For most of us, panhandling is an activity that we'll never find ourselves engaging in. But for many of the less fortunate around the world, it's a way of life. You come across a variety of different characters on the street who might be panhandling, all with a different story on how they wound up to be where they are, needing to ask for help from those who pass by on the street in order to get through another day.
The same goes for the homeless who sent up tents in back alleys and parks, under bridges, and in other areas. Many of us will never find ourselves in that situation, where we feel left with no options and nowhere to turn but to try and find a quiet and peaceful place somewhere to rest for the night.
There are many shelters around the world, but a great deal of them are too crowded and a number of people staying at them have been victimized and assaulted; leading them to feel safer on the street. Even though they can and have been targeted on the street as well.
People have different reactions when they see panhandlers or homeless tent encampments, there are those who want to help and do, those who want to ignore, those who get a little disgusted or irritated at the whole thing, and those who want to help but don't because they don't trust that the funds will be put to good use. Thankfully there are many who are willing to help and give to others in need, but it's no surprise that there is pressure from some to see this problem conveniently swept away by just trying to criminalize the matter.
A number of jurisdictions around the US and the world, have been fighting with the homeless in trying to prevent them from utilizing public property to either camp out or ask others for voluntary charitable donations.
At the moment, the ACLU is suing the City of Houston because of their move to ban encampment spaces and panhandling activities. They argue that by doing this, the city has effectively criminalized being homeless. Under the rules, people aren't permitted to sleep in boxes, tents, or any other sort of makeshift shelter, and they can't panhandle within 8 ft of someone on a sidewalk, or near a payphone, or close to an ATM. Those found violating the rules will be faced with a $500 fine, and the demographic which these rules target aren't the sort who can afford a $500 fine. Therefore it'll just be adding even more stress and difficulty to their troubles.
Leonard Read poetically details the hypocrisy here when it comes to political powers trying to criminalize panhandling; he compares the differences between sidewalk panhandling and legalized panhandling in his piece The Case for Panhandling. He points out that in the case of voluntary panhandling, freedom of choice is involved and it doesn't cause any inflation or damage to the market. Legalized panhandling on the other hand doesn't permit freedom of choice, promotes inflation, and is destructive to the economy.
At least those who are begging on the street, are trying to seek funds in a voluntary manner for whatever they want to see funded. And the public has a decision of whether or not they want to give to them. This is a lot more than can be said for the politicians who have passed the new rules seeking to prohibit panhandling and homeless encampments.
The ACLU is arguing that the rules in Houston effectively violate the eighth amendment rights of citizens; the right to be protected from cruel and unusual punishment. They also say that it violates their right to free speech. By criminalizing those people from being able to construct any sort of shelter that can protect them, it infringes upon the ability and the right of those people to use and do what they can peacefully in order to survive.
The number of cities with bans on panhandling has increased roughly 25 percent between just 2011 and 2014. There have been a few federal judges who have struck down these laws already, but the fight continues to be waged across the country.
A More Humane Approach? …
In Portland, Oregon, the city came up with a day-of-work program for panhandlers in the area. They came up with the idea after a city survey showed that those panhandling would rather be working and earning cash, but they have criminal records and other issues that prevent them from being able to. The city came up with a plan to give them jobs in town, twice a week they'll choose five people, to work on 'beautification projects.' They'll be able to earn cash and get paid at the end of the day.
On the other side of the country, in New Haven, CT, they've tried something a little different to curb what they see is an issue of panhandlers on the street. The city installed new meters in the city in order to tackle homelessness in the area. City officials are hoping that citizens put the donations in the meter rather than giving directly to those asking on the street. That money is then given to Liberty Community Services and they funnel it toward projects that help the homeless and those with mental illness and addiction issues etc in the area.
The government has frequently claimed that "public safety" is the reason for their decision to criminalize these acts, as is usually their excuse with everything (either public safety or terrorism). But what about the safety of those who are also included in the public, those who this legislation targets directly? This approach to criminalize and add more trouble to their lives might not be the best solution.
