I half disagree on behalf of the schmedium population that did not choose to be/stay homeless.

I was being sarcastically dramatic to play up the second half of the msg. :D

Explain how it's not a choice for someone with an able body/mind.

Or perhaps we consider it rude and immoral to beg? Perhaps it offends our moral decency that someone who we know could very well choose to take advantage of the vast resources available to them and have a better life (and does not) is invading our space requesting that we subsidize their life choice?

Perhaps we find it offensive that (as is the case with the man in the wheelchair who obviously didn't need it) these people have the mental wherewithall to stoop to deception in order to take advantage of peoples' charity so that they may make whatever living they do? I left out the fact that this occured downtown on St. Patrick's day -- you typically have a large population of people downtown for the parade who normally aren't downtown and normally do not see the same beggars on a daily basis (easy marks).

I'm not even sure these folks are homeless to be honest. They could very well be doing what they're doing as a way to earn easy money on the weekends. As inexpensive as the cost of living here is, to be actually homeless takes some serious effort.

And herein, I think, lies the problem that many of us have about this whole situation. How do we know a particular homeless person is of able mind or body or could very well choose to take advantage of the vast resources available to them and have a better life? We can assume it, but how do we know? I'll readily grant that your example at the start of this thread gave every indication of not needing the wheel chair he was using. (Although is it possible that he had become adept at using a wheel chair but for reasons not apparent he really couldn't stand or walk? I don't know.) But mental illnesses in particular may not be at all obvious, and not all phsyical limitations are obvious either.

The reality is that usually we don't really know. We can assume and guess, but we don't know for sure unless we actually take some time with the person, and even then can we know for sure? Occasionally it may be pretty obvious that someone is trying to pull one over on us, but in my experience, that is the exception rather than the rule.

So we're left to make some snap judgments -- do we show some compassion and risk enabling someone's addiction -- maybe even making things worse for them -- or rewarding a scammer? Do we refuse to enable the addict or reward the scammer and risk failing to show compassion to someone who truly needs it?

Things get even trickier when you have kids. How do I demonstrate to my kids the need to be careful and also the need to practice the values we are trying to teach them?

For me, at least, there are no easy answers.

I just don't think that's the case around here. What may be true in whatever big city you live in, OKC's homeless problem is still of a manageable size. The city does a decent job of managing the problem. The fact that an individual is standing in front of me and talking to me is testimony to the fact that they know help exists (they haven't died of starvation and they're within close proximity of the homeless shelter and related services, so it's a safe bet). If they're not of able body/mind, there are government programs which will provide them with food, money and shelter. Sure, the Rehnquist court said we can't pluck them off the streets and throw them into an institution, but these people still have the ability to self-commit or apply for treatment programs which are not at capacity. If they have the ability to walk around and beg, they have the ability to ask for help from someone who is actually set up to provide real help.

Neither act is really compassionate. Giving money to the homeless is something which ultimately harms them (as I discussed above). Also, as you pointed out, the "homeless" I discussed above probably aren't actually even homeless.

That's a pretty easy one. It seems the benefit of teaching a valuable lesson would outweigh the harm it does to the "homeless" person. I personally don't care about that other person. I think younger kids would benefit from the lesson, but I think older kids would benefit more from a lesson about how things (and people) aren't always what they appear to be.

I never give money to anybody on the streets for anything. If they are hungy, and I have the time and money to spare, I'll duck into the nearest fast food joint and get em a combo meal. but I dont give money. Ever. Besides, I donate clothes and canned foods and such to must ministries and salvation army and places like that. I paticipate in varous causes and I think I more than do my fair share of trying to be helpful in society. But I agree with Kevin for the most part, I havent read the whole thread yet - I have to say I was shocked at how many of you attacked him though.

pride's a BS excuse. It amazes me how many people I still see panhandling in Atlanta when a law was passed saying they couldnt. There's this one guy I pass by, every single day...and yes, he has no legs, he's in a wheelchair. Do I give him money? Nope. And I never will. I've heard stories about the GaTech students who's part time job during the holidays was panhandling...who ended up with more money than I ever knew what to do with.

