Homeless man called a bum, maybe this will change your perspective

reply to post by purplemer


If things go to plan with me and my career I want to try something out to see if I can make a change in 1, 2, maybe a handful of homeless peoples lives....

If I'm well off, which is something I'm working towards, I would love to take a homeless person off the street to see if I could help them with reversing their luck...

You put them in a hotel so they can rest, get cleaned up, etc... I would then like to take them shopping for clothes so they can look presentable, and then I would want to help them with securing employment. It's a process and it takes time, but I would love to work with a homeless person every time I feel I have the funds to do so to see if I can help them get back on their feet...

That man in the OPs video is the type of guy I would have zero problems helping out... Being in Chicago, I know exactly where he panhandles and I'm going to make an effort to make it out there to talk to him, buy him a warm meal, etc...

Right now I don't have the funds to be able to take on what I wrote above, but hopefully I'll be able to try this out soon enough... And if I find the guy in the video, I'll let you know how he is in person...

Give a man a fish, he eats for a day, teach a man how to fish, he eats forever.... If I can teach a person how to get back on their feet, maybe they will have a chance of living a life better than what their current situation presents...

It's true, were all Human and we all make mistakes, I've done stupid stuff as a kid, got kicked out and lived off welfare and getting food from a food bank, very humiliating and kills your ego to go that low, but I was finishing up HS. I was smoking Marijuana at the time and drinking with buddies, well the wrong crowd..I was doing stupid things to survive that I sometimes regret, but when your hungry you do any means to feed your self, right or wrong.. I've been in tight situations with food and money, not being able to pay rent or bills. Living in horrible places with cockroaches n all, very disturbing but it was a place to sleep, was social housing..

I successfully changed 3 years ago, now 23 and have a full time job sharing a house with a awesome roommate and have a car and can afford things and 20$ steaks

If I was to ever get in a position like that again, I would straight up join the army. I'd rather sign a 5 year contract have food and shelter and money in my pocket and save up till my release then find a well paying job. I would for sure join the Army before going to living on the streets..

We have to excuse Hopechest, as this person doesn't truly understand the way the world works.

The average age of the homeless in the United States is 9.

You need to check your ignorant preconceptions of the reasons for homelessness and gain some perspective. Most of the "druggies" are people self medicating their mental disorders. I know many many people with drug and alcohol addictions that aren't homeless, In fact, almost all of the people I know which drug or alcohol problems, and many of the unemployed people with drug and alcohol problems aren't homeless.. so let's use our big brains to discover the REAL reason for homelessness, eh?

I have or should say had a best friend who lives in the streets of Chicago after his welfare check runs out used on a hotel room and dope. He used to be the most trust worthy and loyal friend I ever had. Moving away from the area for 5 years and coming back, I was warned by other friends that if I see Andy he will rip me off now being a junkie. I just couldn't believe it. I did see him and it was not Andy. The junkie used what was left of Andy to feed itself. This was the last person on earth that I would expect this to happen to. Andy was a huge loss to me growing up together as kids and being there for each other through school days and beyond. I just didn't get it, how this could happen to him. I would stop by his parent's house once a year around the holidays for many years. Every once in a while I would see him there. The person I would see wasn't even a fraction of Andy. All he would talk about was his next high. He went through over 20 rehabs with no results other than using his parent's money and breaking their hearts. The Andy I knew died years ago and there is nothing left in him to bring back. When you give him money when he is on the street, it is going towards some sort of high.

The problem is almost everyone knows an Andy. They know that most of the street people are looking for the next high with no concerns of making their life better. Only a few street people would take a helping hand and use it to get out of a hole. I had a street person in front of a restaurant asking me for money for a meal. He said he hasn't eaten anything in days. I offered to take him inside the restaurant and that he can order anything on the menu and the bill was covered. His response was "Phuukk You!" Must of been hungry for something other than food.

There should be work and training programs for those who hit hard times that find themselves in the streets that are not using drugs or alcohol. The problem is that we live in such a fare society that if you help one person in that situation you must help all. The users will take advantage of the system making it of no effect for those who it can help and it gets shut down. Everyone is afraid of helping because of this. Sometimes we need to have tough rules on the homeless so it works for the honestly homeless. For the ones who want out and know that working and learning new skills is an answer. That nothing good for you comes free. I heard that in Texas they passed a law requiring welfare applicants to take a drug screening to qualify and to retain benefits. These benefits were meant to help between jobs not to be a career. You can't get a job and hold it being a drug addict or drunk. If they straighten out to get benefits or help, maybe then they have a real chance of getting out of the hole.

Originally posted by SubTruth
reply to post by Hopechest

 

People can change and everyone has low and high points in life. I believe the biggest cause of this is mental illness and that leads to many things including drug abuse.


