s hard...
maybe it`s "liberal" guilt(anybody buyin` that?.. :lol: )....
who knows.....
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I don't feel guilty NOT giving money to anyone like this or any charity that solicits me. The reason is that I already contribute a substantial portion of my income to charity. Beggars and other solicitors try to get you to feel guilty and prey on that. However, if you already give routinely, you don't feel guilty.
My response to a person like this is that I contribute to xx, and they can help you if you pay them a visit. IMHO, door to door salesmen are the most annoying. My wife is a sucker for them, so she always gets me to go to the door to tell them no.
There are several charities out there that have firefighter or police in their name that in reality only give a very small portion of the money to those firemen or police officers. We had a link on here one time that showed how infinitesimally small the percentage was of money that actually goes to support some of these charities. I look for it and edit in a link if I can find it.
My response to a person like this is that I contribute to xx, and they can help you if you pay them a visit. IMHO, door to door salesmen are the most annoying. My wife is a sucker for them, so she always gets me to go to the door to tell them no.
There are several charities out there that have firefighter or police in their name that in reality only give a very small portion of the money to those firemen or police officers. We had a link on here one time that showed how infinitesimally small the percentage was of money that actually goes to support some of these charities. I look for it and edit in a link if I can find it.
walking from the lot to the orioles games years back, there was a homeless guy in a beat up wheel chair that caught our attention on the walk. my wife bought the story and handed him a fin.
so 3 hours later we're walking back to get the car and see the same wheel chair, same spot, different guy begging. never forget. :mj07:
yea, occasionally i'll give them a few bucks. it depends on the situation.
so 3 hours later we're walking back to get the car and see the same wheel chair, same spot, different guy begging. never forget. :mj07:
yea, occasionally i'll give them a few bucks. it depends on the situation.
MadJack said:
Jack, what's the key to using the search engine on here now? I can't ever find older posts than 1 year.
i don't know. i can't go back past 6 months. ask in general because some people don't seem to have a problem. this has been bugging the hell outta me for the last couple months. i thought it was just me.SixFive said:
jack that`s a great story....i have a smilar one...some guy approached me at ingleside shopping center....some story about his car broke down....his wife was unavailable....he didn`t have his credit cards....he needed 10 bucks to get home to get his cards and info...he`d just run out to grab a paper or something...i forget the particulars....it was before cell phones came into being....he would get the money back to me...would give me his name, address and phone number
well dressed...looked legit...but it was way to elaborate...i didn`t bite...he looked to good.....
so about a year later i was at security mall....and the same guy came up to me with exactly the same spiel....
i said,"you tried this scam on me at westview mall a year ago"....he walked away cussing me out....lol
it`s the really downtrodden ones that get to me...it`s hard seeing people so beaten down...
not to say that they couldn`t be scammers...
what really galls me is the phone solicitors....that bugs me....
well dressed...looked legit...but it was way to elaborate...i didn`t bite...he looked to good.....
so about a year later i was at security mall....and the same guy came up to me with exactly the same spiel....
i said,"you tried this scam on me at westview mall a year ago"....he walked away cussing me out....lol
it`s the really downtrodden ones that get to me...it`s hard seeing people so beaten down...
not to say that they couldn`t be scammers...
what really galls me is the phone solicitors....that bugs me....
when i was living in ny, my wife & i were driving through the streets of manhattan & were stopped at a red light.....a homeless person comes up to the driver's window asking for a handout....my wallet was in my back pocket & since i was sitting on it & didn't feel like getting out of the car, i reached out of the window the loose change that i had in the car (about $.80)....the guy got very insulted & refused the money.....so i drove away....
i came across probably the only homeless person that has a minimum wage for himself (lol)...
i came across probably the only homeless person that has a minimum wage for himself (lol)...
We have no homeless in this great country. We have some clever folks making a living. As Jack said two different guys same wheel chair.
