The Homeless Need to Work for My Money
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I'm tired of homeless people begging me for money who don't look homeless. I feel very sympathetic to homeless people, I do have a heart. But, if one is going to beg me for money, they better at least look homeless or at least have a damn funny sign.
I will not give money to homeless people if they:
- are wearing Nike Air shoes or shoes with no holes in them
- have new hats
- have clean finger nails or well manicured facial hair
- have a more expensive jacket than I have
- aren't missing teeth
- have pets of any kind, (if they can afford to feed a dog, they don't need my money)
- claim to be "clean" from drugs/alcohol (they are homeless, they should want to be high and drunk, that's ok
You may think I'm sadistic, but I want the homeless to work for my money. I want them to dance a little, sing a song, rap a bit. I'm tired of the lazy homeless. It's time for the homeless to step it up a notch if they want my money. Is that too much to ask?
When I was in New York years ago, a homeless guy had a sign that said, "Please contribute to my Pastrami sandwich fund." I gave him money, that was creative. I just want a little creativity or a little honesty. When I do give money to the homeless, I always tell them they should buy some liquor or drugs with it. Why not? They are freaking homeless, they should get messed up as often as possible.
Am I alone here????
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Thanks for commenting Harvey, I appreciate it. I do feel sympathy for homeless people, I truly do. Instead of giving money, I will buy a bag of burgers and give them away sometimes. It's hard for me when someone begs me for money and they are wearing Nike Air's.
Nice to meet you and I look forward to keeping up with your hubs.
I get you on this one. If a homeless person has zero dollars and he raises $5 in one day, he is still richer than over half of Americans who have a mortgage, car payment, maxed out credit cards, etc. Atleast he has $5.
SaMcNutt- thanks so much for commenting, I appreciate it. I've actually been turned down by many homeless in my city when I offered them food, they only wanted cash. That tells me everything I need to know. If someone is hurting, they will accept food. I'm sympathetic to homeless people, but sometimes my cynical nature takes over and I just look the other way.
cooldad, I understand the sentiment of your hub, but I believe you are quite off base, especially with this comment:
"When I do give money to the homeless, I always tell them they should buy some liquor or drugs with it. Why not? They are fucking homeless, they should get fucked up as often as possible."
Seriously cooldad? You do understand, I hope, that the vast majority of the homeless in the U.S. today are suffering from substance abuse problems? This is quite often the very reason they are living on the streets in the first place. Your money, and very misguided suggestions accompanying it, are doing nothing but furthering the individuals dependence on drugs and alcohol, and helping assure they will remain in their current state.
True compassion in relation to the homeless means NOT enabling substance abuse. May I suggest volunteering at your local homeless shelter? It may be a very eye-opening experience for you. This hub simplifies a complex issue rooted in emotional and psychological problems that need far more than a couple bucks to heal. Relational outreach and compassion are what the homeless require to get free from a very hard, and tragic situation, not an increased bondage to drugs and alcohol.
Thanks for your comment Jreuter, I do appreciate it. My hub is somewhat serious and somewhat comedy. Of course I understand that substance abuse is why so many people are homeless, I get it. That's why instead of giving out money, I often hand out food to homeless people. I do this on my own a couple times each month. I have volunteered at homeless shelters before. Compassion only goes so far. I've tried to give homeless people food before and was cussed at because they only wanted drugs or alcohol. You know what, if I was homeless, I would be hard pressed not to find something like drugs/alcohol to try and numb the pain.
I truly feel sympathetic for homeless people, for the ones who are in fact troubled and come from terrible circumstances.
I enjoy making fun of myself, fun of life and fun of just about everyone in this world. My hub is for the most part tongue in cheek. I am a good member of society, I am compassionate member of this world, but I also like to joke about it.
The world is full of gimmicks and some homeless people are pulling a big gimmick on the rest of us. Some are not.
Yeah, sometimes the quickest way to get yelled at is to give a homeless person food, sad as that is.
I'm from Portland, Oregon, and homelessness is a HUGE problem here, partly because we have so many services for the homeless. It makes them flock to our city. It is nice though, to see the ones who get out of it. I attend seminary and we are required to participate in monthly days of outreach, in which we have to volunteer at various places, usually homeless shelters. It's been a great experience to see those homeless who are now on the other side of the situation, who are now clean and holding jobs and trying to get educations.
