I offered a bum food.
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Copy and Paste of an old post of mines:
I remember when I was in High School, there was this one homeless guy who I would see on the L or A train every so often. If I had it, I would give him some change, but after a while I started to thing what was the point of it all, that he probably spent it on booze, drugs or what not.
Fast-forward 4 years later. I'm taking the train back home. I'm in college now, so I it was only for the weekend end until I had to go back up. Next thing I know, I see the same guy, except he's not a homeless anymore, and he's not begging. He's carrying a box with him filled with fruits, sandwiches, and drinks, and offering it to people. He would ask people if they wish to donate to his food fund, either with change or actual food, or if theyre hungry they could take the food. I was pretty surprised.
Fast-forward 3 years later. Last month. I'm on the 4 train, and I see the same guy, except now he has on business attire and seems to be doing really good. He's carrying with him a HUGE box food and drinks, willing to give it out to anybody who asks. He gives out his business card to people, telling them if they have any friends or family who need help with food and shelter, they can go there. Before he leaves the train, he looks me in the eyes, and says to me "Did you help me out before?". I go "I think I did a long time ago". He shakes his head, says "Thanks man.", and walks off.
Now whenever I see a homeless person out in the streets, I can't help but wonder if theyre ever going to get anywhere. I still give them money. And there's a strong chance they may use it for booze or drugs, but they may actually be hungry, or needed it for other reasons to get by. I don't ask. Whatever they do with the money, thats up to them. I just hope one day I may see them again with there lives change like I saw the other guy.
I remember when I was in High School, there was this one homeless guy who I would see on the L or A train every so often. If I had it, I would give him some change, but after a while I started to thing what was the point of it all, that he probably spent it on booze, drugs or what not.
Fast-forward 4 years later. I'm taking the train back home. I'm in college now, so I it was only for the weekend end until I had to go back up. Next thing I know, I see the same guy, except he's not a homeless anymore, and he's not begging. He's carrying a box with him filled with fruits, sandwiches, and drinks, and offering it to people. He would ask people if they wish to donate to his food fund, either with change or actual food, or if theyre hungry they could take the food. I was pretty surprised.
Fast-forward 3 years later. Last month. I'm on the 4 train, and I see the same guy, except now he has on business attire and seems to be doing really good. He's carrying with him a HUGE box food and drinks, willing to give it out to anybody who asks. He gives out his business card to people, telling them if they have any friends or family who need help with food and shelter, they can go there. Before he leaves the train, he looks me in the eyes, and says to me "Did you help me out before?". I go "I think I did a long time ago". He shakes his head, says "Thanks man.", and walks off.
Now whenever I see a homeless person out in the streets, I can't help but wonder if theyre ever going to get anywhere. I still give them money. And there's a strong chance they may use it for booze or drugs, but they may actually be hungry, or needed it for other reasons to get by. I don't ask. Whatever they do with the money, thats up to them. I just hope one day I may see them again with there lives change like I saw the other guy.
Not that I'm discriminating: but why don't these people get on welfare? Get foodstamps or something? And believe or not, lots of food can be found in restaurant garbages (clean kind) there was even a report on this 2 years ago. Like when restaurant trow away food. Give it to the poor. But no, they rather trow it out.
Anyway, those who beg with their child are disgusting: take that kid to pre school, he's not suppose to be there. With their little carton saying "I dont know english, my kid is hungry please give me money" with the kid hand and hand with the mother. Sheesh.
Anyway, those who beg with their child are disgusting: take that kid to pre school, he's not suppose to be there. With their little carton saying "I dont know english, my kid is hungry please give me money" with the kid hand and hand with the mother. Sheesh.
:lol I know. that's what was so funny. My sister was laughing her ass off. She goes "Did you really just tell them that you couldn't give them money because of getting ready to get in your car?" and I was like "Yup." It worked. That chick didn't know what hit her. She just stared at me dumbfounded and walked away.mac said:
levious said:
It was a plate of fresh fruit, bagel and cream from the same day (they were garbage hunting at night). And it was sealed and packed.