Pics:
Pixabay
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WTNH News8 via Youtube
Sources:
goo.gl/fXpX6F
goo.gl/rnaLQ7
http://www.houstonpress.com/news/aclu-of-texas-seeks-to-block-houstons-anti-encampment-anti-panhandling-ordinances-in-federal-lawsuit-9442375
https://fee.org/articles/the-case-for-panhandling/
http://setexasrecord.com/stories/511118565-aclu-of-texas-files-suit-against-city-of-houston-over-ban-to-stop-homeless-tents-panhandling
http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2015/11/12/anti-panhandling-laws-spread-face-legal-challenges
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Elderly Man Vows To Go To Prison Before He Stops Feeding Homeless
Pilot Backyard Program In Portland Seeks To Find Homes For The Homeless
Jurors In Denver Find Homeless Guilty Of Violating Camping Ban
Dumpster Divers: Helping The Environment On The Daily
https://steemit.com/green/@doitvoluntarily/dumpster-divers-helping-the-environment-on-the-daily
I think more laws are bad... They just create more criminals. Giving people jobs is always good, but it should not be in the public sector. Governments produce nothing, and can only take your money by threat of force (taxes).
If you want an area to thrive, take the taxes off. Tried and true.
Taxes are a punishment.
Get the government out of the way and let private citizens take care of it.
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Does making anything illegal actually do any good
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This is a tough one, but I am fine with panhandling as long as it is voluntary and not overbearing. I would rather voluntarily help out a person in need than give in the form of additional taxes or a meter that gets funneled to an organization that may take a certain percentage of donation as overhead expenses. It is my money and my choice. I say cut out the middleman and let me choose who to help and when to help.
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voluntarily initiatives > taxes
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I have my Bitcoin address on my panhandle sign at a major intersection in Baltimore. My guess is that in less than a year I can retire!
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Very good post. Here in South Africa where 30% of the population is jobless, it also is a common site. Just today a young boy about 13-14 years came up to me and hubby while we were eating pizza and said that he is living with his grandma and there is no food. I cannot send someone like that away empty handed. It is very sad, we live in imperfect world.
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I panhandled once - I tried to give away art in exchange for money and I stood out there for 3 hours and gave away 1 piece for $1. It seemed like people were happier giving money to someone who had nothing than to me who had something to give them. It was interesting. I was couch-surfing at the time having lost my job as a professor of Art after the 2008 crash. Maybe I will write an article about that....also I give food to people or water. Not money. Although one time, I saw a guy and old dog with a sign that said he had gotten stuck here in Denver on his way to the West Coast and Spirit told me to give him $10. He was really grateful for something he could really use - to get him on his way.
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There are currently lots of calls to outright ban begging here in Sweden. It's really just an attempt to make being poor in public an offense so that average Swedes don't have to face reality as it actually is.
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Very informative post...criminalizing panhandlers is only going to make matter worse...its disheartening to see them getting fined...I mean who on earth would like to be homeless...criminalizing them is only a cover up on system and state failure and lack of programs to uplift them.
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I think the day of work concept is a great idea. It gives the homeless a chance to earn money while providing services. It could be the thing that helps them get back on their feet. Great post!
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This is always a tough topic. To me, I see nothing wrong with panhandling on the corner. I have always thought that, as long as the panhandler isn't obstructing traffic or banging on windows and such, it should be allowed. I have always wondered why the fire department can do the boot drives, but a guy down on his luck can't try to scrape up a meal.
I like the idea of the dayworkers, I have read about that project before. The parking meter donation stand, not so much. These people need a meal today, not more "funneling of funds" later.
Good topic, thanks for sharing. Resteemed from Texas!
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Taxes my friend....taxes. The FDs fund raisers money gets alloted to something and claimed on a form. A pan handlers is tax free income. And as we know, anything tax free, the gov doesn't like.
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great post bro
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Well if pan handling is banned then all donation drives should be banned it is unethical to ban one form of asking for donations but not all other forms.
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Donation drives are claimed and sent to the IRS (at least supposed to be but in talking cash, anything can go). Therefore, under scrutiny of the IRS.
