Comments on: Why you should never, never, never EVER give money to bums! http://politicalpartypoop.com/2008/04/25/why-you-should-never-never-never-ever-give-money-to-bums/ They said it: "man this dude is Krazy!" “you sir are an idiot” “you are a lunatic” “are you really black?” “meanest, most divisive, most irrelevant blog I have ever read” Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:14:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Mrs. Snoop http://politicalpartypoop.com/2008/04/25/why-you-should-never-never-never-ever-give-money-to-bums/#comment-73589 Mrs. Snoop Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:08:46 +0000 http://politicalpartypoop.com/2008/04/25/why-you-should-never-never-never-ever-give-money-to-bums/#comment-73589 Looks like this particular bum would have robbed the guy even if he had not just given him spare change! The bum saw someone "down," and jumped on the chance to steal. I think that would have happened even without the man's giving the same bum change a few minutes earlier. It's simply ironic (to some) that a charitable action was repaid with theft a few moments afterwards. Most of the homeless in this country are mentally ill and/or addicts to some substance. And like most people in those situations, they cannot or will not conform to societal norms, unless they get well. Since many do not want to get better (that's part of their illness), giving them money only helps keep them sick. Those who want to help them out - for whatever reason - can give them food (if they want it) or try to get them to places where they can get help (if they'll take it). I have given a $20 to a McDonalds telling them to feed a man and woman who were begging in DC. They ate every bit of that money up and I felt it was money well spent at the time. I hope they took the next step and looked for work (as they said they would). On the other hand, there have been times when I offered to help get someone to a VA hospital ("Help a Vet" was how the sign read - so I tried), only to be told they wanted cash money and nothing else. I refused that deal. Yea, I am stupid sometimes. So are a lot of other people whose hearts are soft. Lawrence KS has a reputation among the transient as a soft place to land. It's a shame that those who want to help others do not realize that sometimes the best help you can give some people is to let them suffer the full consequences of bad choices. Then, and only then, can some people begin to see they need to make a change in themselves and their conduct. Looks like this particular bum would have robbed the guy even if he had not just given him spare change! The bum saw someone “down,” and jumped on the chance to steal. I think that would have happened even without the man’s giving the same bum change a few minutes earlier. It’s simply ironic (to some) that a charitable action was repaid with theft a few moments afterwards.

Most of the homeless in this country are mentally ill and/or addicts to some substance. And like most people in those situations, they cannot or will not conform to societal norms, unless they get well. Since many do not want to get better (that’s part of their illness), giving them money only helps keep them sick. Those who want to help them out - for whatever reason - can give them food (if they want it) or try to get them to places where they can get help (if they’ll take it). I have given a $20 to a McDonalds telling them to feed a man and woman who were begging in DC. They ate every bit of that money up and I felt it was money well spent at the time. I hope they took the next step and looked for work (as they said they would). On the other hand, there have been times when I offered to help get someone to a VA hospital (”Help a Vet” was how the sign read - so I tried), only to be told they wanted cash money and nothing else. I refused that deal.

Yea, I am stupid sometimes. So are a lot of other people whose hearts are soft. Lawrence KS has a reputation among the transient as a soft place to land. It’s a shame that those who want to help others do not realize that sometimes the best help you can give some people is to let them suffer the full consequences of bad choices. Then, and only then, can some people begin to see they need to make a change in themselves and their conduct.

]]> By: mitzibel http://politicalpartypoop.com/2008/04/25/why-you-should-never-never-never-ever-give-money-to-bums/#comment-73909 mitzibel Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:33:30 +0000 http://politicalpartypoop.com/2008/04/25/why-you-should-never-never-never-ever-give-money-to-bums/#comment-73909 Eh, I never gave money to the panhandlers on Mass, except the guy with the saxophone, because he's awesome and starts playing kids' songs when he sees Penny. I'm a lot more likely to give money to someone doing something, even if it sucks. But in Lawrence, you get able-bodied kids who just don't want to work because they're "against the system", and they can bugger off and starve, for all I care. I have to admit, though, I'm a sucker for a Veteran claim. I don't care if they're using my fifty cents for booze or a fix; if I had that brand of Hell in my head, I'd want to get as obliterated as possible, too. I know most of them are lying, but still. It's my personal trigger. Eh, I never gave money to the panhandlers on Mass, except the guy with the saxophone, because he’s awesome and starts playing kids’ songs when he sees Penny. I’m a lot more likely to give money to someone doing something, even if it sucks. But in Lawrence, you get able-bodied kids who just don’t want to work because they’re “against the system”, and they can bugger off and starve, for all I care.

I have to admit, though, I’m a sucker for a Veteran claim. I don’t care if they’re using my fifty cents for booze or a fix; if I had that brand of Hell in my head, I’d want to get as obliterated as possible, too. I know most of them are lying, but still. It’s my personal trigger.

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