Hurting the Homeless : What Would You Do In This Situation If You Were There...

If I saw that happening I'd probably be arrested for pulling my gun on them. I consider that a life-threatening situation, in which case I (theoretically) have that right.

I see homeless people every day walking to work from the garage I park at, and have given them money and food, but only if they look sober to me. I know that doesn't necessarily mean that they won't get drunk or high later, but I use my best judgement. I'm happy to help someone who's down on their luck, but I don't want to feed their addiction.

this is a good thread my friend.

as i have been homeless for over a year i know first hand how the homeless are treated.

i would certainly body slam (no weapon, no phone) anyone mistreating another human being without hesitation.

reply to post by SpartanKingLeonidas
You frequently write a fine OP or post SKL. From one stranger to another, I hope you find your feet and the economy bucks up enough to give you what you want in life. The same goes for anyone else, I guess, which brings me neatly on to the subject at hand...

In 2001, I spent some time 'slumming it' with a few homeless guys in Liverpool. My life was taking a crash-dive (split up with long-term gf and a dozen other things), I felt an affinity and enjoyed that time much as anyone else would enjoy being a tourist. It was nihilism and self-destruction supported by knowing there was a home to return to. I could lie and say I was following in the great footsteps of Studs Terkel or George Orwell. Truth is, I was looking to crash and burn and have no regrets.

It was eye-opening in some ways and a very dull life in many more. There was a guy called Bob who I'd gotten to know from '98 onwards, given him shoes, clothes and food. Over four years, I charted his descent as 'the life' took its toll and he lost his health. By 2002, young heroin and crack dealers were using him as a carrier. In the time I knew him, he never drank or took drugs. His life on the street was a simple outcome of losing his job, missing a mortgage payment and falling through the net.

The guys I spent time with got drunk all day and I joined them. They hustled and dashed about the streets of Liverpool city centre faster than anyone else. They scored crack and heroin and spent any cash they raised on drink or drugs. They fell out with each other and fought. Given a chance, they'd rip each other off. It seemed to me there was a congruence, a symbiosis between what put them on the streets and what made them the way they were.

Whereas Bob might have felt a loss of dignity, his morality never left him. You could see his health and morale unravelling under all the hardships. On the other hand, the others dove head-first into criminality and ran through each day in the muffled haze of needles, tin foil and strong alcohol. All causes and effects and all of them just people with parents and childhoods that never saw this coming...

'The life' is hard and makes men get tough or die. Not a pretty place and no single generic stereotype to be found out there. There's no 'romance of the road' out there, no noble gentlemen.

What I've found is that before people conjure up an opinion on the homeless, they should look carefully and think twice. A lot of homeless are there as evidence that life's not fair. It can be anyone and it can happen to anyone who doesn't have the support of friends and family. Hell, even with all that, for some it's just not enough.

Next time a drunken teenager puts a match to a homeless drunk, or kicks through the jawbone of a doorway tramp, they're signalling their own lack of dignity. Instead of regarding these homeless guys as human detritus/waste, it's they who are surplus to the needs of society. It strikes me that we're discussing the outliers of society. Whether homeless or a person that gets kicks from beating the homeless...they are anomalous in the greater society.

[An outlying observation, or outlier, is one that appears to deviate markedly from other members of the sample in which it occurs.]

With good Samaritan laws being challenged and overturned, it's not worth sticking your neck out for anyone these days. It just opens you up to civil liability.

I would mind my own business and leave the area.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


Your story gave me goosebumps, what a truly soul healing story. Thank you so much for sharing it, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for being the kind of person who would do what you did. You are truly one of those who make the world a better place...as is that outstanding young man.

The human race forgets its real identity, and people like both of you remind us of who we really are.

May all blessings be yours, and may your good karma continue to flourish.

reply to post by SpartanKingLeonidas


Star and Flag for the good post.

Reminds me of a film where ppl were living in the subway tunnels
to avoid the shelters because they were so abusive.

The movie was called dark days.

You can find a trailer on google video.

To me it makes an amazing statement.

If I came across ppl beating or killing a homeless person I'd
pepper spray or taser them, then zip tie them hog tie style
and call the police from a pay phone and leave.

If it came down to saving their life I would draw my .45
and see if the punks bravery was found lacking.

Sociopaths and Psychopaths need to be sent to mental hospitals
at a minimum.

These ppl beating ppl for pleasure fit in that category.



