Who gave money to a homeless person over this holiday?

I swear I've read this exact same thread on this exact same board with the exact same arguments at the exact same time like two years ago. Really weird.

Just out of courtesy Tsomenumber, don't sidetrack the thread, start your own...this is not arguing your point, just BBS rules to make things run well here.

As for the original question, I was going to say no, then I got my semi-anual adopt-a-child report, with picture and all, and remembered that's where that $22 on my credit card goes every month. And it makes me feel good that I hopefully am making someone else live a little better. She's not homeless, but a shack in a 3rd World country ain't no home.

 

I didn't give any homeless person any money, but I did deliver 8 "meals on wheels" to needy folks on Sunday morning.

 

Someone on this board started a thread asking a simple question that was in the spirit of this season of giving. I doubt anyone who responded expected to be slammed for admitting their tiny acts of generosity. If you don’t wish to give cash to someone, fine. Don’t. But don’t berate everyone else who does, simply because you think you KNOW more. Because the truth is, you don’t. None of us do.

The reason I give to people is precisely because I DON’T know. Maybe they’ll spend the money on an addiction (can $2 even buy any mind-altering substance anymore?) or maybe they’ll spend it on food. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just another drop in their large stash of ill-gotten panhandling gains or maybe it’s the last bit of cash they need to finally get them off the street for good. I don’t know.

Jeff and I do donate money to local homeless charities as well as food, blankets, clothing and numerous other items. Even so, when a person in need appears before me and asks for money, if I have money in my pocket, I give some to him or her. If I give a couple of bucks to someone and they don't really need it -- fine. I can live with that. But I'd find it a lot harder to accept not giving to someone who desperately needs it.

 

I try to give when I have some on me. Not so much recently cause I have no job and I am near broke. Back when I was in Austin I would give, except when I was on the drag. God I hate the drag rats.

 

Wow this has turned into an ugly thread. t4651965 was simply trying to make a suggestion on how to better help the homeless. Bottom line is that many (not all) of these homeless people cannot be trusted to spend the handout money on things other than booze and drugs. So in effect, better ways to help them would include non-monetary ideas as have been previously suggested. People who give money to homeless just so they can feel righteous and brag about it to all their friends is annoying though.

 

I agree that we don't need to brag about how much we gave this season, or any day for that matter.

I once was issued a ticket for giving a homeless man a match for his cigarette. of course, the police decided to give the ticket to me the college kid with a residence instead of the bum with the bottle of urine. I was simply taking three seconds out of my day because the dude looked like he needed a smoke.

homelessness in America is a huge problem that we cannot ignore.

 

Walking through downtown I run into a lot of homeless people. I feel bad that I don't give them very much. I make it a policy not to carry money on me because I usually spend it, so I just have my ATM card and usually don't have cash to give.

But this year my company sponsored two families and I gave 20$ and offered to give more if they needed. I know it isn't a lot but I can't stand to see a little kid not get anything on Xmas.

I'm not a "bleeding heart", I am a human being.

 

I agree Sonny

In response to the tiff thats going on...I think (I could be wrong) that T465's message was more that if you give money to a homeless person on the street who has a child, there is a better chance of that money going towards booze or drugs than going towards something for the kid. I happen to agree with that but its still hard not to give these people some spare change or whatever, especially this time of year.

 

This situation is begging for one of my classic posts:

Originally posted by Trader_Jorge

t4651965 is absolutely correct, when you give money to the homeless *and then brag about doing so* what you are doing is for your own immediate self-gratification. In so doing, you are contributing to harmful, self-destructive addictions, crime, reducing the safety of the innocent, and aiding in the devaluation of property. I will not tolerate such selfishness, which in this case is veiled under the guise of altruism. Homeless people are a serious threat to our well-being, our safety, our way of life, and our economy. They must be treated as such.

 

t4651965: You tell everyone on here how stupid and naive we are for trying to help. You bless us with the benefit of your worldly wisdom. And then you get pissed off when you get called on it calling me and anyone else who doesn't see your perspective misguided, condescending self-gratifying bleeding hearts.

