Quote:
Originally posted by 1337haxor
If a homeless person is doing something like playing music or something like that, I'd be more willing to give since they are trying to use a skill they have besides the skill of hagling people for money. I would love to be able to make them productive members of society but some don't want to.
-Robert
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So, if he's an entertaining hobo....he's alright???? j/k
It seems there are two sides to this. There are those of us who have seen the professional panhandlers who riff from one story to the next to grab some spare cash. Those who feed off the already strained system. These people choose to live this lifestyle. It's not glamorous, but they get by.
Then there are those of us who have seen the other side. The stories of lost jobs or burned down houses. The crazy folks who shouldn't be living out on the street, but there's nowhere else for them to go. Women running from abusive spouses. Men running from addiction. These people don't choose to live this lifestyle. It's not glamorous, but they get by.
You really can't have an intelligent discussion about this until both sides see that there are two sides to the coin. Not every homeless person is out there to rip you off; there are some who abuse the good nature of folks just passing through.
My advice is to watch out for both, catagorize them accordingly and apply your money how you see fit. I've seen too many examples and been too close for comfort not to do something. I for one give money when I can, but hardly ever to the same face twice. It's not a power thing. I only have a little money to spread around and I like to know it's going to be used for the right thing.
I know I'm waxing poetic here, but this is an important subject.