I remember seeing lots, but I mean lots of orphans where my mother grew up. We didn't have any money, so we gave them the oranges we were eating. Or this little girl who couldn't go to school and had to carry a bucket of water everyday on her head. Seeing this we made a friendship, and we'd offer what we had at hand.
sweetwasabi said:
Needless to say, it's not that simple. They may very well be on welfare, but welfare restrictions (time limits, work restrictions) and support have been increasing and decreasing respectively, so they may not qualify or have exhausted those options.
Re: pre-school education, I'm sure they'd love to but it's not like someone who's homeless can just hop in their imaginary car and drive them to their child to any pre-school.
Oh I have a homeless person story!
One day after work, I was waiting at the bus stop, and this homeless guy came up to me and for the 20minutes I was waiting for a bus... he educated me on the real workings of the world (fuck you 10pm bus).
1. Apparently all towers and buildings over 20ft high emit rays into the atmosphere... weather altering rays.
2. A secret shadow government group controls them, and they were using it to make it rain that very night.
3. A side effect of these rays is aging, the longer you are exposed to them, the more you age - he then pointed to another lady about 2 feet away and said (and I quote) "Look at her. Look at her face. You can see the rays have gotten to her, it's incredible the kind of damage they can inflict on someone, just look at that". She was no longer amused.
4. He talked about how dogs were actually spies for this shadow government. And how I should never let a dog within 20 feet of me, or else they can record my thoughts.
5. A lot of other stuff I don't really remember, something about the food at McDonalds, something else about long lines at grocery stores, I'm pretty sure he mentioned the secret to eternal youth a few times. It was all so long ago so the rest is blurry.
Anyway, you've all now been enlightened.
One day after work, I was waiting at the bus stop, and this homeless guy came up to me and for the 20minutes I was waiting for a bus... he educated me on the real workings of the world (fuck you 10pm bus).
1. Apparently all towers and buildings over 20ft high emit rays into the atmosphere... weather altering rays.
2. A secret shadow government group controls them, and they were using it to make it rain that very night.
3. A side effect of these rays is aging, the longer you are exposed to them, the more you age - he then pointed to another lady about 2 feet away and said (and I quote) "Look at her. Look at her face. You can see the rays have gotten to her, it's incredible the kind of damage they can inflict on someone, just look at that". She was no longer amused.
4. He talked about how dogs were actually spies for this shadow government. And how I should never let a dog within 20 feet of me, or else they can record my thoughts.
5. A lot of other stuff I don't really remember, something about the food at McDonalds, something else about long lines at grocery stores, I'm pretty sure he mentioned the secret to eternal youth a few times. It was all so long ago so the rest is blurry.
Anyway, you've all now been enlightened.
jerrymaguire
Member
i've always considered those homeless people who are sat outside mcdonalds or some other fast food joint to be wanting food, while those who are sat by ATMs to be wanting money.
food, i've given out quite a few times. rarely do i give money.
food, i've given out quite a few times. rarely do i give money.
That's the exception, not the rule. Bums get offered everything from money to jobs. There are many panhandlers who could be doing the day-labor gig. How are you gonna have immigrants coming to this country with less education and opportunity than these bums, and they're working. The groundskeeper at my high school may have been horribly underpaid, but at least he had a roof over his head, and he could put food on the table for his wife and kid. There's no excuse at all for putting your hand out and begging.datruth29 said:
I would like to be unemployed too and sit around all day doing nothing. It's just not practical. I think it's insulting that anyone could do that all day and then expect a handout. Like taxes, employment is one of the burdens we shall never escape. Not unless we've given up on trying, in which case, fuck them.
I don't give a penny to bums. I am not mean, I will just shake my head and walk away. If someone wants to have words with me, I have no problem putting them in their place with a tongue-lashing. I am not a big guy, but I'm not a pussy either. I'm also better-fed than most of those bums, so if they want to throw hands, they can expect a root down.
I mean, 4 of my friends came down two weeks ago and we were all drinking on SoBe. We're on the sidewalk at a table and a bum comes up asking or money. That's 5 young, professional, black people. We're doing our part to promote a positive image of our race, and trying to get by. One of my friends has two family members in jail, and his mom and sister serve. He chose a different path. Two of us were from poor families that came to the US from the islands. We're lifting ourselves up. Some dude asks us for money and we politely tell him no. He then goes on to berate us about not helping a brother out and whatnot. That's just despicable. If there weren't two girls at the table, I would have stood up and had stronger words for him. For someone who knows nothing of our background to make such accusations is just wrong.
