Homeless people

[christiangirl]

I'm too tired to read every post on here, so I didn't, just so everyone knows.

Anyway, I feel like i should be all righteous and say, "You bastard, care for all of your fellow man" but I can't. I live downtown and get hit up for change everyday, mostly by people who, in my eyes, don't deserve it.

EXAMPLES OF WHY CG DOESN'T TRUST HOMELESS PEOPLE:
I got hit up by a guy and I offered him the gallon of milk that was in my fridge, but he told me he couldn't drink milk after all the beer he'd just had.

A man outside the chinese restaurant I came out of asked for money to buy food. I said I don't have any, but "I just bought these egg rolls would you like one?" He turned up his nose to it and said "I don't like egg rolls. You ain't got no card?" (as in a credit card)

A man begged me to buy him some tacos from taco bell. The woman at the register told him it was illegal to ask me that and offered him like 7 tacos that they would have to throw away otherwise. He said, "No, I don't like that kind."

A man begged for money so he could buy food for his daughter (who was no where to be seen). I told him I had no cash, but just bought groceries and offered him some, and he said "Oh no, I couldn't take your food from you" and went on to the next person.

A man asked me for a quarter and I gave him a dollar. Ten minutes later, I walked back by him, and he asked me for a quarter.

The same man, got used to me giving him change when I saw him, so one day didn't even ask. He yelled, "HEY!" and when I turned around, he moved his index finger in the "come here" sign, then held out his hand to me.

A guy knocked on my window at the drive through and asked for food. i smart mouthed him and rolled the window up and went to a different place. I felt bad for taking my bad day out on him, so I bought an extra meal, drove back to where he was and gave it to him, apologizing for my rudeness. He took the food and pushed the drink back at me and said, 'I don't like this kind, you can have it back."

One man and his wife asked for money and when I said I had no cash, he actually got excited and said "Oh good, you can buy us some food with your credit card!" and FOLLOWED me to the grocery store. Because I'm nice (to the point of insanity) I bought them a rotisserie chicken anyway, but you see the point of the story. The list goes on and on and on.

I care about others, I do. I donate my clothes to a homeless shelter I used to volunteer at and now I volunteer at the humane society (puppies smell better). But I'm in college. My course load is too heavy to have a regular job, so I make cash babysitting and signing up for random medical studies. 1 out of every 3 times I go to a fast food place, I bought food for somebody begging next to my car. Many times I've had the response, "I don't like this or I don't drink coke." If someone who's two seconds from broke bought you food, BE FREAKING GRATEFUL. I know there are people who genuinely need help, but until there's a way to distinguish them from the rest of the riff raff, get away from my quarters. It's laundry day.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by Kevin

It helps to have a job/income. That's the step 1 that many of these people can't seem to fathom. There's actually a business located pretty near to here where they can walk in, and if they can perform manual labor, they get paid for that day in cash.



Personally, if I were homeless, I'd feel a lot better going to a soup kitchen and using services designed for that purpose than hitting up random strangers on the street, making them feel uncomfortable, etc. The "pride" picture you're trying to paint here simply doesn't seem realistic.

Are you talking about Labor Ready? I don't know where you live, but there's no way people here in Seattle can afford rent, utilities, bills, etc. anywhere close to the city making the minimum wage that places like Labor Ready pay. YOU try working for $6.20/hour (or whatever it is now) and see if you can make it all on your own, without any family or friends for support. OH, and if you go to a place like McDonald's for a job, don't forget that the gov't gets its share, too!

Also, you seem to be uninformed about some of the services available to the homeless. Again, I don't know how it works in your city, but in many cities the homeless shelters only open in the evening for food and shelter...it's not like food is available to the homeless all day...and space is extremely limited. Usually most shelters in urban areas have to turn away many people, and shelters are also notoriously unsafe. Where do you expect people to shower for their job interviews once they're homeless? Or do their laundry?

