Quote:
Originally Posted by Lasereth
Hell no. There's lots of programs out there to help these people. And I have no moral obligation to give my money away that I earned.
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Name the programs.
Homeless Programs Cut - DC
"Crushing" cuts to homeless programs - North Carolina
Homeless programs cut - NYC and NY State
Homeless Programs Cut - Seattle
etc.
I have no moral obligation to give to the homeless, nor do I do it because it makes me feel warm and fuzzy. I do it because I feel compassion for the individual, depending on what their pitch is. Shaking a can, or acting loud and obnoxious doesn't do anything for me.
I figure it's the same case if a person needs a dollar because he's short for the subway. This person needs a small boost, I have some money that will likely go in a jar or soda machine.
There's also an urban factor, how large of an area a person lives in. I walk through a park to get to work in DC that has about 15 or so homeless people in it every day. This is not something I experienced in any other place I've lived, and it has made a big difference in how I view giving to the homeless.
Additionally, I don't care if they use it to buy liquor or drugs. I don't know or care if that's the best way to go for them. It may be.