I guess you don't like being called stupid either, eh? Amazing how that works. Next time you decide to grace us with the fact that you obviously know better, don't be surprised when someone else calls you a jerk for it. Posts like that deserve nothing less.

 

i give thanks for your post, your signature and you and your husband!! happiest of holidays and blessings to the balke family!

 

Kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out. That'll teach 'em to be poor.

 

I must say, as cold as it sounds, its tough for me to disagree with TJ's take on this. Interesting view TJ.

 

In so doing, you are contributing to harmful, self-destructive addictions, crime, reducing the safety of the innocent, and aiding in the devaluation of property.

Either that, or you might be helping someone survive for another day.

I will not tolerate such selfishness,

Really? What exactly are you doing about it, besides posting incoherent gripes on a message board?

Homeless people are a serious threat to our well-being, our safety, our way of life, and our economy. They must be treated as such.

What do you propose to do about the problem, since you don't feel individuals should help them, nor do you believe government should help? Do you think we should just wait for them all to die off?

 

there's a line in "A Christmas Carol" where Scrooge says to two men who are working to collect for the poor something like: "wait...if there are no more poor, you gentlemen will be out of a job...don't ask me to put you out of a job on christmas eve!"

that line sounds a lot like your post. when you pull up at a light, you can't solve that person's long-term issues...but maybe for one night you can buy them something...if you have a problem giving cash, pull through mcdonald's and pick them up some dinner. do something. you can't see that want and do nothing...you just can't.

 

Interesting question. Give me some time to think on this one. An immediate idea that comes to mind would be some type of work camp, where the homeless would provide cheap labor. This would benefit the homeless in that they could learn a trade or skill, and would benefit society by lowering prices of goods for consumers (by reduced labor expense).

 

wow. man, you really need to read dickens...the ghost of christmas present haunts scrooge with his own statements when he's confronted with poverty on the streets..."don't they have work camps? don't they have prisons? don't they have work camps? don't they have prisons?"


i'm not trying to be condescending at all...i'm asking an honest question..do you see any question of morality in this solution at all??? does answering the question with a degree of care for other human beings concern you?? again..i'm not trying to be condescending or "holier than thou"...just curious.

 

Yes, I have pointed out the folly of your approach to the homeless, and why shouldn't I? I live in an area (south of Buffalo Bayou, west of downtown) that has homeless people living in the woods. I can identify 20 homeless folks who have been living here for the last year. They aren't trying to make their lives better, they just panhandle to get high.

Of course, they can live this miserable life, because misguided people give them cash, and then drive out of my neighborhood so I have to deal with the consequences.

These homeless contribute to crime, the drug trade, and generally trash up the common park grounds. These people lower property values in my area.

Of course, this problem would not exist if panhandling on Houston street corners were illegal. If citizens in this town would band together, and help funnel the homeless to area shelters where real help could be provided, our city would be a much better place to live.

No Jeff, you, your wife, Batman Jones (tdork? lmao at the childishness) never addressed the issue I brought up. You and Batman would rather resort to petty insults, ignorant speculation, and name calling.

I don't mind being called "stupid" by you folks in this thread. I wear it as a miniscule badge of honor in fact. Your reasoning is so incredibly selfish and naive, I wouldn't want this thread to turn out any other way.

You should look at the signature that your wife uses, and think about how the misery of a panhandler is extended when he can find 20 saps to give him a dollar each. That is one more day that the panhandler doesn't need to address his real problems. That is one more day he gets to live like an animal.

Do these folks a favor, and really lighten their metaphorical load. Don't give them cash.

 

You sir are failing to see the morality of my philosophy towards the homeless and my proposed solution. *You* are the one not thinking critically here. What is moral about letting the homeless rot on the street? What is moral about helping to perpetuate their self-destructive lifestyle? I want them off the streets, not only for my own happiness, but for society's good. I have proposed a work camp, where they can learn a skill and better themselves. With this knowledge, they can get a job and earn an honest living. This will help them, not your short-sighted, self-gratifying handouts.

CASE CLOSED

 

Max, please read the whole thread. If you had, you would not address me with this point.