I think you are incapable of making a logical argument. I never, NOT ONCE, stated that all homeless people are junkies. You will now join Resdawg on a very elite list.
Whenever I go into DC, I always carry a couple quarters in my pocket. If someone comes up to me who looks a little "messed up," I figure the quicker I give them a quarter the quicker they'll leave me alone. I've been cussed at a couple of times for saying "no" to a homeless person. I don't need that. Besides, it's just a quarter.
Me too. There is a group of about 4-6 men at the intersection of 610 and South Main near Reliant Stadium that have cornered the market on this shizznit. Whenever I am at that intersection, and they approach my car with their cloth and bottle of cleaner, I roll down my window and tell them "don't even think about it".
This is definitely true. One time I gave some change to a guy who immediately proceded to sprint across the street into a liquor store. I thought that was pretty good proof what homeless people use the money for.
Oh, don't trouble yourself. Capitalism is pounding its lessons (something about the shrine of money, I think, and then there's one about the inherent worthlessness of human beings who do not make themselves economically viable) down all of our throats -- no problem. Interesting that a homeless person acting like a jack-ass (when they've got little or nothing going their way) is more repugnant to some people than a well-to-do person acting like a jack-ass because you didn't put enough foam in his latte, or because he doesn't like the way you drive your car (ever seen such a thing? duh). I think a sense of entitlement is one of the most offensive attitudes from any level of socioeconomic strata, but especially from those who are so very fortunate and blessed already.
The worst experience I had with this was when I lived in LA. I was going out for drinks with a friend. He picked me up, and I asked him to stop at the corner store on the way to the club so I could get a pack of cigarrettes. A homeless man was begging for change while standing next to the door of the store. He asked me for change when I walked in and I said "I'm sorry I don't have any." He then watched through the window as I bought the cigarrettes with a $5 bill, and he watched as I got change from the purchase. As I exited the store, he asked me for change again, and I again replied "I'm sorry I don't have any". Then they guy raised his voice at me and said "C'mon man. I saw you buy something and get change in there. Give me some change". It was at this point that I got a wee bit pissed off. I walked up to the guy, got in his face, and said the following: "Look motherf*cker, if I wanted to give you some change, you'd be halfway to the crackhouse by now". He looked down at his shoes and slowly walked away.
The only time I give money is if one helped me out. For example, when I worked as a courier, there was one guy in a red cap at the District Courthouse who used to help me parallel park in tight spaces. He would get a dollar. Everyone else I give the "no cash on me today pal." It usually works.
A good deed might be giving money if you can spare it, and not running the guys life who give it to. If you have it to give, then give it. How he spends it is up to him. I thought Conservatives didn't like anyone telling others how to live.
So I guess you can either give $ to noone on the street or if you are really worried about how they are going to spend it, you could ask them. I personally do not like to get in conversations with folks on the side of the road, but to each his own.
I think my opinion on this topic is quite well known. I have posted several classic posts on the topic. For the last time, I am *not* johnheath. He has a much greater knowledge of foreign policy than I do. I mainly stick to economic and finance issues for my classics -- when I'm not posting vitriolic political rants.
John, this may have been before your time here, but I somehow established a repututation for being insensitive to homeless people. This was based on my disdain for the pack of people that works the intersection of Allen Parkway and Montrose/Studemont -- where I live. The argument escalated to the point that Jeff actually drove by the intersection to take note of the situation. If the search feature was working, I would pull up the thread and repost a few of the better works that I contributed to it. I think the thread title was "100 sq. foot homes" or something to that effect. RockHead started the thread. edit: I found the thread, here it is: http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=41835&perpage=30&pagenumber=1
I really think it's bad to give them money. There are plenty of shelters and other charities that will help them out in more constructive ways. But sometimes I just get suckered in or feel sorry for them. If they seem nice I might give them something, if they look like jerks or crack addicts they can forget it.
