Taking into consideration my in built scepticism, having lived in a city or two ( a previous poster notes the fancy car one particular 'beggar' used )... one must bear in mind the dog sat beside the beggar, they appear to be somewhat compulsary. I ALWAYS feed the dog, I buy dog food a plenty !! I have offered to buy a coffee and breakfast, on more than a few occassions, for the poor individual begging in the street. It has been somewhat surprising when that offer has been thrown back in my face ( indeed more than a couple of times ), to remarks ranging from 'just money maaan' and 'just eaten.' Hence the continuing in built scepticism but, as I say, I always feed the dog !!
:-)
2 edits
Originally posted by SilverstrikerSame experience. Behind the mall on Jantzen Beach, just north of Portland, OR, once observed a guy gloating over his take with his girlfriend.
i have to agree with this statement. I had one incident which has sadly changed my attitude to these people
we had a "Big issue" guy who used to have their stall outside our shop during my gap year and he regularly came to "work" in his open top BMW car then put on these dirty clothes and then start begging for money. He wasn't there long. Its su money but food and maybe some dog food (in oxford they all seemed to have dogs with them)
1 edit
Originally posted by WoodgieStill a subjective bleeding heart... Woodgie, listen up: strength always resides in objectivity, application of principle and informed decisions.
Are you making this up?
Do you know how much they make from selling the Big Issue?
Besides, Big Issue sellers are not begging, they are selling a magazine, just the same way you sold things in your shop.
I am sure you are a decent guy, if you knew how much hard work, pain and misery that was involved in getting a scheme like that up and running, and c ll about 34000 copies.
Edit:
I didn't include road tax, MOT or running costs in the above.
Originally posted by mikelomFirst of all I'd take something from him... a bold and timely reminder that the world should continue (by way of illustration of Christ's words,
nothing but the old clothes he stands in?
1. Do you give him a meal?
2. Take him for a wash?
3. Give him new clothes?
4. Give him some money?
I doubt money is a wise thing to give? Maybe money was a problem that led him to posessing nothing?
Should he be cleaned before having new clothes?
Wash him and his clothes and let him be presentab ...[text shortened]... im on his way?
What would you give to a man who has nothing but the old clothes he stands in?
"The poor you shall have with you always" and comfort from knowing He knew wherof He spoke and meant what He said). Then feed him.
😉
Originally posted by mikelomI must say that this is one of the more thought provoking questions in the general forum.
nothing but the old clothes he stands in?
1. Do you give him a meal?
2. Take him for a wash?
3. Give him new clothes?
4. Give him some money?
I doubt money is a wise thing to give? Maybe money was a problem that led him to posessing nothing?
Should he be cleaned before having new clothes?
Wash him and his clothes and let him be presentab ...[text shortened]... im on his way?
What would you give to a man who has nothing but the old clothes he stands in?
I can also say that in my neck of the woods, where the man who has nothing will almost always spend what money you may give them on booze and cheap smokes. Which seems to be why the majority are where they are in the first place. Not all mind you, but a majority.
I do believe, though, that when able, I will give them a meal and the shirt off my back (as big as I am, it probably could double as a pup tent). I am not in a position to offer a job, but if I were asked for some odd job around the house, then I would allow them to do this.
An encouraging word goes with this. No one should go without the offering of hope, even if it does seem to be in vain.
A shower, if desired, just to help make a human feel as if they were human.
If my status allotted for it, a warm bed for the night. Although I have done this in the past, having teenage daughters does make me think twice before offering it again.
If there is a desire to want to learn, a trade of some sort. A very old and wise saying goes, feed a man a fish, and he will be full for a day, teach a man a fish and he will never go hungry. But this should also be followed with the person wanting to learn and not wanting to live off handouts.
I put some of this on the person who has nothing. Are they willing to better themselves, or do they wish to live the street life? It is an amazing answer you will get if you ask it.
Originally posted by mikeloma girlfriiend so he can feel loved
nothing but the old clothes he stands in?
1. Do you give him a meal?
2. Take him for a wash?
3. Give him new clothes?
4. Give him some money?
I doubt money is a wise thing to give? Maybe money was a problem that led him to posessing nothing?
Should he be cleaned before having new clothes?
Wash him and his clothes and let him be presentab ...[text shortened]... im on his way?
What would you give to a man who has nothing but the old clothes he stands in?
Originally posted by WoodgieIts about time to stop cutting down trees to produce this magazine.
Are you making this up?
Do you know how much they make from selling the Big Issue?
Besides, Big Issue sellers are not begging, they are selling a magazine, just the same way you sold things in your shop.
I am sure you are a decent guy, if you knew how much hard work, pain and misery that was involved in getting a scheme like that up and running, and c ...[text shortened]... ll about 34000 copies.
Edit:
I didn't include road tax, MOT or running costs in the above.
Big Issue sellers in Scotland (400-450) are selling around 22,000 copies per week at a profit of 80p per magazine which is around £18,000 or £40-£45 per seller per week.
http://tinyurl.com/9qzv93
Hardly worth the effort.
However begging is big business.
http://tinyurl.com/aymq6v
If a beggar make £55 per day - which is all tax free, then your average man in the street would need to get a job paying £18,000 a year to make the same money after taxes.
For those beggars that make £280 per day (a phenomenal amount) this mean that you would need a job paying over £113,000 per year to take home the same money.
Poor beggars - I think not.
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyFor somebody that claims insight into the correct workings of human thought, you are casting a broad stroke with your brush there.
Still a subjective bleeding heart... Woodgie, listen up: strength always resides in objectivity, application of principle and informed decisions.
Because I have compassion for living things, doesn't mean I am an easy touch.
My heart bleeds over the pathetic wrong doings of people such as yourself.
Having worked with homeless people, and for a period enjoyed the desperation of being homeless, I have had an excellent opportunity to see both sides of the coin.
While there are individuals such as yourself that can see an immoral opportunity to abuse the generosity of those prepared to help, the majority of people I met, were in genuine need of help.
There will always be scum sucking pigs ready to take advantage of those less fortunate (just look at your housing market), and it is those that should be treated with your disrespect.
There are many reasons why a person ends up down on their luck, painting them all with the same brush demonstrates a very narrow field of view.
There are a good number of excellent organisations that are helping the homeless, and these organisations do their best to make sure the charity goes to the right people and not those abusing it.
If you choose to give money to somebody on the street without knowing the whole story, then there is an opportunity that your generosity may be abused, give to a homeless charity and your generosity will stand more of a chance of getting to the right people.
Trying to resolve the homeless situation is a delicate balancing act between people such as yourself who are too callous to care and those prepared to abuse it.
Take your blinkers off.