Giving money to the homeless. Don't do it!

Damn shame you are so biased and unwilling to make an attempt to change your view

No offense but your soup kitchen experience doesn't equal the whole truth. Let me tell you what I know from years of working as a psychotherapist who worked in substance abuse, mental health, homelessness and the emergency room.

There is absolutely some men/women who are swindlers and deceitful. I have met them. Difference is I can think without bias from time to time.

While there are several out there who cheat, steal and lie, there is also the majority that are homeless due to mental health issues, circumstances and yes, even poor decisions which we ALL make. The reason I can tell that you have some hefty biases is due to a couple of factors. First, you took a great deal of information from another person. Second, you let that color you and then clearly you saw every person who was homeless as a liar. Finally, you don't seem content to just think your thoughts and move on. Instead, you want us all to buy in and stop paying or feeding homeless people.

Why don't you come on down to my neck of the woods and see the situation for yourself if you can change your lenses from tinted to clear. I'll show you thousands (and I mean thousands...not a handful) who and trying desperately to get a job while the third AND final homeless shelter just got shut down. Let me show you how desperate the situation gets when lawmakers and the public care more about a GD college football team and seeing their name on a plaque then spending a fraction of the cost to help homeless veterans.

Care to take a look from a different view? Or am I a sucker?

Btw....first hand experience....of four years....and thousands of men/women

a reply to: IAMNOTYOU

The Goverment/IRS keeps asking me for money, are you saying they are untrustworthy and i shouldnt pay them?

Now that you mention it, yes. No beggar on the street could ever scam you as good as the government does it, and the government hates competition.

a reply to: BrokedownChevy

but go ahead and invite a homeless person into your home to give them a hot meal. You won't of course because deep down your common sense tells you that you are putting your home, loved ones, and possessions in danger.

You are right . I will not do such a thing out of the goodness of my heart
Oh , wait , last Friday made my 11th time this year. Now you tell me I should be concerned for my family and possessions. A little late with the warning

a reply to: BrokedownChevy

Do not give anyone your money ever. It's a scam and they survive because you are the self sustaining survivor. Not them.

I frequently run into several "whinos" on a weekly basis during my travels. I always give them a few bucks if I have it on me. I don't care if they spend the money on drugs or alcohol, that's what I was going to spend it on anyways lol so I'm in no position to judge.

Time to step off your soap-box because you and your ex prison-guard friend seem to enjoy the moral high ground you have falsely created. You paint them all with a very wide brush.

Do you know each and every one of their stories?

Do you know what drove them to addiction?

You automatically assume they are all thieving addicts.

I could go on for ever but I would be wasting my breathe (energy).

Walk a mile in their shoes and perhaps you might understand.

a reply to: KyoZero

You say majority, but clearly you are biased as well. Have you gotten the truth from people? Well, that can't be proven. Have you met all the homeless out there? You have not. Your experiences bias you as well. You only see those who are seeking help. The reality is that a majority do not seek help and try to better themselves. I'd wager about 5% try to help themselves. The rest stand on the corner harassing women who walk by and beg for money. City workers in my town now have to wear safety gloves to clean the parks because they find so many discarded needles. Putting children and hardworking people at risk is a disgrace. Stop defending this disgusting behavior. Our city has essentially donated an entire park to the homeless and transients so they have a place to go or rest. I'd love to go down their and take a picture for you. It is the most polluted place on earth. The Ganges post Kumbh Mela is cleaner than what was once a nice park. They don't care about anyone. They use, pollute, beg, then move on once someone kicks them out. The cycle then repeats itself. Ask yourself if giving a homeless person your pocket change has ever changed a life? It hasn't. If anything, denying them money and creating job programs is the only answer. Although, no one wants to hire an alcoholic or someone who uses needles so I don't blame businesses for turning away the entire homeless population. You take a risk on a begger, you get burned, then you lose customers from a business you put your heart, soul, and hard earned money into. No person with common sense would take a risk like that.

Do not give the homeless money. Life is hard and not everyone makes it. Animals die from starvation and lack of shelter in nature all the time. Its called natural selection and clearly natural selection has chosen certain humans. Sad, but true. The denial of this is denying evolution and our entire history. Honestly, if the homeless were all that great they'd either work with a church or some kind of job program or they would give up and let nature takes its course because attempting to take other peoples money only causes earners unnecessary suffering while preventing progress. Mental illness is awful. If I had an illness that caused me to be on the streets I'd rather not be alive due to my inability to contribute to society.

Do not give the homeless money.

originally posted by: KyoZero
Damn shame you are so biased and unwilling to make an attempt to change your view

No offense but your soup kitchen experience doesn't equal the whole truth. Let me tell you what I know from years of working as a psychotherapist who worked in substance abuse, mental health, homelessness and the emergency room.

There is absolutely some men/women who are swindlers and deceitful. I have met them. Difference is I can think without bias from time to time.

While there are several out there who cheat, steal and lie, there is also the majority that are homeless due to mental health issues, circumstances and yes, even poor decisions which we ALL make. The reason I can tell that you have some hefty biases is due to a couple of factors. First, you took a great deal of information from another person. Second, you let that color you and then clearly you saw every person who was homeless as a liar. Finally, you don't seem content to just think your thoughts and move on. Instead, you want us all to buy in and stop paying or feeding homeless people.