What do we expect we reward people for not working by giving them welfare and food stamps take away these promblems and make them get a job. Go down to your welfare office the 1st of the month you will see what your taxes pay for a person not to work.
gardenweasel said:
Man, I love that one. That one is coming back into style big time again. Those guys tell a good story. It's pretty much in the same mold as the guys who pretend to be asking for directions, then lose interest in you when they realize you are willing to show the way to the subway/train, but are unwilling to foot the bill.
I pass by probably 20 panhandlers on my walk to work each morning. It really is an artform. I can't recall the last time I gave any cash though.
Some of the good one's probably make $5/hr and are just doing it to suppliment their welfare. Most aren't even totally homeless. No matter what programs or services they setup here, the "homeless" refuse to stop begging, cause it's just too lucrative.
larryowen said:
I think the idea of having programs to help people in need is fine, but the execution is severely flawed. They don't even have food stamps here anymore. They get a debit card because food stamps were bad for their self-esteem. We really do make it too easy on people to stay on public support. Maybe instead of food stamps we could have centralized mess hall type facilities. We would bus people there 3 times a day to eat nutritious meals. You miss the bus? Tough ... you don't eat. They could do their own cooking and cleaning. This way they could at least contribute something and we wouldn't be spending our tax $$ so these fat, lazy bastards could binge on Doritos and Ring Dings.
i think sometimes its easy to figure out if they are truly desperate souls. i gave out alot of money through the years and got frief for it. not thousands or anything, but i was more naive and was more willing to give a few bucks. the aggressive ones really piss me off. i dont know why but when i see some "homeless" people with a dog, it really gets to me. i'm a schmuck.
I have lotta experience with homeless (don't ask!) and you shouldn't hardly ever give to them directly---give to the non-profits that do help them (as the good Dr. Freeze sez).
about 70% of 'em are mental cases, drug addicts or both. That's the consensus % of many studies, and seems true from my experience.
Thus, giving money to them perpetuates their problems and enables them to putoff getting the help they need. Portland, OR, for example (recognizing this reality), sometimes hands out little pieces of paper to tourists and locals to give to panhandlers informing them of services nearby.
Of course, there are exceptions. Sometimes talking to one I can sense he does need some money and local services aren't adequate. The services that support that Portland program don't like it pointed out that the program helps their job security and funding too...
The aggressive panhandler almost never is one of these exceptions.
It's work for them.
I was at a Rainbow Gathering once and 22 year old white rasta dude's distributor in his Chevy van went out and instead of simple day of temp work to earn enuf to buy used dist from wrecking yard, he just panhandled in nearby small town 'cause it's alot less hassle.
about 70% of 'em are mental cases, drug addicts or both. That's the consensus % of many studies, and seems true from my experience.
Thus, giving money to them perpetuates their problems and enables them to putoff getting the help they need. Portland, OR, for example (recognizing this reality), sometimes hands out little pieces of paper to tourists and locals to give to panhandlers informing them of services nearby.
Of course, there are exceptions. Sometimes talking to one I can sense he does need some money and local services aren't adequate. The services that support that Portland program don't like it pointed out that the program helps their job security and funding too...
The aggressive panhandler almost never is one of these exceptions.
It's work for them.
I was at a Rainbow Gathering once and 22 year old white rasta dude's distributor in his Chevy van went out and instead of simple day of temp work to earn enuf to buy used dist from wrecking yard, he just panhandled in nearby small town 'cause it's alot less hassle.
POINT BLANK....Give the homeless $$ and it gives them incentives to come back out the nest day for a handout.....Give them a paper and refuse to give them $$ then they will realize, hey I should go get a job.....If you get laid off your job you have 3 months to collect unemploymnent benefits....THAT's IT.....you cant collect for month after month....After 3 months you have a choice.....geta job or you will not recieve any benefits......If I catch anyone giving these homeless any $$ you will be fined...$300.00 This will make the homeless go get a job and keep YOU from giving them $$... Stop giving into feelings and start looking at behaviors....Their behaviors are costing all of us too much $$$$$
