Roach's above post is deeply thought provoking.

What strikes me hard across my sensibilities, is how the internal dialogue
of the giver of change plays out.

I'm concerned that far too often, some folk simply find it easier
to adopt a blanket condemnation & scorn of all panhandlers.

I wonder how many people unwittingly use this shunning tactic
out of a sense of fear. Fear of the idea that one slip of fortune,
and I may end up like, 'that.'

or it could be also be a: "yeah, let them starve, and decrease the surplus population," meme.

Willful ignorance is a chosen form of poverty.
I can muster sympathy for this affliction, as well;
but I will admit it takes more effort.

back a long time ago, when i was on christmas leave in dallas, my great-aunt and i were wandering around downtown and a panhandler came up to us and asked us for a hand-out. aunt edna said, "come with us and i'll buy you breakfast."

son of a gun, the dude said yes...

aunt edna said that was the best way to diffuse panhandlers - either they were hungry or they weren't...

I always give money when I have it. I'm not sure why: I hate homeless people, I love my money, and I'm a firm believer in fair pay for hard work and no pay for no work. I guess it all comes down to karma.

Sometimes...but I usually ask them do a soft-shoe or sing a song or something first. Hey if I had to muck through "Tight Fittin' Jeans" last night to pay the bills the very least they can do is climb out of the refrigerator box and do give me a few bars of Moonlight in Vermont.

Seriously I don't really mind if I have the spare change on hand but for god sakes when I hand them the last 2 dollars I have can they maybe not make me instantly regret it by hitting me up for "a few" cigarettes too?

Sometimes I give money, but it does annoy me to no end when I see someone who's completely able to work spend their day asking people for change when they could be looking for a job.

Also, they keep sitting next to ATMs here in France, and actually ask for 10 or 20 euro bills. Are you fucking insane? That money is payment for me working my ass for a few hours, not for you to cock your head, put on a sad look that you give to everyone else, and try to make me feel pity for you. It just feels so hypocritical and messed up.

You're a friggin' hoot.

Yes i have helped them in the past and will in the future. I try to treat everyone with the respect that i would want to be shown if i was in there shoes.

If that was me would i want that person to give me his pocket change if i needed it.

I mean what am i missing out on a soda at the most.

These people make more per day than i make in an entire week with my actual job. So.. no... no i don't. They should be giving me money.

Many panhandlers are professional panhandlers. Its all they do and they do it because they make a lot of money.

It's disgusting. While would like to believe that the vast majority of "career" bums are suffering from some sort of mental illness, the sad fact remains that many folks just embrace the lifestyle because it really doesnt require them to do shit. I always wonder if they are former Art History or Women's Studies majors.

Police: Oregon panhandlers raking in the green | KOMO News | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News - Seattle, Washington | Local & Regional
CBC News - Edmonton - Some panhandlers making $400 a day: police

My attitude? Fuck'em.

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I spent the latter part of my youth in the DC area where bums are more or less part of the landscape. The whole "homeless vet" thing used to get to me and so I would hand out a few bucks here and there. My attitude changed when I ran in to some bum in front of a 7-11. He told me that he hadn't eaten in a few days and was wondering if I could spare a few dollars. At the time I had no cash on me, just my debit card and told him as much. I went inside and bought a sandwich, bag of chips and a bottle of Gatorade to give to the guy on my way out. Long story, short; the guy flipped out when presented with the food. "What the fuck? You gonna buy shit but you cant gimme no money?!" Guess he wasn't that hungry after all.

Ok so let me say this i think i now understand this post. You are talking panhandlers I was meaning homeless.

I help the homeless people. Normal you can tell by the way they dress if they are truly homeless or not. They dress for warmth one way or another. Panhandlers most offend don't think of this.

ehh, if the pan-handler is giving me a bullshit lie, no dough for them. any other time and i'll spare some change.

I used to pass along any change to the less-aggressive ones in the city, but that was back when I had disposable income and high ideals.

Nowadays I have less to give, although I went to NYC this past winter and found myself giving dollars to the guys who were singing or playing homemade instruments in Times Square- I could do no less.

On a related note, for those interested in "teaching them to fish" there's an organization called the Cara Program that tries to educate the homeless.

(I'd provide a link, but I don't want to come off as spamming- you can just use a search engine anyway.)

If they seem like a decent person down on their luck, yes, if they seem like a drug addict or dirtbag, no. All of this is assuming I have any spare money to give in the first place though.

I went to McDonalds and got a meal for one instead and he threw it back at me and said "i dont want this shit, give me some money!" >:(

If they have a dog with them, I sometimes go buy them a hot pasty or sausage roll to share. I did make the mistake of giving a woman with her head covered and standing in the snow selling The Big Issue the price of a coffee in the cafe opposite, so that she could warm herself. Then she started persuing me for money for milk for her starving baby. Son sitting in the car said I wasnt the only one, so I wont give cash any more. On the other side of it, the dogs and I street collect for animal charity - that doesnt make us as bad, does it? We dont get paid.

---------- Post added at 11:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:59 AM ----------

The 'Lucky Heather' ladies (in the loosest sense of the word) are the ones who annoy me. Beware the Pikey curse if you dont buy it.