[tld221]

wow some of you are REALLY SHELTERED.

when i was younger (not long ago, like in h.s.) i used to have the attitude of "why cant they just get a job instead of standing around..."

but ive come across homeless people from many walks of life. yes some of them are drunks/druggies, but really if you didnt have anything, chances are that is what youre gonna turn to. many people on the train asking for change are honestly ppl who got laid off or their wife/gf got pregnant and they need money for the baby. sometimes ppl are just looking for train fare. asking for money or support is the hardest thing to do--thats a lot of pride to swallow. do you think they would be doing it if they didnt have to or need to?

it is NOT easy to "just get it together and get your life on track." not all soup kitchens are do-gooders and are very snubby to homeless ppl. ive seen it from workin in soup kitchens.

and lastly, homeless people arent intrinsically homeless. they are people like you and i, and many of you have horrible pre-conceived notions of what that actually is. these people are not alcohol-infested, psychologically-messed up, cant-do-shit fuckups. they have or may have had families, friends, etc and maybe lived priveledged lifes like some of you did.

think about that as you sip your chai lattes and compare that to the similar one-dimensional stereotype of greeks that most of you despise.

<<coming from someone who was "homeless" for 1.5 years through college, as well as a person who kinda knows their shit about this>>

oh, to answer the question, yes, i do give to "beggars and homeless." another man gave this guy $5 and i couldnt just walk past him like i hadnt seen him.