I definitely understand the desire for getting high for these people, but I think it's a double-edged sword. Oftentimes, it's that desire which leads people to the street in the first place, not a byproduct of homelessness, per se, rather a direct cause. And yeah, I agree that is VERY frustrating to be bothered continually for money by those who really don't need it. A study in Portland recently found that those begging on busy street corners could "earn" up to $500 in one day!
I'll be writing a hub soon on ways people can help the homeless situation without opening their wallets. I hope you can find time to read it, just as I hope I can find time to stop procrastinating and write it!
Thanks for your response cooldad.
I was in Atlanta and was approached for food. Do you know my answer? Truth was I was in a vunerable position being fair skinned and in the underground but, I could tell the guy was honestly hungry. I know the adage teach a man to fish but, even Jesus knew they hungry crowd had to be fed first before they would listen. This discussion just made me think of that.
SaMcNutt: I used to live not far from ATL, I have to say it's one of my least favorite cities. It's almost as bad as Miami. You mean to tell me that fair skinned is vulnerable in the ATL? I know, I've been on MARTA a few times, felt safer going to Chinatown in NYC.
I know what you mean about the fakers! There was a guys hitting the gas stations a couple of years ago. Problem was, he ran into me at two different gas stations. I put him on blast right there!
My first experience with a beggar was a dude broke down in a small town at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Montana. A man who owned a log cabin business offered to hire him for a bit at a great wage so that he could get back on his feet. The man declined. Couldn't have been too desperate.
I feel bad for the people who truly do need some help, but are turned away because it can be hard to tell who needs help and who doesn't. You offer some good suggestions.
I'd give these people my change:
As a veteran, it bothers me that the majority of the American homeless population are veterans. However, I have been approached by dozens of psuedo-homeless begging for my hard-earned money. I have crossed the Rubicon of trust and have long since decided to ignore all of them. Great hub, and I'm with you on this one.
Sylvia-it's sad, because I do feel badly for them, but there are scammers everywhere
Dolt-i hear you, great link, that was hilarious, thanks
Jonesy-i usually give food instead of money, if they pass my tests, thanks for commenting
You are NOT alone here. I live in upstate NY, and in the welfare capital of the world it seems. I cannot stand seeing others work so hard, while others take advantage of the system. Homeless and helpless are two seperate issues. It is hard to tell what is truth anymore. So many stories of those begging for money, that are actually richer then myself, they just know how to work over people. Great hub!
I'm in agreement with cooldad. Work for what you beg for and being creative is work, as all writers know. I wouldn't even give a dollar to a guy who didn't want to shit me and told me he was going to buy drug with it. Yea, dance for me instead. I do not care how addicted a homeless person is, they do have SOMETHING to contribute. Getting something for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT ALL is too common in this country poor or not. If a homeless person lives on the street, they can keep it clean instead of paying union wages to street clean.
seee the problem now days is alot of people dont understand and assume all homeless people are the same... no many of us have a reasons why we are.... well alot of them do.... me my self is because i took the wrong path on a female and was destroyed she threw all my clothes away and took everything from me because she got into a fight with her family and wanted someone to blame it on... its sad to say but i just sometimes wanna just give up because no matter what i do i cant find a job but yet i have a clean record im 26 and just need help but its just so hard to ask for because alot of people look at me the wrong way and wouldnt kno. alot of u guys writing comments should be ashamed of ur selfs we are all human i think half of u need to lose everything and then understand what it is like... not everybody is a bad person i dont do drugs and i dont drink... i just love to help people before i help my self and i got screwed....
"i took the wrong path on a female" what exactly does that mean. I've been down and out before, I understand. This is comedy, if you don't like it, then piss off. If you could learn to laugh at yourself a bit more, life might be easier for you.
Harvey Stelman 11 months ago
Cool, I'm with you! I grew up in the Bronx, and my dad told me stories I will NEVER forget.
During business hours he was going into a building downtown. A man dressed like a bum (as we used to say) asked him for a dime, for a cup of coffee. That was always the line in those days. Being a nice guy, my dad gave him a dime. He stood, and watched the man, who did a 180 immediately.
He walked to a car meter and stuck the dime into it. Oh yeah, parked there was a brand new Cadillac. Dad almost shit in his pants, as a Master Sergeant in WWll, he wanted to strangle him.
I'm also a writer with a book out that has been loved. I have 10 movies that I haven't pushed, I have a very bad case of MS and tire quickly. Good luck with your writing.
I will also follow you. H