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Giving panhandlers a job would be a preferred choice. Yes. But a meter to donate? NO! There are folks that abuse the system yes. Some cities do not allow panhandling. Where I live only one town allows it. I believe all should. I am a musician and some musicians (not myself) have to be street musicians for tips and hangout around the panhandlers. Where do you draw the line???? That is a road I think we should leave alone. We do not know their plight. If they choose to swallow their pride and panhandle they need the respect from us to be good to them and NOT bar them from what they need to do for a time. I do feel if they can bank a drum or sing or something even if it is off key it is preferred as they are giving something in return. DO NOT BAR THEM!!!! They are people with stories, needs and feelings.
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This is what I liked about my visit to china. You live off the government you work for the government. not so glamorous as you'll be planting trees on the street and flowers on bridges, but you are provided a job.
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@doitvoluntarily Excellent Post... I've personally met Arnold Abbott a few times, from Your previous post 2 months ago (( Elderly Man Vows To Go To Prison Before He Stops Feeding Homeless)) Arnold is the REAL DEAL... extraordinary giving person with many like-minded volunteers helping him to Feed the Homeless.
The city feels the homeless are a "nuisance" and a "blight" upon this upscale city... and have threatened him repeatedly. It's shameful...
Thank You 4 Your ongoing posts regarding this seemingly ever increasing issue.
"A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members."
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I hate the second idea ie donating to existing charities. Lots of these charities are just hopeless and don't actually provide stable long-term accommodation. Governments and the public donate and can sleep at night guilt-free while there's still way too many people without a bed.
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the government agents can't sleep guilt-free lol but those who give voluntarily can :)
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I was talking about self-perception of guilt, a lack of it is all you need to sleep well :)
My point is governments throw literally hundreds of millions at these charities and can say they are fighting homelessness. There was only like 100 000 homeless in Australia last I checked, if the problem was addressed directly ie through stable long term accommodation, I swear it could be fixed with very little, or maybe even zero extra capital outlay.
Another big problem is mental illness, here we went from institutionalizing everyone indefinitely to not institutionalizing anyone, but lots of these people do actually require full time care in an institution.
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then on the other hand they criminalize them and throw these individuals in cages over victimless crimes, branding them with criminal records and thus making it more difficult for them to get a job, an apartment, etc... leaving them even more victimized and in need of their help. Round and round we go!
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Yep there are no simple solutions and throwing the mentally ill and homeless in jail instead of hospital is about as dumb as it gets. It costs the government so much to keep someone in jail.
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Depends on who and how begging, @doitvoluntarily. I'm always sorry sick children, I give them money.
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Panhandling on "public property" or abandoned property is fine. Whether it constitutes trespass on private property is up to the owner.
I would like to see real solutions to poverty, but government can't provide such solutions.
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got that right lol :)
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I know there are a lot of phony people that aren't really in need. However, I do realize that some people are truly in a tough bind and need a helping hand once in a while. It's a tough call to make sometimes. I appreciate your raising awareness on this issue as we each have to make a personal decision when confronted by it.
Upvoted
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Thanks for raising awareness of panhandling. If the government is truly creating new jobs, then there should also be jobs allocated for those currently on the streets - the present initiative to allow homeless people to work in beautification projects is a step in the right direction. It is definitely a much better plan than diverting money usually given to the homeless to the government!
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:)this is a good vid about gov creating jobs
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Awesome thanks @doitvoluntarily!
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good
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If there's even a chance that it could help somebody who obviously has a much harder life than I do, even if they don't approach me nicely(would I be nice in that condition?), then I can spare a few dollars. If I could spare more than that I would give more. Systems may be corrupt and abused, but wasting money on corruption in order to help those in misery is a sacrifice I'm willing to make.
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when the system of corruption hurts individuals, then no one is being helped.
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I understand your point. However, I don't understand how the system can be fixed, and I don't think 99.9% of anyone else does either. I understand more, and believe, that putting something of value in someone's hand is likely to help them, and not affecting the system whatsoever. Until someone can prove me wrong that's what I'm going with.
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But aren't we kind of panhandling in here?