Most people who are homeless got that way because of some life-changing event/trauma, and they have no one to turn to to help them out while they rebound. Once you're out on the street, it's really hard to get yourself off of it even if you want to.

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by Still BLUTANG

i'm the type of person who always gives food to the homeless. Maybe because i'm chubby, i always have an extra granola bar or piece of fruit or bottle of water on me... i don't see it as a big deal to spare.

I laughed so hard at that I fully believe I just woke up my roommate.

Originally Posted by Kevin

Beggars can't be choosers.

I disagree. We can beg to choose or we can choose to beg. In fact, those are the two groups that homeless people fall into. Those who beg to choose. Those who choose to beg.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Are you talking about Labor Ready? I don't know where you live, but there's no way people here in Seattle can afford rent, utilities, bills, etc. anywhere close to the city making the minimum wage that places like Labor Ready pay. YOU try working for $6.20/hour (or whatever it is now) and see if you can make it all on your own, without any family or friends for support. OH, and if you go to a place like McDonald's for a job, don't forget that the gov't gets its share, too!

The cost of living/rent in Seattle versus Oklahoma City is vast. Rent is especially cheap here. I actually have worked at jobs which pay close to that amount of money (while in college) and coworkers who were not college students and had no other means of support were doing just fine. They weren't living luxurious lifestyles, or even middle class, but they were definitely making ends meet.

Also, you seem to be uninformed about some of the services available to the homeless. Again, I don't know how it works in your city, but in many cities the homeless shelters only open in the evening for food and shelter...it's not like food is available to the homeless all day...and space is extremely limited. Usually most shelters in urban areas have to turn away many people, and shelters are also notoriously unsafe. Where do you expect people to shower for their job interviews once they're homeless? Or do their laundry?

Not sure about the safety, but as to the food, we do fine. I've actually done volunteer work for the homeless, the food pantry is very well stocked, and as far as availabel services go, we're nowhere near capacity.

Like I said, there are programs which help poor and homeless find jobs, even provide job training. Those programs are not being utilized. Apparently, the "poor" prefer to scam the system.

Most people who are homeless got that way because of some life-changing event/trauma, and they have no one to turn to to help them out while they rebound. Once you're out on the street, it's really hard to get yourself off of it even if you want to.

You assume I'm so ignorant of the facts regarding this, what is your personal experience?

[kddani]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Well actually, I'm racking up those loans while working a job to pay for living expenses. Privilege in this society is something that is earned, not given.

And the job you're working, last I remember, is for your daddy's law firm.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Not sure about the safety, but as to the food, we do fine. I've actually done volunteer work for the homeless, the food pantry is very well stocked, and as far as availabel services go, we're nowhere near capacity.

Well, that's in Oklahoma. Oklahoma, despite what you may believe, is not a representative sample for the rest of the country.

I'm not going to input my opinions in this thread, because I'll either be demonized as a dirty liberal or heartless conservative, but damn. There's so much hypocrisy in this thread.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by kddani

And the job you're working, last I remember, is for your daddy's law firm.

Your point? Regardless of where I work and what I do, the homeless still annoy me. I know they're lazy compared to me, I know they are an unfair burden on society, and I resent aggressive panhandling tactics. What that has to do with what I do for a living (so long as I do something for a living) seems pretty irrelevant.

[mu_agd]

This thread just reminded me that I haven't seen a particular Spare Change Newspaper guy in awhile. I hope he's ok.

[Still BLUTANG]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

I laughed so hard at that I fully believe I just woke up my roommate.

even though this is a serious topic, i'm glad i could bring laughter to someone's day.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by ecupidelta

While I may not agree with everything that Kevin has said I can empathize with him. I have had some negative experiences with very agressive panhandlers myself so I can see how he can have the feelings that he has.

I think we all can. I imagine all of us have run across the scammer-bumm who really doesn't want to work, and that can color our perspectives.