I bet my upbringing was a hell of a lot harder than many bums you will find on the street. I slept on straw mattresses and straw pillows. I know what it means to have not, and yet my parents taught us to make the best of our situation. Bums are not doing that. There are many shelters that feed the homeless. There are hostels and the YMCA where bums can sleep for a nominal fee (all that panhandling money should be put to good use). There are day labor pickup sites where anyone can line up and try to get work for the day, and many churches and charities offer odd jobs to help out. Anyone with their hand out for money has given up and no longer warrants sympathy. If you give up, then good riddance. There's no excuse to be homeless in the US unless you're a sex offender or lunatic ex-con. PEACE.
D
Deleted member 1235
Unconfirmed Member
admit it OP, you were trying to get in mortal danger so you could rip out your gun and shoot him in the face.
Imagine the glory of defending yourself with deadly force. IMAGINE.
Imagine the glory of defending yourself with deadly force. IMAGINE.
I was at a hot dog cart with some coworkers. A bum came up to us asking for money so he could buy food. One of my coworkers offered to buy a bum a hot dog, and he agreed. After she handed the hot dog over to him, he turned around, raised the hot dog in the air, and started shouting "Hot dog! Half price!" at people.
Patrick Bateman
Member
Flek said:
:lol :lol
RotBot said:
I'm sure there are plenty of people that would be a second (no wait, third?) hand hot dog from a homeless guy with a deal like that. Plenty!
I gave half of the potentially best sandwich I've ever eaten in my life to a homeless guy in Burlington, VT (where it's hard to discern the actual homeless from dirty hippie types, no joke) this past winter. He was at least super receptive, so that was cool. But man I kind of sometimes long for that other half back.
Reminds me of some bums that were walking around a city parking lot in Columbus, OH Saturday night when my wife and I pulled in there to park. It was after 6 PM so there was no charge for parking, but they were trying to direct people around. I get out of the car and one of them walks up to me (and seems mostly drunk already), and tells me not to put money in the meter because it's free but to give them $1 so they can watch my car. I said, so do you own the lot? Told me that he doesn't but he "works there." Uh huh sure, I didn't have any cash so I gave him a quarter. I know I shouldn't have given him any money, but I honestly just didn't want him getting pissed off and slashing my tires. :lol
Macam said:
I don't know if you're naive, or if you live in another country. People aren't in here sharing "stereotypes" of homeless people in this thread, they are describing actual encounters and experience. You're also refuting things I never said.
As I stated, there are "genuine" homeless and there are aggressive panhandlers and substance abusers. Until the latter is addressed, the former is going to suffer unfairly.
Pimpwerx said:
Bullshit. You're treating homeless people categorically as a group and making all sorts of assumptions that don't hold up. Part of the problem with being homeless is there isn't affordable housing, something that's gotten worse as local and state governments have slashed support for affordable housing. Some of these people have jobs but can't afford rent in the private market or, if they can, the housing is too far off and they don't have any way to get around. Others simply can't do manual labor due to mental conditions or physical impairments. Those with criminal records, even relatively trivial ones or long outdated ones, face an uphill battle trying to get work (and again, transportation is an issue).
Even if they can sleep at the YMCA for a nominal fee, that's still not addressing the problem. Nor is staying at a hostel -- which, coincidentally, I stayed at with a homeless person. He could stay for a week where he had to go back to the shelter, where there's limited beds and only for a set amount of time. It's hard to accumulate any real level of normalcy when you're constantly being shuffled around, lack transit, among the countless other problems that come with being homeless.
And look, some are lazy, sure. But it's a far, far cry from making the absurd claim that "there's no reason to be homeless in the US". Are you kidding? In a country with one of the weakest social safety nets among Western nations, plagued with degrading stereotypes of homeless people, and in a country where the primary mode of transport is a car? Don't be so quick to pass judgment out of ignorance.
sweetwasabi said:
"Bringing their child"? They're homeless. Where do you want them to keep their child? Somewhere by themselves unattended? Asking for a handout isn't going to traumatize a child compared to the rest of the hardships that child will have to endure -- like being spat on by a GAFer.
http://www.city-journal.org/2008/18_3_panhandling.html
I read this article on panhandling last year. Seems applicable to this discussion.
