new "class" of beggers

[dejitaru]

why not get a job?!?!??!?

Would you hire them? It isn't that simple.

I don't give money to stranges... I just know they are going to spend it on something I wouldn't like drugs or alcohol.

Exactly, that's cutting into your drug and alcohol money.

 

[flavio]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: flavio
The majority of homeless people are genuinely down and out. People like to focus on certain cases to make them feel better about not helping anyone though.

That's what charities are for. When a begger asks you for money, you don't have the times or means to check him out, nor do you have the ability to make sure the money goes towards helping him, rather than feeding an addiction.

Charities, on the other hand, have rules and requirements they enforce.

I give generously to charities, but never to individuals.

That's nice and all but most people do not contribute to charities or help individuals. Individuals need help too, and if possess a little wisdom and street smarts odds are in your favor of helping the truly needy.

Something I've thought about recently is the fact that many UC Christian right wingers (not you Amused) also seem to be some of the most selfish people you will ever meet. The What Would Jesus Do test seems to fail on most of their strongest convictions.

 

[Shockwave]

My policy is quite simple. No help. I dont help charities, I dont help individuals. I dont help some poor starving child in Africa. I dont help some old man in South America. I dont help a laid off IT person begging for money. I dont help a desperate freezing bum wanting a cigarette.
Its a simple policy. And why do I do this? Cause no one helped ME when *I* was homeless. And I bounced back, got a degree and now have a job, buying a house and a family.
Its all about drive and determination.

 

[Orsorum]

I just find the name "Wang Center" to be humorous.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: flavio

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: flavio
The majority of homeless people are genuinely down and out. People like to focus on certain cases to make them feel better about not helping anyone though.

That's what charities are for. When a begger asks you for money, you don't have the times or means to check him out, nor do you have the ability to make sure the money goes towards helping him, rather than feeding an addiction.

Charities, on the other hand, have rules and requirements they enforce.

I give generously to charities, but never to individuals.

That's nice and all but most people do not contribute to charities or help individuals. Individuals need help too, and if possess a little wisdom and street smarts odds are in your favor of helping the truly needy.

Something I've thought about recently is the fact that many UC Christian right wingers (not you Amused) also seem to be some of the most selfish people you will ever meet. The What Would Jesus Do test seems to fail on most of their strongest convictions.

Well, I guess we'll have to disagree. If I'm approched by a begger, I simply give them the name of the local food bank and shelter I donate to. If the food bank or shelter run out of funds, they contact their regular contributors and organize fund raising campaigns.

There are too many scammers, and my day is too busy to deal with them individually.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Shockwave
My policy is quite simple. No help. I dont help charities, I dont help individuals. I dont help some poor starving child in Africa. I dont help some old man in South America. I dont help a laid off IT person begging for money. I dont help a desperate freezing bum wanting a cigarette.
Its a simple policy. And why do I do this? Cause no one helped ME when *I* was homeless. And I bounced back, got a degree and now have a job, buying a house and a family.
Its all about drive and determination.

Charities exist not only for people who can, but don't. But for people who can't, but would if they could. In other words, they help the mentally and physically disabled, too.

I'm all for the self determination thing, and I've made my own way from nothing as well. But remember that there ARE people who do not have the ability to do this.

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: Shockwave
My policy is quite simple. No help. I dont help charities, I dont help individuals. I dont help some poor starving child in Africa. I dont help some old man in South America. I dont help a laid off IT person begging for money. I dont help a desperate freezing bum wanting a cigarette.
Its a simple policy. And why do I do this? Cause no one helped ME when *I* was homeless. And I bounced back, got a degree and now have a job, buying a house and a family.
Its all about drive and determination.

thats cool ( that part about bouncing back, not about you being homeless)

The ones that get me are the ones with the puppies/dog and they have signs that say "money for dog food please" i cant resist helping the poor dog, yet the guy will probably just go buy booze

There is this one guy that hangs out by the freeway on ramp that has a sign "please give food" yet one day i was getting on the freeway he had just finished some burgerking and he rolled up the bag and just tossed it behind him in the bushes. I will never help that guy out...