Why don't you come on down to my neck of the woods and see the situation for yourself if you can change your lenses from tinted to clear. I'll show you thousands (and I mean thousands...not a handful) who and trying desperately to get a job while the third AND final homeless shelter just got shut down. Let me show you how desperate the situation gets when lawmakers and the public care more about a GD college football team and seeing their name on a plaque then spending a fraction of the cost to help homeless veterans.

Care to take a look from a different view? Or am I a sucker?

Btw....first hand experience....of four years....and thousands of men/women

Quoted because it needs to be...

***APPLAUSE*** Well said. But don't worry, he won't take you up on your offer.

a reply to: DigitalVigilante420

You prevent them from getting off the street by giving them money. Well done. Not only is that terrible, but you allow yourself to be suckered.

Just because you have experience and facts to back up an argument, does not in every circumstance indicate truth.
I'll bear the label of beggar if you wish, because I too was homeless. But I refused welfare while I was homeless. Surprised?
Every single person on this planet has a story that you know nothing about whether homeless or living in a mansion on a hill, and we all take advantage of others one way or another to further ourselves. Some just do it more creatively than others, and some barely do it at all...but it is our coping mechanism to make it through life. You may not be standing on a corner asking for money, but you cannot say that you haven't taken advantage of someones generosity to benefit yourself. It's the same thing.
If I choose to give money, or food to another person, it's not just to benefit them. It's to keep my humanity in this arrogant, self centered world that has sorely forgotten that we are all connected.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. You want to judge homeless people and keep your money? Your decision... But don't tell me what to do with mine or who to show compassion to.

originally posted by: DAVID64

Anything to take advantage of people

Sadly, you have described most people on this planet. After 51 years, I am under no illusion that "people are basically good". Most are out for themselves. Period. Oh, they may do a good deed here and there, but for the most part, they're going to do whatever it takes to make sure they come out on top.

I like you =)

originally posted by: BrokedownChevy
a reply to: DigitalVigilante420

You prevent them from getting off the street by giving them money. Well done. Not only is that terrible, but you allow yourself to be suckered.

I took one out for a few beers once, had a great time.

Call me a sucker, I consider myself a compassionate human being who does not judge due to the conditioning I have been subjected to. Your world view, from what you have posted in this thread at least, is rather narrow minded in my opinion.

I've never had to beg for money on the street corner, but have had to do so from friends and family members due to unfortunate circumstances, I bet you think I am a scum bag now too lol.

a reply to: BrokedownChevy

If you gave a nickle to a man you thought was poor and helpless , isnt the gesture of kindness more important? Even though it may be a lie?

You know most things you do in life is a lie in itself ?

I invited a homeless person over for dinner once. That was over a year ago, and he's still here. Difference is, now he's got two jobs, pays his rent on time or early, goes to church every sunday and has since gotten off the heavy drugs.

You got shady people in all walks of life not just homeless ones. To me this retoric is sickning.


and besides, its my money, what gives you the right to tell me what I can or cant do with MY money. If you dont wana give, that your bag, but please dont try to dictate what i do with mine.

Think Im going to give a 20 today

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Very good for you and you are correct..... it is no longer your money and if they go buy drugs and alcohol is none of our business.

So what is the moral of the story? Having a charitable heart goes much further in life then making an excuse as to why you should not give.

and to the others...... stop making MONEY so important in your life..... if you can give then do so and walk away.

a reply to: BrokedownChevy

You won't of course because deep down your common sense tells you that you are putting your home, loved ones, and possessions in danger.

Not really, if someone is in my home and things go south, they're in danger.

Besides, I give to anyone with their hand out. If someone has gotten to a point in their life where they have to employ such methods to survive, they must need help. Drugs, Alcohol - it doesn't matter, they need assistance.

I feel that when I help anyone, I am helping myself. That's just me.

I'm going to go ahead and continue to give money to homeless people on the street. I work downtown and it's about a half mile walk from the parking garage to the building, so I I've gotten to know many. Some of them are very much mentally unstable. Some of them are just down on their luck.

I know the homeless around here, and I know the scammers as well. The scammers are new, drop in for a day, and are gone the next. The real homeless people, even on a day I don't have anything on me (cashless society is tough on handouts) they are happy for a short conversation. Some of them cry when I bring them a simple sandwich. The scammer, on a day I don't have cash, will ask me to go to the ATM.

Personally, I don't care if they use the couple of bucks I donated to buy food or if they buy booze. If I can afford a mortgage, a kid in college, vacations, and the like, I can afford to help out someone in need on the streets. no judgement needed on my part.

a reply to: usernameconspiracy

One thing I will agree with is that transients are much worse than the town bum. Giving them money is wrong though. It enables them to continue down their path. If people actually cared they would do something real that has long term solutions. Tossing someone a quarter is a cheap way to convince oneself that a good deed was done or that someone in need was helped.

Danger danger

If you give homeless people your money you encourage them to continue living on the streets and/or using drugs and alcohol. That's pretty messed up of you. Don't do it. It's a trap.

a reply to: BrokedownChevy

Why don't you just take a step off your mile high podium and humble yourself a bit. If you do indeed have a valid point, then being arrogant about it is only going to make people respond to your character and not your point.

a reply to: Voyaging

Just don't give money to the homeless. That's all you need to be focused on.

a reply to: BrokedownChevy

I, and I would assume everyone else participating in the forum know your point... but having such a arrogant, 'I-know-more-than-you' attitude about it is just going to invalidate anything your are saying. Unless you are just bored and that's your goal.. who knows