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on steemit? how so? people are providing content and others are upvoting it if they find it of value, is that the same as someone on the street asking for a donation? I don't think so. Those people on the street aren't providing anything in exchange. Sometimes they wash your windshield or open your door, but then i'd say that's more like paying them for a job than it is panhandling. On the other hand if someone posts to steemit and says "need help please donate" then that is a similar scenario.
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I see what you mean. Maybe it's because I am an ABSOLUTE novice to Steemit, and so far I've seen tech-heavy analysis or marketing and really silly blogging. One is opaque to me (my fault for being ignorant) and the other is just trite. I rationally see the value in the platform as meaningful and a legitimate marketplace of content and ideas, but the valid social Darwinism here feels like it could be overshadowed by uselessness. I hate to see such a good idea devalued by a flood of people posting pictures of a plant they saw one time or their food. I guess I need to get further into the mechanism behind it all and watch the attrition if the useless posts.
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Good one.... All of this is future... Hate it or like it... It is what it is
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It feels to me like I'm just a stones throw away from being out on the street sometimes. I'm doing okay now but this was not always the case and I feel very thankful that my life turned out the way it did. I have learned how in general to keep myself in a better place but I do not know what the future will bring.
I think a basic income or something of that nature, would go a long way towards solving some of these issues. There are many marginally employable people now. My view of people is not limited to how employable they are or how smart or how good looking... People are people and there are some pretty fundamental things that can help keep them functioning at a level where they can feel good enough about themselves to live in a better way.
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the best way to help people is to help them help themselves, imo, giving them a job and not a fixed/rigid income (that is still poverty level) is a much better approach to changing lives. Just look at steemit for example, it's enabling people to help themselves and get rewarded for their efforts. It's innovation and jobs that can reduce poverty, government shuffling funds from one hand to the other doesn't get rid of the problem it just shifts it around.
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At some point ones mental faculties can degrade to the point where it becomes unusually difficult to chase away the demons. I'm not saying that a job is not a good thing, however, there are times where society might be better served to at least make some people's lives a bit easier.
Oh, I concur that Steemit is wonderful, I'm just not that sure how well some people that panhandle on the street are going to be able to use it.
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and in those cases, voluntary charity is a solution and billions of dollars every year are voluntarily given to a variety of causes. I think with a # of charitable organizations out there though (as is the case with the state), there is a lot of corruption , and that money doesn't get to where it needs to be in an honest way, maybe the executives of those organizations could just fly coach for example and save the extra and give it to even more people in need as is their intended purpose or goal supposedly in the first place. With the state, they maintain power by making sure they have as many victims as they can who they want to convince require their services. I think we could manage a much more civilized approach to helping those in need, I don't think we need to get coercion/theft/violence/force involved in the matter. 👌 but people helping people peacefully and voluntarily? that's just crazy talk.. i know 😆
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I think if you welcome people and make them feel safe many problems will disappear. Most of these organizations have good intentions but there is a stigma involved in using them. Plus the problem with funding getting diverted through corruption as you say. A simple minimal payment to everyone could fix this. With more and more jobs disappearing through automation and AI I think something may eventually need to be done.
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there are all sorts of jobs that can be done, and just because someone suffers with a mental illness doesn't render them incapable of providing value to the market! absolutely not.
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Definitely, some people with mental illness are very productive. There is however, all manner of abilities out there. I personally don't consider it an illness and it isn't really suffering (or it doesn't have to be). Many indigenous cultures treat the so called 'mentally ill' much differently.
Forcing someone to function normally when they are on some odd vision quest and relating to reality differently is doing them a disservice in my mind. It is better to let them have a minimum of support until they can get back to reality enough to do some service back for you (job). At that point they might just solve some usual problems.
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However, innovation will make "jobs" obsolete. And that is a good thing. I think the blockchain is going to create more abundance then this planet has ever seen before. Millions of currencies as opposed to the debt based currency which enslaves the entire world. Poverty is a systems problem...
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I don't think so 👌. I think also the more life skills one aquires, the more they are going to position themselves to have a variety of options available to them when it comes to finding a job (which is essentially just providing value to another human being in the market).
