Homeless people

[MysticCat]

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.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

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.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Kevin

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.