We need to help these people and the tax money we are using to fight these endless wars could wipe it out. It could also help make our schools strong once again. The future we are investing in right now will not be very bright.

I agree with both statements, why do we need billion dollar drone programs and all the alphabet soup agencies like the ATF, DHS, NSA, DEA and FBI?

They claim that their job is to keep us safe but it's not. Thats the job of state and local law enforcement agencies. Why would we need so much law enforcement to "keep us safe"?

Do they stop drugs from coming into America? NO.

Do they stop terrorists from killing people? NO.

Do they stop illegal guns from coming into America? NO.

Do they stop illegal immigrants from coming into America? NO.

They have billion dollar budgets for what? Doing a job that local cops do just as well or better?

The federal govt could easily end poverty in America but it never will because politicians are too busy trying to get re-elected, keeping lobbyists happy and funneling money into the military industrial complex.

Before we can help anyone we need to shrink the federal govt and it starts with eliminating some of these redundant federal agencies.

reply to post by Nicks87


I do agree on 25% but that's an Ignorant statement, Yes they've stopped a lot of terrorist attacks, and a lot of stuff you don't know about. Yes, they go above and beyond to help keep you safe.. yeah a few attacks slipped out of how many, you can't stop them all..there like 300 mill Americans.. Look at Iraq they have a bomb explode everyday..EVERYDAY!!! it went from every week to now like everyday, be grateful.. Everyday in the news I hear another bomb blowing up killing innocents, It's sad it's almost like those people can't leave their homes without risking death..

Originally posted by live2beknown
reply to post by Nicks87

 

I do agree on 25% but that's an Ignorant statement, Yes they've stopped a lot of terrorist attacks, and a lot of stuff you don't know about. Yes, they go above and beyond to help keep you safe.. yeah a few attacks slipped out of how many, you can't stop them all..there like 300 mill Americans.. Look at Iraq they have a bomb explode everyday..EVERYDAY!!! it went from every week to now like everyday, be grateful.. Everyday in the news I hear another bomb blowing up killing innocents, It's sad it's almost like those people can't leave their homes without risking death..

Ok, so what is your idea?

Expand the federal govt and tax the crap out of everyone to fight homelessness?

The U.S. is 16 trillion dollars in debt. Where is the money going to come from?

Originally posted by Nicks87

Originally posted by live2beknown
reply to post by Nicks87

 

I do agree on 25% but that's an Ignorant statement, Yes they've stopped a lot of terrorist attacks, and a lot of stuff you don't know about. Yes, they go above and beyond to help keep you safe.. yeah a few attacks slipped out of how many, you can't stop them all..there like 300 mill Americans.. Look at Iraq they have a bomb explode everyday..EVERYDAY!!! it went from every week to now like everyday, be grateful.. Everyday in the news I hear another bomb blowing up killing innocents, It's sad it's almost like those people can't leave their homes without risking death..

Ok, so what is your idea?


Expand the federal govt and tax the crap out of everyone to fight homelessness?

The U.S. is 16 trillion dollars in debt. Where is the money going to come from?

My suggestion would lower the defense budget.. and Foreign Aid especially that one and rebuild your country.. America should focus on it's own country before others..Rebuild America then give aid to other countries..Like all that Aid they give NK to stop there Nuclear Arsenal..Very nice, but America could use it..

Originally posted by Nicks87

Originally posted by live2beknown
reply to post by Nicks87

 

I do agree on 25% but that's an Ignorant statement, Yes they've stopped a lot of terrorist attacks, and a lot of stuff you don't know about. Yes, they go above and beyond to help keep you safe.. yeah a few attacks slipped out of how many, you can't stop them all..there like 300 mill Americans.. Look at Iraq they have a bomb explode everyday..EVERYDAY!!! it went from every week to now like everyday, be grateful.. Everyday in the news I hear another bomb blowing up killing innocents, It's sad it's almost like those people can't leave their homes without risking death..

Ok, so what is your idea?

Expand the federal govt and tax the crap out of everyone to fight homelessness?

The U.S. is 16 trillion dollars in debt. Where is the money going to come from?

If everyone in the US took the money that we would normally spend on Christmas DECORATIONS each year and invested it in the homelessness in our country, everyone would have a bed to sleep in every single night.

reply to post by MichaelPMaccabee


Very true, even if everyone donated a dollar every month or once every few months it would help these guys out a lot!!

reply to post by Nicks87


And believe it or not I consider myself a conservative. I am for social welfare and I am also for animal rights. I hate to see suffering of any kind. I used to think strength was measured in money and power. With age comes a little wisdom and I know now it is measured in the ability to show kindness and empathy.

