Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin
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.
|
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".