Yep, I'm cynical. but...I do other things to help out society. Giving money to people on the streets is not one of them.

Considering that he (the legless guy) qualifies for 100% disability and other public assistance and is likely receiving the same, I think that's a good move. Yeah, the pride thing is a dumb excuse. If they have no problem walking up to strangers who will likely reject their offer and probably even be disrespectful, I don't see how accepting public benefit being actually offered to them is a bigger hit to the 'pride.' That's just silly.

Kevin, 20 years ago I probably thought more like you do. Experience over those 20 years has brought me to a different place. I'm not saying you'll end up where I am when you've "learned better" -- that would be presumptuous of me. Just saying that my experience has led me to find that there's a lot of grey out there.

And I think you are quite right that just giving someone money is not necessarily compassionate. Making sure they have food certainly can be, though.

One thought though: Is "homeless" here being used to to refer to all homeless people -- including those who are working and trying to take advantage of programs that will really help them, or is it limited just to the those who beg on the streets? If it's the latter, then "beggars" might be the more accurate term. When I hear "homeless," I think not only of the beggars; I also think of the families that my church and other churches take turns providing shelter, food and transportation for, who are trying and working or going to school but who have nowhere to live. Perhaps confusion about which homeless people are the subject of this thread is what has brought on some of the more heated responses in this thread.

I probably should have used the word "panhandlers" It would have been a far more accurate descriptor. My apologies for the extremely imprecise language.

That's the word I couldn't think of when I came up with "beggars." Thanks.

Well, it does vary from city to city- I will grant you that. Here in Austin rents are so high and there is such a large supply of college students willing to work part or full time at a low wage, that it is very easy to find yourself homeless- even if you do have a job.

As for the rest, again I see your point- but the sad fact is that there are always droves of people willing to take advantage of an "easy road". For every panhandler who doesn't need it, there must be some homeless person who refuses to beg for change.

But I don't try to play detective anymore- God can sort us all out later, I am too busy to try and do his job too :)

If someone asks for money, if I have change on me and if I feel like giving it away- I will do so freely. It is not true charity if I try to judge the recipient in the process.

Your instinctive reaction of annoyance/disgust is one I know well. I feel the same sometimes. At some level I think it might be one of our versions of that natural reaction in any living creature to repel the weak of another species for a variety of reasons.

But don't let it make you crazy man. Where I live, you will find panhandlers on every major freeway intersection once you get out of the neighborhoods since the beggars know they can get lots of money up here, and if you hit the Drag over by campus you will get asked for money at least 3-4 times if you walk the full 8 blocks.

At some point you have to tune it out, but I do for the most part try to smile and say I have nothing to offer. It just seems to make the world colder to disregard them and pretend they do not exist. Feeling invisible must surely be one of the worst sides of having "fallen off the train".

EE -- I think you are reading a lot into my feelings on the matter.

I live in the city where the Enron collapse occured. The former employees (who lost their whole life savings) ended up on the street and in mental institutions. Just like Tld(?) said, your economical comfort zone can be taken away from you in an instant. There were literally thousands of people who were effected by this and we saw our homeless numbers soar. Kevin, you have no idea what their story is. Yes, there are lots of them that just want to do drugs and drink and that's how they got to this position in life. But there are a lot of people out there who are effected by downsizing and corporate collapses. Family can only help so much. But don't put them all in one box. Each one has their own story. They are human just like us.

No offense dude, but you are the one with a 6 page thread on this and a reply to every post. It is hard not to assume that this is something you are really letting get to you.

Again, you're assuming this. Most of this thread has been spent responding to personal attacks and other sorts of challenges. I generally respond to things like that. If it takes a few posts to do so, so be it.