If anyone has been paying attention to Hopechest's post throughout this message board, almost all of them agree with anything the (Banking-Corporate-Government Complex) does.

So his/her contribution is inline with the actions the government is taking, so no surprise there.

Furthermore, I would not be surprised if a spell of homeless is in order for Hopechest in this lifetime or the next, in order for hopechest to gain a different perspective and for an opportunity to expand the growth of the soul and spirit. Earth and its material possessions are temporal and dissolve upon death, but the lessons of the soul stay.

I came very close to homelessness when the whole department at my last job was outsourced, and went through my savings very quickly. Fortunately, I had a friend that put me up for 2 months in a different city until I got back on my feet.



Take a look at this graph here:

Food Stamp Participation from 2007 to 2011




From 2007 to the present day, homelessness, unemployment, food stamp usage has drastically increased.
Why did all these "Lazy" people work all the way up to 2007, and decide to be lazy right after?


The problem is not the people that have no political power or $$$$ but the vultures in DC and their cronies in the Banks that set policy that brought us to where we are today.


Take a look at this picture of Lloyd Blankfein in a future life:



Lloyd will not be able to bribe his way out of this.
Is it the childs fault or the parents fault or the fault of the system there?

We have no problem pointing to other countries when the people are not doing well and saying it is the economic and political system in place, such as Communism etc but all of a sudden, when it is in our own backyard, it is not the problem of the system and those in charge but the little people that have no political voice nor $$$ to effect change.

Incidentally, the person that took the photo of the child and vulture above committed suicide.

This was shot by a photojournalist named Kevin Carter in 1993-94 when he had gone to Sudan to report about the famine. The photo received lot of accolades and he was even awarded the Pulitzer prize for photography..
3 months after winning the Pulitzer prize, Carter committed suicide..

reply to post by Hopechest


And an attitude like that is exactly why we are in the state we are in right now.

Its very sad the way we treat each other, but it's even sadder that we are so far apart and how far most people are from mindfulness and enlightenment. The way we choose to separate ourselves from each other, all in the name of stroking our egos and making ourselves feel better, is the worst part of it all. We are so conditioned to allow ourselves to be puppets to our egos that we have forgotten empathy and compassion.


Regardless of why someone is homeless, we have no right to judge them or their choices. Life is hard and we all handle it different ways; usually something to do with our conditioning and the way we were raised.

Those who judge others quickly only do so because what they judge they fear in themselves first and foremost. It makes people feel better to make comments such as "Well that guy is homeless because they made poor choices so I don't feel bad for them", and it only makes them feel better because they are allowing their egos to stroke them.


Nothing in this world will ever change as long as we don't realize that we are all the same, we are all cut from the same source of energy, we are all god.

Originally posted by MichaelPMaccabee

Originally posted by Nicks87

Originally posted by live2beknown
reply to post by Nicks87

 

I do agree on 25% but that's an Ignorant statement, Yes they've stopped a lot of terrorist attacks, and a lot of stuff you don't know about. Yes, they go above and beyond to help keep you safe.. yeah a few attacks slipped out of how many, you can't stop them all..there like 300 mill Americans.. Look at Iraq they have a bomb explode everyday..EVERYDAY!!! it went from every week to now like everyday, be grateful.. Everyday in the news I hear another bomb blowing up killing innocents, It's sad it's almost like those people can't leave their homes without risking death..

Ok, so what is your idea?

Expand the federal govt and tax the crap out of everyone to fight homelessness?

The U.S. is 16 trillion dollars in debt. Where is the money going to come from?

If everyone in the US took the money that we would normally spend on Christmas DECORATIONS each year and invested it in the homelessness in our country, everyone would have a bed to sleep in every single night.

Really?

So I have to spend more of MY money to help the homeless when the govt pisses away millions helping countries that dont like us very much?

I see your point but I think the govt can do a better job with the money we are already giving them..

reply to post by jacobe001


Wow, powerful picture and story...

reply to post by Nicks87


YOUR money is worthless without everything else to spend it on, which you have everyone around YOU to thank for it.

Originally posted by onequestion
reply to post by Nicks87

 

YOUR money is worthless without everything else to spend it on, which you have everyone around YOU to thank for it.

edit on 27-5-2013 by onequestion because: (no reason given)

Ah... Ok, so do you think the system (govt) is doing enough to help the homeless or what? You didnt really respond to my statement you just made another stament that doesnt really make any sense.

reply to post by Nicks87


Im addressing your stance on it being YOUR money. Its OUR money because its worthless unless you have a community to spend it on, or in.

No i dont think the government is handling our money responsibly.

reply to post by Nicks87


No, you misunderstood my point. I wasn't suggesting we all stop spending money on Christmas decorations, I was illustrating the relatively small cost of stopping homelessness.