I read this article on panhandling last year. Seems applicable to this discussion.
crowphoenix
Banned
If you still have that avatar by the time football season rolls around, I will have lost every argument already.mre said:
Does anyone here donate money, food, or time to food banks, soup kitches, or homeless shelters? It's a lot more effective than giving to individual beggars due to economy of scale and money not going towards substance abuse.
Or as an alternative, use the Jenson Mint.
Or as an alternative, use the Jenson Mint.
because NBC takes down every SNL video posted online said:
Announcer: You make a lot of money. And the last thing you want to do is give your change away to some street person. It's an awkward situation. That's why the Jenson Mint offers a new line of fake change to give to the homeless. Each coin is carefully crafted to look and feel like a real quarter - at first glance. But, upon closer inspection, the hobo discovers a disappointing message:
[ the coin reads "Not Today Friend" ]
Announcer: Each fake Jenson quarter costs just thirty-five cents - a small price to pay for peace of mind. And, if the bum tries to cash in a Jenson coin, he'll find they're not only worthless, but they're stolen. That means he'll never bother you for change again. And that's the American way. The Jenson way.
Zoe said:
Good, I was looking for a cop while we were out and was going to let them know what was going on and to go "talk" to the guys, but I didn't see any out. It must have been prom night in the area and so there were a ridiculous amount of people out, I'm sure they had their hands full.
This thread reminded me of a sad hobo experience I had during a vacation in Bali a couple years ago. I was walking home from a night out in the busiest nightlife street in Kuta (famous town in Bali) and I was drunk as hell. But on the street there were female hobo's sleeping and begging and when one of them asked for some money I accidentally ended up giving her like 50.000 rupiah, which is about 5 bucks (but a fortune in Indonesia). The woman bum was so happy and the other female hobo's noticed how much I had given her and they all came up to me to ask for money. All of a sudden I had about 10 bums going after me and surrounding me and begging me to give them some money. It scared the crap out of me and I ran to my hotel which was in the same street but they ran after me and when I got to my hotel the security guards chased the beggars away. It was crazy.
Afterwards the guards told me I should never give the bums there money and spent the money on beer instead.
Afterwards the guards told me I should never give the bums there money and spent the money on beer instead.
Macam said:
1. I speak from my experience in Miami and NYC. Anywhere else, there may be a case. There's Section8 housing everywhere, and always near bus routes. Living in the ghetto is better than living in the streets. Rent is never far off from people making enough money begging to fuel a drug habit. I have a drug habit. Mine costs me $60 a week, and that's just weed. Some of these bums have severe alcohol/crack/smack addictions, and you're talking over $100 per week. Anyone that can score $10 a day to smoke rock, can afford to pay rent. No excuse.
2. Hostels and the YMCA aren't meant to be a permanent solution. But staying on the streets isn't supposed to be long-term either. If someone has the will to get their asses off the streets, they will. Again, you can afford rent easily as a panhandler. Section8 housing is like $250-400 a month down here IIRC, and I've stayed in hostels before that were like $15 a night. For temporary solutions (to stay clean, healthy and have a decent chance of scoring a job) there are many options. The only ones who might have problems getting housing are repeat sex offenders and violent convicts.
3. Y'all Americans don't know fuck all about poverty. Like I said, I probably experienced more real poverty than 90% of the bums living on the streets. Your economic status has nothing to do with your intelligence or will to succeed. I'm not a baller or nothing, but I am certainly not anywhere near the streets. Even when I had no money and no job, I spread my debt out across enough credit cards, and rationed my food and gas properly so that I could afford cheap college housing ($150-400 per month rent) and my phone, so I could call for jobs.
The people on the street are there of their own choosing. This country is not a third world country. There are many, many resources for those who haven't fucked themselves over royally by being deviants/thugs. I have no remorse for those that threw away their golden ticket, b/c there are many people in my home country who'd kill for the same opportunity. My mom works with refuges who have less coming here, but work hard and get by. Again, Cuban and Haitian immigrants come over here on rafts without a penny to their names, but will take any and every job just so they can make it. If you are at the point of begging for handouts, then you have simply given up. Maybe there's a percentile out there that fall into the exception, but they are statistically irrelevant. There were good nazis, I don't need to accommodate them in my argument when I call all nazis scumbags. All bums are human refuse. PEACE.
