Friday, June 20, 2003

 

Some people just need a hand up, and then there are the ones who demand a handout.
There is a guy with a rather popular site, "The Homeless Guy", which has made the news a while ago anyway, which is where I heard of it. You may have as well, heard of it I mean, maybe not. I have spent some time reading all of the words at this site and I've probably covered about 80% maybe, in my opinion. I am just guessing on what I've read over the quantity of what appears to be available here. This guy just wants a handout. He can, but admits not wanting to, work for a living. instead, he wants you and me to help him not work by giving him money. He does not expect that he will have to earn this money, no, that it will be our gift to him. He expects he will get these gifts from people and he is right! People DO give him money! In effect, giving this man money means hiring him to stay homeless and remain dependent on others. He does this by choice! He says this in his own words, and at least, is honest about wanting others to provide a living for him. It isn't that he can not work for some reason, but that he will not work for his own personal reasons. Ask him and he will admit he has held jobs which paid well and for one reason or another, the job self-destructs or otherwise ends and he is out of a job, again. He wants people to have sympathy for him and give him money, and people do this for him. And people wonder why it is that some of us have a low opinion of the homeless in general. Is that person asking for a quarter to make a phone call lying to me and is really planning to buy a bottle of booze when they get enough or do they really have a job interview and only need to confirm it like they are saying to me? I have no way to kow for sure, and I guess I'm just easy because I dig out a quarter or two, give them the money, and walk on. Did this person just take me for a couple of quarters or did I do something which will become a pivotal event in getting a person a job? OK, so I'm easy for a couple of quarters. It does not change the fact that I dislike giving a quarter or whatever to a liar and I am thinking most of the people asking for my quarters are lying to me. I was walking down the street recently, and came across 5 or 6 people panhandling. I gave the 1st person 2 quarters and then the 2nd person and then I was out of quarters. Another person asked me and I said I had no more to give and this person confronted me and said, "well, you gave them some, why not me? You have something against me? I need money too!" So, I walked back to a person I gave several quarters to and asked for one of them back. He looked at me. He looked at the other guy. He gave me a quarter back. I said I was sorry to have to ask, but the other guy was making a scene. I walked back to the jerk and said, "Here, are you happy now?" and I walked on. I don't have enough money for everyone, but this jerk evidently thought I should have something for him since I had given some to the others next to him. I wonder what happened with this group after I left, that I had to reapportion the money I gave because of this one guy who had to be confrontational. I hope the others brought the jerk in line. A confrontation does not make friends and influence people. I don't expect people I give my money to, to overflow with gratitude, but a simple thank you might be in order, if nothing else just to be polite. Being homeless does not mean bad manners are acceptable.

Posted by: Rowlfe - at: 6/20/2003 06:50:00 PM

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