 

[BeauJangles]

There is a begger I know in Harvard Square. He seems like a resonably smart guy (at least smart enough to work at CVS, Home Depot, etc) so I asked him why he begs. He told me he averages about 11.50 / hr and works about 8 hrs a day! Holy christ.

 

[everman]

I usually just refer beggers to a place they can get some help such as a local shelter or church that can give them things. Usually if you offer to buy them some food they just want your cash. Another thing I don't understand is how some of them can continue smoking, just burning their money away.

 

[jjones]

Most bums I don't give anything to, but here in Mexico there are some mothers that are begging that obviously need help for their children. These I generally give to. Also, the wife's church has a charity that we contribute to.

 

[40oz]

Originally posted by: Shockwave
My policy is quite simple. No help. I dont help charities, I dont help individuals. I dont help some poor starving child in Africa. I dont help some old man in South America. I dont help a laid off IT person begging for money. I dont help a desperate freezing bum wanting a cigarette.
Its a simple policy. And why do I do this? Cause no one helped ME when *I* was homeless. And I bounced back, got a degree and now have a job, buying a house and a family.
Its all about drive and determination.

No one?
IMO that is hard to believe. Where Did you take showers? Where was your phone to get calls after job interviews? how did you manage to go to school without money? I am not tring to attack you-- just curious on how you made it work. I was also homeless-- by choice, It started out with a desire for travel. I did it for 2 years (riding freight trains, hitchhiking, begging and free meals) It would have gone on a lot longer (it was a lot harder to get off the streets than I had thought) If it had not been for my wife she found me on the street reading offered to let me clean up at her house and I haven't left since

 

[TheNinja]

I only give to the bums who do something for the money. Like tell me a joke or do a street performance or something. Like the "bush man" in San Francisco. If you haven't seen or heard of him it is pretty funny. I've watched him do his thing for a while and he's gotta be making 20 bucks an hour. Figure he can do that 8 hours a day.....probably more though what else does he have to do? And just figure a 5 day work week. I'll even give him 2 weeks a year off. He takes home $40,000 cash. That's not bad.

$20 * 8 hours * 5 days * 50 weeks= $40,000

but realistically he could make:

$20 * 10 * 6 * 50 = $60,000 CASH no taxes.

 

[StageLeft]

I heard of one who drove a new caddilac and would dress down and then beg for money. Fvcking disgusting.

My policy is quite simple. No help. I dont help charities, I dont help individuals. I dont help some poor starving child in Africa. I dont help some old man in South America. I dont help a laid off IT person begging for money. I dont help a desperate freezing bum wanting a cigarette.
Its a simple policy. And why do I do this? Cause no one helped ME when *I* was homeless. And I bounced back, got a degree and now have a job, buying a house and a family.
Its all about drive and determination.

How kind. I'm sure that a starving west african has just the same chances at a life that you do

 

[mpitts]

Originally posted by: EvilYoda
nope, not around here, the bums in Ann Arbor are your typical greasy-smelly-dressed-in-rags beggars.

Those are just the OSU fans.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I heard of one who drove a new caddilac and would dress down and then beg for money. Fvcking disgusting.

My policy is quite simple. No help. I dont help charities, I dont help individuals. I dont help some poor starving child in Africa. I dont help some old man in South America. I dont help a laid off IT person begging for money. I dont help a desperate freezing bum wanting a cigarette.
Its a simple policy. And why do I do this? Cause no one helped ME when *I* was homeless. And I bounced back, got a degree and now have a job, buying a house and a family.
Its all about drive and determination.

How kind. I'm sure that a starving west african has just the same chances at a life that you do

And whose fault is it that they're starving?

I'll donate to a fully-immersive education plan over there.

 

[StageLeft]

And whose fault is it that they're starving?

I'll donate to a fully-immersive education plan over there.

Who cares who's fault it is? The only difference between you and I is that we weren't born to parents making $150/year. Neither one of us, most likely, would do any better than the rest of them starving over there, because they have no resources or opportunities.