Panhandlers

I know I made a thread similiar to this before, but after visiting Chicago for a few days, I needed to bring it up again.

I spent three days in Chicago and I swear, every corner I passed, there was a homeless person asking for money. Now, I give money to homeless people on occasion. I know what it's like to not have any money, but it was getting to the point of annoyance and impossibility.

I probably had fifty people ask for spare change just in the few days I was there. If I had given every one of them money, I'd have been broke. I don't think I've ever experienced anything like that in my life.

 

The homeless problems in most inner cities is terrible here in the U.S. I truly did not expect it here when I first visited when I was 10ish. I came from Israel where everything is socialized and there are NO homeless people.

I too often give change to the homeless, but yet again... you cannot give it to everyone... It's truly hard for me to look them in the eyes and know that I cannot give them a dollar or two... and I feel like a terrible human when I just walk away... but hmm, such is life I would guess.

At least the homeless in Anchorage, Alaska offer you joints for money

 

I've always been one to throw some change to those playing an instrument or doing street theater, but even that was excessive in Chicago.

 

*bump*

 

oh god EVERYONE does that around here. we call it spanging or spare changing haha

 

It might be annoying but have you considered the alternative?

Since half of them are junkies or alcoholics anyway, wouldn't you rather have then panhandle for their drug & alcohol money, rather than break into your house and steal shit :H



Hotwater

 

It's not just asking for money, they were harrassing us on the street constantly...if we said we didn't have any change they'd get all pissed off and start walking behind us...it was ridiculous.

I guess something needs to be done within the system to keep them from getting that way. Of course, some just choose not to get help. I have no solution to it, really.

 

Although, my partner came up with an ingenious idea...before they asked YOU for money, you ask them for a quarter for the pay phone.

 

some of em arn't too bright, but hay, they aren't any worse then loansharks who send you spam or snalespam!

=^^=
.../\...

 

Back when I was homeless, I was about 16, the first time I asked for money and got it was in Chicago!! What a crazy city

 

this may be politcally incorrect, but some panhandlers make quite a bit of money. There are some in Austin who have been on the same corner for years. I once knew three young ladies who made enough panhandling downtown in Cali that they lived in a pretty nice HOUSE. Of course most panhandlers are alkies or druggies, besides those who are REALLY homeless just from life's breaks. If the current administration keeps it up we will all be homeless or dead or both...

 

you give what you can and call yourself square with the house so far as i judge it.

 

here are alot of homeles ppl to..i always give them sumtin i just cant go by them
like i dont see them its so sad..

 

So what happens when they are on every corner begging for money? Do you go broke to give them money to do WHAT with?

 

Maybe they went broke from handing out their change, and they want you to complete the circle!

 

when it gets like that, I have perfected my ability to stare ahead and walk by, some cities and areas are worse than others. I go on a case by case basis, but if I am getting hounded, I will stop giving anything out

I am a real softie with homeless people, in fact I just gave an old lady 1 dollar right outside my apartment because she said she hadn't eaten since early yesterday

I think our society is pretty messed up when old sober women are starving in the streets, but maybe thats just me

 

That's what I had to do...a part of me felt bad, but it gets to a point where you just CAN'T anymore.

 

I will never get used to seeing homeless people. And I'll never get used to seeing stray animals either. In Finland, there are NO homeless people anywhere, nor stray animals. Here in England, there are quite a few. In lots of other parts of Europe there are lots more. And it breaks my heart everytime I see one.

 

It's actually kind of sad, I've always thought, to see that homelessness is still such an issue where we live, in both Canada and in the US.

I spent 3 years working in the city, right in Toronto, and there were a couple homeless people that I passed on almost a daily basis. I was never comfortable giving them cash (I didn't want them to spend it on drugs or anything) but I did buy them something small, like a 6" sub from Subway or a bagel or something, so that way they'd at least have a meal to eat that day.

Granted that happened almost daily for 3 years, which was a chunk of change out of my own pocket, but given the fact that I knew I had more than they did, buying those two people the occasional hot sandwich probably meant much more to them any one day than whatever I would've spent that money on for myself......

 

If you think you have a homeless problem go to San Francisco or Berkeley. They are everywhere