For me, this is perhaps the area of life where my instinctual reactions and my religious/spiritual values have the hardest time sorting each other out. I would rather not be faced with the begger -- although I don't think I've actually gone out of my way to avoid one. Sometimes I've given money, sometimes I haven't. Sometimes I have given or bought food to a homeless person, more often I probably haven't. Often, I refer or take them to a church or an agency equipped to help. I can rationalize my refusal to give money by telling myself that they'll only spend the money on drugs and alcohol 'til the cows come home, but then the religious side butts in: "Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or naked . . . ?"

[tld221]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Like I said, there are programs which help poor and homeless find jobs, even provide job training. Those programs are not being utilized. Apparently, the "poor" prefer to scam the system.

I suppose you believe us "poor" folks sit at home watching TV collecting welfare checks too right? Because all of the volunteer work you do gives you such great exposure and all.

Originally Posted by kddani

And the job you're working, last I remember, is for your daddy's law firm.

ok... first the 6 bedroom house, now this? don't EVER come at me with some "me? priveledged? no way..." bullshit in your life. ever. you've given me everything i needed to stereotype you and everyone like you. and no i dont feel any way about it because you're doing it too.

Originally Posted by Kevin

Your point?

well, you went to law school - you're not stupid. you tell me.

Originally Posted by Kevin

What that has to do with what I do for a living (so long as I do something for a living) seems pretty irrelevant.

you wish. i suppose if you were working at the local Wal-mart stocking shelves for $6/hr (or something equally lower-income), knowing full well the city, state and gov't is taking half that... maybe you'd still feel the same in that the homeless annoy you. but i guarantee that your empathy would TOTALLY shift because your status would be eons closer to their reality than yours is right now.. it is SO obvious that your feelings are attached to your status.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by mu_agd

This thread just reminded me that I haven't seen a particular Spare Change Newspaper guy in awhile. I hope he's ok.

Ah, Spare Change guy. He used to be right out in front of my office every morning (I worked across from the State House). There were some days when he looked worse than others, so hopefully he's doing ok now.

That, and hopefully the Fox station stopped making fun of him - did you ever see the segments they used to do?

As far as this thread goes and the topic, I have way too many feelings about it for a message board, so I'll just save the space.

[preciousjeni]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I think we all can. I imagine all of us have run across the scammer-bumm who really doesn't want to work, and that can color our perspectives.

For me, this is perhaps the area of life where my instinctual reactions and my religious/spiritual values have the hardest time sorting each other out. I would rather not be faced with the begger -- although I don't think I've actually gone out of my way to avoid one. Sometimes I've given money, sometimes I haven't. Sometimes I have given or bought food to a homeless person, more often I probably haven't. Often, I refer or take them to a church or an agency equipped to help. I can rationalize my refusal to give money by telling myself that they'll only spend the money on drugs and alcohol 'til the cows come home, but then the religious side butts in: "Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or naked . . . ?"

Amen

[WVU alpha phi]

While I feel sympathy towards the homeless, I still am irritated with them. I live on the street with all the bars/restaurants in Morgantown, and there are 2 or 3 homeless people who are consistently around. One of them keeps to himself, never asks for money, and he doesn't bother me at all. The other one sits outside all day asking "Have any change?" with a damn box of oranges, a sombrero on his head, and shaking maracas. I never give him money because I constantly see peope giving him A LOT of money, plus I really don't appreciate being asked for money when I'm walking to class. I'm much more likely to buy a homeless person a sandwich or give them my leftovers from a restaurant than give them a 5 dollar bill - especially when I've done this in the past to some bum who gave me a lame story about needing a bus ticket to Pittsburgh, then harassed my friend with the same story a week later. I feel bad for people who are trying to get on their feet, and I realize it must be horrible for them to see priveleged college students blowing money at the bar, but I'm not about to hand out my parents' hard earned money to them.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Are you saying you traded homeless people wine for food?

Yes, and just what is your problem?

I knew this person and what his situation was not some little trivial thing you want to make it out to be!