[edit on 5-8-2010 by Ex_MislTech]

Hyannis Massachusetts, summer 1989 or 90. I think it was the yearly oyster festival. Witness a kid being beaten by several people. The kid was on the ground with his eyes open and the whites showing. Clearly unconscious. I threw the people off him and got a few bumps and bruises for my efforts. Then the cops showed up, they got an ambulance for the kid.

I got a free ride to jail, come to find out the kid was accused of rape and had gotten off in court. This was the reasoning behind the attack.

I got to sit there until morning when they let me go.

Oh well. I think I told this story before here. Anyway, nowadays I would just put a round in the air and watch the cockroaches scatter. Prefer to use my brain nowadays instead of brawn, things that come with age.

This kind of stuff shakes me to the core. Hurting the helpless, be they human, animal or other.

Glad at least some people out there were willing to help.

That is very sad, except sadly this is a material world, where people without material are treated like trash on the street. Honestly, if I was at my LOWEST of lows and lost my house and my family and belongings and had to live on the street, I would ATLEAST have a knife to defend myself from a hole teenagers, I carry a small pocket knife on me now and I'm perfectly safe with no enemies, just to be safe, cause no matter how much money you have, you are not 100% safe, and ive seen things happen to people out of nowhere. Remember, even though we live in the concrete jungle, its still a jungle, and sh*t happens, and every second of every day, something dies, and one day it will be you.

I would die laughing if one of those homeless ppl stabbed up one of those teens that hit him in the face with a crowbar, and someone got it on tape so he does not get arrested

I have to be honest... if it were me the whole experiment would have went horribly wrong. I wouldnt waste time telling anyone to stop, I would walk right in and start knocking people out. Beating up on someone who is not even defending themselves is disgusting, but to single out a homeless person and do that to me is even more vile. Sorry, but I would be in jail after beating them senseless, with a great big smile on my face.

"Bum Bashing"... never heard that term before but I have seen videos of this happening. The kids doing his are just the latest crop of sociopaths. Anyone who could do this to anyone, regardless of if they are homeless or not has absolutely GOT to be a sociopath.

I say lock them up before they have a story to tell on "Criminal Minds".

reply to post by SpartanKingLeonidas


Three of them and 1 of me, possible i could take that but i wouldn't want to risk it so no i wouldn't intervene other than to shout from a distance that i was calling the police. If there were only two of them then yeah i would intervene and i would beat the living hell out of them.

It's not as easy as "would you or wouldn't you" when there are multiple opponents. Especially if they have weapons.

reply to post by souls


Many could work, many can't work. Some have biological disabilities, others may have mental disabilities that may include severe depression and without medication and proper food. The homeless are not there because they want to be, they are there because they have no where else to go. Their self esteem is slow low, you can't fathom just how low they have reached. Without the proper help & care long term, many are doomed to live out the rest of their lives on the streets where they face danger on a daily basis.

I have been homeless several times. Anyone who claims that there is no excuse for homelessness has led far too a sheltered life to understand. I know many homeless people also who I often have staying with me. Being alone and on the streets can be soul destroying enough without these spoilt brats making it even worse.
If I saw this going on I wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of that dark, camera-less alley myself in favor of the poor sod being beaten for no reason. Make them live rough on the streets, five minutes without their X-box, shower and a change of clothes and they'll show their true colors. Weak and pathetic nobodies.

What is it about people that makes some think they are far superior to others? The fact that some people have the mentality that because they are privileged or not in the same situation as these people, that they can beat them is sickening.

We're all humans. Black, white, latino, asian, male, female, rich, poor. I can't even begin to understand the mentality of people who do this. To cause someone pain whose already down on their luck or in a bad way is disgusting. It really makes me wonder how we've managed to survive as a race this long....

The question:
What would you do in this situation if you were there?

Arm/Evaluate/Engage.
Without question.

reply to post by Quasar_La-Zar

This thread and in particular your post has urged me to share my perspective on class,not the system but the word.
Colloquially the term class is associated with a wealthy individual, one with a high material worth,or possessions of high monetary value.

I have always believed that the term class and classy is used in an inappropriate manner.
In my opinion an individual who demonstrates their ability to treat all who they encounter with dignity and respect is illustrating the true face of class.

The party's who perpetrate these acts against the homeless,believing that they are of a higher class than the individuals they commit the acts upon are mistaken.
It is they who are of a lower class.

We discuss how some homeless people are mentally ill, but there are teenagers laughing hysterically while bashing someone's face in and then urinating on them. If you ask me, I think there is something effin mentally wrong with those kids because that is not normal. They also need to be thrown in a tiny cell in an ADULT prison. This makes me totally sick.