EDIT: I like the post above that mentions donating to charities and shelters. I donate to Amor en Accion to help people in Haiti. I'd rather do that than give a bum even a dime. But if anyone wants to really help the homeless, go lend a hand at a shelter. That'll do more help than all the money you could hand out.
it sucks for me as i live downtown buffalo and for school im forced to wear a white coat when i go preceptor at the nearby hospitals. People see this (not just bums) and come rushing to me to get some form of handout. Normally the bums ask like they always do but leave it at that. Maybe at worst get a snicker. THe worst though are when i go by people who are looking for money for some sort of charitable cause. One asked me for money (which i never/rarely have as i only use my cards) and preceded to follow me yelling "look at the rich doctor who cant spare any change for a dying child blah blah blah swearing like a sailor" .... Explaining to them that im not a doctor but a student and that im poor (meaning in DEBT) as fuck doesnt work.
The only ones i will even remotely think about giving money to are those that ask for a specific small amount (like 25 of 50 cents) cause every time ive given them money i could physically see them go buy the thing (like for example a bus ticket) they were short for originally.
guess im just a jaded grinch
The only ones i will even remotely think about giving money to are those that ask for a specific small amount (like 25 of 50 cents) cause every time ive given them money i could physically see them go buy the thing (like for example a bus ticket) they were short for originally.
guess im just a jaded grinch
elektrikluv
Member
My friend offered a really nice meal to a homeless man who replied with "Nah I think I'll pass mate".
One time I was on the subway holding some leftover chicken I had taken out of my fridge and it was still cold.
A bum nudged at me til I finally looked at him and he asked straight up for my meal, I wasn't really hungry I was just saving it for later so I was like, sure have it. Then he started complaining to me about it being cold. :-/
A bum nudged at me til I finally looked at him and he asked straight up for my meal, I wasn't really hungry I was just saving it for later so I was like, sure have it. Then he started complaining to me about it being cold. :-/
HappyBivouac
Member
sweetwasabi said:
This is sort of derailing the original topic, but THIS is seriously something more Americans need to care about. It is fucking atrocious how much food we just throw out. Essentially pulling the trigger on a starving man without having to see his face if you ask me.
Even if you don't care about starving people (you bastard) this is still ridiculous. One evening a while back my girlfriend and I were in one of the campus cafes like 10 minutes before closing. They have all these sandwiches and salads and things they sell for like 5 friggin' bucks that they make in the morning and put in those little plastic boxes that open like a clamshell. Anyway she was hungry so she bought a sandwich, paid 5 dollars for it, ate it etcetc.
As we were getting up to leave, the employees were doing closing stuff and such. She finished her sandwich and on the shelf there are probably still like 20-30 sandwiches and salads in plastic boxes left. You know, the kind my girlfriend just paid $5 for 5 minutes ago? Some employee wheels out a big ol' trash can and literally just begins throwing all those little boxes of $5-a-piece food items into it. Really makes you fucking think after you just paid 5 dollars to eat one of those things. I don't blame the employee himself but we walked out of there disgusted.
Reminds me of something that happened to me some years back:
I was walking past a homeless guy and decided this would be the first time I donate money to one. I reached into my pocket and threw a coin into his hat. As soon as I released the coin I realised it was a £1 coin and not the 20p I was expecting. I quickly bent down to grab the coin and replace it with a 20p. The homeless guy looked up at me and shouted "Give that back you fucking dipstick!" :lol
I was walking past a homeless guy and decided this would be the first time I donate money to one. I reached into my pocket and threw a coin into his hat. As soon as I released the coin I realised it was a £1 coin and not the 20p I was expecting. I quickly bent down to grab the coin and replace it with a 20p. The homeless guy looked up at me and shouted "Give that back you fucking dipstick!" :lol
HappyBivouac
Member
Somnid said:
I understand that. Letting people starve instead of trying to help and risking liability makes so much more sense.
God we're all assholes.
(EDIT: don't want this to be a misunderstood post. I'm not calling Somnid an asshole personally; just commenting on people in general who contribute to this, myself included.)
TOM f'N CRUISE
Member
yeah who is that?starchild excalibur said:
who is this?
she looks way better then the other girl you had in your avatar
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