Homeless. Pbbt.

[Junket]

its called the 'big issue' the newspaper they sell in the uk.

I feel so sorry for homeless people, there are a small minority of them that dont want to change their lives, but most of them are spending the money on surviving from one day to the next.
I personnally would rather give money to them, and hope they spend it on food/a wash whatever rather than not give them anything at all. If i walk past a homeless person and dont give anything, i feel guilty all day

I feel guilty all day if I give in and fork over my hard earned cash.

[misombra]

i've been approached by at least 10 women in my life in parking lots or gas stations and they all have the same story about how they're stranded and they just need 16 dollars to get a bus ticket or gas to wherever they're going. that story is over for me. everytime i hear it i wanna puke. i fell for it one time and one time only.

i rarely give homeless people cash. i can't afford to contribute to the crack economy. i give my money to my friends or family who need it and i know use it toward things they need.

[CocoChanel]

@Gribble: There is place in Adelphi... immigrant laborers standing out in the parking lot at a shopping center in groups offering to do labor for cash to the passing shoppers. It's ridiculous. I don't know how many times we hear that someone picked some laborers up and ended up assaulted, robbed.

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I have seen homeless people go to emergency rooms just to stay out of the cold and to get a meal... then they are ready to leave. There are places for homeless people to go and help themselves. Most of them don't want to go to shelters they just want to take advantage of the people passing by.

No, I would not give them my money but if they were hungry I would buy them some food. Need to go somewhere? I'll give you some tokens. I know it sounds harsh but if people want help its out there and if you really want it you'll go and get it.

[vashti]

[FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]@Gribble: There is place in Adelphi... immigrant laborers standing out in the parking lot at a shopping center in groups offering to do labor for cash to the passing shoppers. It's ridiculous. I don't know how many times we hear that someone picked some laborers up and ended up assaulted, robbed.

Hmm... we have probably the largest immigrant population in the country, and I never hear about this.

[LadieNisha4u2nv]

I guess it depends on where you're from cuz I have yet to meet a homeless person down here that wanted help and more than money for cigarettes and beer from the corner shop.

The ones who actually want help actually go for it. They take advantage of the possibilities of a better future that is given to them. The rest of them just go crazy and spend everyday cussin themselves and strangers out.

It's hard to feel sorry for people who don't even care about themselves enough to put whatever little change given to them to something that actually can fill their stomach or warm them at night.

[shheadz]

It's hard to feel sorry for people who don't even care about themselves enough to put whatever little change given to them to something that actually can fill their stomach or warm them at night.

You do understand that many homeless individuals are mentally ill?

[misombra]

around here if you're mentally ill and you can't work you get social security.

[IndiReloaded]

@Gribble: There is place in Adelphi... immigrant laborers standing out in the parking lot at a shopping center in groups offering to do labor for cash to the passing shoppers. It's ridiculous. I don't know how many times we hear that someone picked some laborers up and ended up assaulted, robbed.

Tosh. Way to continue to promote fear of fellow wo/man. One just needs to be smart. I would never offer these ppl jobs in my home, but a job on a worksite? Sure, why not? I had one fellow do some severely dirty, grunt labour. He asked for a pittance, worked his ass off so I paid him a fair wage. I had another come collect our bottles and cans during off-peak business hours.

For those down on their luck there is almost always salvation for those willing to work hard. Mentally ill is another problem, agreed. But there have always been those on the fringes of society. In times past, they used to find a niche as the village idiot and were usually cared for by their family or close neighbours (who would often be related by marriage). This is one of the downsides to shrinking family sizes, IMO.

[vashti]

Some of those mentally ill people HAVE families that are interested and willing to help, but you can't expect a paranoid schizophrenic not to run away when he starts hearing voices and is scared.

Anyway gribble, I think it was very sweet of you to try to offer real help to that woman. It's so frustrating when they refuse legitimate offers that are in their best interests. She was likely an addict.

[doppelgaenger]

All they want is that fish, you know. Sometimes you have to smack them over the head with the rod, if you know what I mean.

Don't have a guilt trip about it. There will always be a lower class, there is little you can change about that. Government is too useless to step in and kill the drug dealers. All you can do is offer sensible help, and you did that.

[Charlie Boy II]

I give change to homeless people sometimes. Not the junkies, but you can spot them a mile off.

[BoredGeorge]

I feel guilty all day if I give in and fork over my hard earned cash.

Yet you will tip 20% to an unskilled waitress ? Which is effectively a form of begging via employment. You Americans are a crazy bunch.

[boobaa]

Honestly I dont help any homeless people. They all spend it on cigarettes and beer and then lie about it. The **** am I supporting that shit for?

But many people here spend it also on cigarettes and booze... They do their own earning also, like that sitting and playing stupid... not much different from an office rat, and its the fools that get nicked.

It is just the question of lifestyle, its the only comfort they have. Whenever I give any money to someone, I don't care if (s)he eats it up or drinks it.

I have known some homeless people in my short lifetime, and their condition is somewhat understandable to me. You have to understand that they, for a fact, live in a completely different world than you.


There is also another forum, a drug forum, that is full of addicts, but they can give you better advice than one is able to get here, on all sorts of problems. That is callled experience, completely different world.

And BG is right, Americans are lousy hypocrites. Do what you want, but don't whine over it so much.

[qwertz]

I walk by the junkies that hassle for money then curse you if you dont give.
Its the genuine looking ones that are sat cold in a doorway with a tub for money that i give too. They have always been appreciative and to me, they look like all they want is some hot food and a wash.
I dont give alot as i cant afford it, put as they say, every little helps and if i can help people a lot less fortunate than me, then i will.

And i dont tip waitresses, unless the service was excellent and im in a good mood!

[BoredGeorge]

Teaching her to fish would have been offering her a job paying $5 an hour to be the tea girl for a few weeks.