Full of It .think you understand what homeless people are all about.
Don't try hard enough you say? drugged out drunks you say?
take it from a man who has been homeless twice and probably will be again soon.
Very very few homeless take drugs Real homeless that is My god drugs cost much money just were do you think a homeless person can come up with even a 100$ a day to support a habit like that?
now drinking thats another story as a quort only cost 1.50 umm i think ?( i don't drink lol . and a 6 pack is just a few dollars. Right? lol
so they can scrape that money up every day more or less .
mean wile you sit in your lazy boy drinking YOUR six pack (tell me what makes you so much different then them?
anyway try hard enough?? BULL its not like they volunteer to be homeless its not like most haven't had full time jobs and a good life at one time.
that lazzy bum your talking about could have easly be ME well here is my story.
raised in foster homes 1o different homes never had a family.
at 14 i decided taht was what i wanted more then any thing at 18 out on my own were do you think i WENT? hummm? right to the streets who the heck cares about some kid thats not even there kid?
man I was druged raped beat in thous homes.
anyway spent the next 12 years trying to fix my mind man thous people had me messed up . No self worth no self confidence no social skills what so ever .
anyway i started my LONG climb up buy 26 i was stable enough mentialy and financially ( alest i thought i was) to get a family .
so found a woman marred her at 28 and at 29 had my first kid anyway 10 years later 3 kids a home ( i was paying for not renting) Nice place to .
and in a heart beet its going all of it from 39 to 41 things went down FAST.
lost a eye a finger had a palap removed from inside my rear and i do mean inside . the wife went bonkers she couldn't handle all the stress and blam it was going no even she didn't get it . had me kiked out stopped paying bills until the bank took every thing . 25 years of busting my butt only to end up BACK on the streets.
You think i WANT to be here? o what a lazy bum so they WONT hire you man its chech 22. and i am 44 now way to old to start over it took me 25 years the first time . so tell me what HOPE do i have? I am on DEATH ROW just waiting for the warden to come to take me to the chair .
I am the walking DEAD I just haven't realized I am dead you and am still twitching.
at this point it would take a GOD to change my corse work heck ill take 5$ an hour if its 60 hour weeks ill shovel caca I don't care I have no HOPE that would give me alest a little . man I am ALONE no one i can talk to no woman will have me ( cant blame them ) i have nothing to offer now .
on the edge of sanity getting to the point I am really starting to believe i really am DEAD and in hell . spend alot of energy trying to keep my head above water.
there just waiting to die people as thats the only relive from there pain they have.
I truly wish 3 years agaio when i got into that car and turned the key that so called hero hadn't pulled me out at the last second.
now I am not that crazy any more. and keep lying to my self saying i have a reason to live .when i sit here wasting band with typing this.
You know NOTHING about homeless people so stop acting like we are worthless bums its that attitude that makes it darn near impossible for us to climb back up.
Signed NO HOPE ( wish i did drink) i Understand why they do.

[edit on 5-8-2010 by xxcalbier]

reply to post by SpartanKingLeonidas


Yes, if I seen someone acting like that towards a homeless person, I would probably call them all types of ignorant names and give off the most upsetting body language as to see if they would come at me the same way. If they did come at me then I would give them what they want, since they seem to wanna be so physical. If they were scard I am sure they would walk away and shut the hell up. After they left I would probaby give the homeless folk a fast food meal or something and a few bucks and give them a blessing then keep it moving

Society is so ass backwards that many view these homeless individuals as weak-lazy disturbed people and hate to see them not working as they are w/o first evaluating the potential situation that had to of occured to put that person in that situation. And once you fall that low it can be hard to get back up, but again society usually overlooks the cause and only see the effects this person is dealing with...

Everytime I personally see a person with a cup or bowl I give them dollars as much as I may have to give at that moment, the most I gave was about five bucks in someones cup (I think it was cold outside and the poor guy was sleeping on concrete no blanket nothing not even shoes and I had a full length wool coat on and was cold as hell). And yes some of the homeless have got setups where they work certain areas of the cities consistantly, but hey if you feel that down to have to beg then if I got it you do as well.

Its hard out here and any wrong financial down turn can have the same uppity types of people living out there homeless and I keep this in mind and would hope if it happened to me people would help me when I felt I have swallowed enough pride to ask with a sign or cup...

What a inperfect world.. We can spend more money to incarcerate people then it cost to pay for college. Would rather spen tax monies globally on weapons then supporting our species. Will invest massive amounts of money on wars outbound why inbound the people of the nation suffer and wither SAD.... Keep the compassion up OP it is needed. S&F