What's Wrong With Begging?

Nah, thats fucked up. I was homeless once but i was ignorant of all these places to go get food and have a shower and shelter. So i begged for food and cash so that i could buy a shower. I give now to those in real need. You can tell by their eyes. It's like they've given up. Pretty sad. Not till later did i ever find "Missions" and other things like that. Hey if you dont wanna help people out then thats your thing, but dont try to sway others into believing that helping someone out isnt a good thing. I've seen some of the homeless smile for a dollar and its a big huge smile cause now they can eat and go to sleep in the fucking cold for eight hours with something in their stomach. Whatevs.

BioChemx said:

Nah, thats fucked up. I was homeless once but i was ignorant of all these places to go get food and have a shower and shelter. So i begged for food and cash so that i could buy a shower. I give now to those in real need. You can tell by their eyes. It's like they've given up. Pretty sad. Not till later did i ever find "Missions" and other things like that. Hey if you dont wanna help people out then thats your thing, but dont try to sway others into believing that helping someone out isnt a good thing. I've seen some of the homeless smile for a dollar and its a big huge smile cause now they can eat and go to sleep in the fucking cold for eight hours with something in their stomach. Whatevs.

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Not quite sure who you were addressing but let me start off by saying I'm sorry to hear about your predicament and am glad to see you rose up out of it. I think it's important to note that there are legitimate bums out there. Unfortunately for the legit bums there are a bunch of so called "bums" who drive their lexus to one of the many parking facilities in any major city. They proceed with their tin cup and ratty clothing to a busy place, like a subway stop, where there is a lot of foot traffic by affluent professionals and they pull out their tattered bum sign and cop a squat right there at the top of the subway station. They are typically unshaven and wreak of urine or MD 20/20 or in some cases both. These so called "bums" sit there from say 8 am to around 6 pm mon-fri and that's their job. They get back in their lexus at the end of the day and head back to the suburbs to their nice homes and families. Now I'm not judging but I prefer not to give my money to these people that I see day after day at the same freeway exit or subway stop. Most of these so called "bums" do this sort of thing for a living. Great! If it works for them I say more power to 'em but I choose not to give my hard earned $$ to these "professional bums". That's my personal choice.

There is also the drug addicted or drunk "bum" who is similar to the professional "bum" in that they really have no ambition to do much else except hold a cup and sign and be fucked up all day. Again, great! More power to 'em. Not judging but again, I choose not to support their habit.

This is the type of shit that screws it up for the real "down on their luck" homeless person. It can be difficult to discern the real bums from the pro "bum" or basic wino. Especially when you are in a hurry because you typically hit the snooze 3-4 times and chronically run late to work. If you choose to give to bums I think it's noble but probably not the wisest way to charitably donate your money. The great thing about charities is that they have a fantastic range of causes you can donate to. People want to argue that not all of your money goes to the cause you are donating to because of administrative and operating costs. True, but how much of your money is actually going to help feed a trully homeless and hungry person? How much is going to purchase that next hit?

PadawanBater said:

Dude, what ratio do you think there is between the "pro-bums" and the "down on their luck bums"?

I'd be willing to bet not many of them roll around in Lexus' and go back to the burbs after "work"... You got any data on that or just anecdotal evidence?

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a family member is an insurance agent here i town where there are several "bums" who have worked the same corners for years. he insures all their lexus's. they say they can make up to $500 a day, tax free.

PadawanBater said:

Dude, what ratio do you think there is between the "pro-bums" and the "down on their luck bums"?

I'd be willing to bet not many of them roll around in Lexus' and go back to the burbs after "work"... You got any data on that or just anecdotal evidence?

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I have no idea. I doubt there are any reliable studies. What difference does it make anyway? I made no statement about the ratios of real bums to pro bums did I? I think you missed the point. I was saying that there are some bums who beg for a living. These pro bums screw it up for the real homeless people. That's all I'm saying. Even if only 1 bum in the entire world is a professional it can have a major negative affect on real homeless people. Did you ever hear the expression "a few bad apples spoils the whole bunch"?

And sometimes those so called bums are really in a bad way.... I became so distrustful of anything to do with the system, because it gave me the fist and hard.... after awhile you actually begin having a hard time comprehending that someone will do something good for you, no strings attached... until you have had the chance to spend some time in a room with no door knob, no matter how brief the stay... it is hard to understand.... when i started turning it around I worked as a busker for awhile... and there was a guy who pan handled down form me... the poor bastard was really and truly fucked... I would hire him to watch my gear or get me drinks.... just down from him was a lexus drop-off artist,... now he really pissed me off...

PadawanBater said:

Aaah, I see, got it.

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Man I actually donate some of my time to a local soup kitchen. That's the best way to make sure you are helping people that are hungry and most of them appreciate the hell out of it. I don't judge anybody for how they want to donate their money (or not donate their money). I personally have a "no giving money to bums" policy. If I gave my spare change to every one of these people I pass on a daily basis I would be right there next to them with a cup. They have exploded around here in the last few years. We donate money to a couple of favorite charities every year also but I enjoy to give of my time. That's far more valuable than a quarter in the hat IMO.

fdd2blk said:

i spend all day on here begging for attention.

i don't know what that means.

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I reckon that means you're probably married.

d.s.m. said:

I reckon that means you're probably married.

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rflmao.

hm i dont really give money to beggars.. probably because i live in the 6th most populated city in the world, sao paulo.. and there are beggars in every corner.. at least not money, food is another thing, if i have leftovers or something like that..

They had one of those shows on MTV, True Life or some shit, and it showed that SOME of those homeless people begging for change arehomeless simply because they don't WANT to work. They give some BS excuse about not wanting to be tied down by society with all kinds of responsibility, and other completely stupid reasons. They get tons of money, but use it for cigarettes, alcohol, and a friggin loaf of bread. Mind you, I said SOME, not ALL. I do feel horrible for those who truly are down and out. The economy is shit and more people ARE becoming homeless and poor. But its true, why give your hard earned money to someone who may use it for drugs and/or alcohol? Buy them a sandwich and a bottle of water. Donate clothes you don't want anymore. Volunteer at soup kitchens (as was mentioned before) and other places of the sort. Make copies of a list of the numbers and adresses to the shelters, soup kitchens, missions, etc and give them to the homless. So they ARE aware of places to get help.