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/aug/17/technology-created-more-jobs-than-destroyed-140-years-data-census
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So I 3d print my car, house, food. Do I still need a job? All my needs are provided. And I'm creating value for myself which makes me self sustainable.
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you need to pay for the materials for that 3d printer.. and you need electricity for that 3d printer.. and if that printer breaks and u dont know how to fix it? you need something of value to trade with someone who does know how to fix it for you (a medium of exchange/"money"). What is the car going to run on? Are you going to mine for oil yourself and then turn it into gas? or is the 3d printer going to print you a solar powered car? etc... so yeah, I think you'll still be needing some sort of medium of exchange and way of providing value to others in order to get that. :)
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There is a better way. You'll see. I've figured it out already...And I played every scenario in my head on how to make it work. ;)
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also depending on where you are living if gov is still around, they'll be wanting to use force to be sure you are hooked up to their "system" and paying all the right dues lol
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Not worried about our neighborhood politicians. Their ways are already obsolete..LOL..And thanks for the brainstorming..
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poverty is a value problem.
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Basic Income = Take from a small pool of productive people, give to everyone whether they want it or not. ZERO voluntary about that.
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Tax System - Take disproportionately from the poor and give to the rich. Plutocracy - Rule by the rich. Not very voluntary either.
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All those issues point toward the government abusing power. The obvious solution is much much less government power.
BTW the tax system doesn't take from the poor to give to the rich. It takes from the poor and rich to give to the government to give it more power. Must stop feeding the beast.
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Sure, but the poor pay a greater share of their earnings through sales tax, real estate tax and employment tax. The rich don't pay as much employment tax because most of their earnings are through capital gains which are taxed at a lower rate. They also don't pay as much sales tax because there is only so much a person can consume. Business income can often be funneled through off shore accounts to avoid higher domestic tax rates. Hired accountants for the rich can often find other tax discounts.
Yes, there is an abuse of power but imho it stems more from a system that awards eight people the equivalent wealth of the lower half of humanity. Power and corruption will always have the upper hand when there are poor and desperate people willing to work for little to nothing.
I'm all for reducing government power. A fully functioning autonomous, informed populace should require little to no governing.
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Then we have common ground. Dump the taxes, dump the government, let people be free and associate voluntarily!
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Right on! And circulate the money through Steemit, it's become of a form of basic income, lol. :)
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If YOU want to spread YOUR wealth around voluntarily to a set of people, I am fully in support!
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i do not give to panhandlers
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I think that poverty will always be there if it is not helping the needy. Most important to strengthen their psyche and manual skills.
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I don't give to panhandlers unless they give me a good story. I've paid for a few good stories, and paid well. I guess in that vein they are really storytellers.
In the end, a vast majority of this problem is caused by minimum wage and mandatory inflation, and probably housing regulations. To employ someone you MUST pay them X amount per hour, whether they are worth it or not. Whatever you make immediately loses value, making it nearly impossible to save. And if you DO save money for housing, regulations have constantly driven up the cost and driven down the availability of housing.
While there will always be panhandlers, the government has ensured the growth of their numbers.
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I don't know about the homeless people in your area but in my area, the majority are a bunch of annoying alcoholics or junkies. They swarm the local liquor store and beg you for change when you come out. I never give money to panhandlers since most of them will just use it for drugs and booze. I saw a guy panhandling at a train station. A woman brought him a bagel and he refused it.
The dayworkers idea is a great one as it'll actually help the ones who need and want the help. I don't like the other idea. It's too bureaucratic and the money can end up in the wrong hands. Even if it ends up in the right ones, you still need to wait years for new services and funding for said services to appear.
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It's easy to judge and look down on people because of addictions and difficulties in their life they are suffering from, understanding takes effort. I think it's rather unfair to lump them all together into one collective and judge them all as indecent, impolite, annoying, addicted, assholes etc.
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@doitvoluntarily... Your reply above is absolutely true and I've witnessed this many times in the same city that Arnold Abbott Feeds the Homeless...
Thanks Again 4 Your ongoing efforts to bring clarity & understanding to a very troubling & ongoing problem that could potentially become substantially larger, very quickly if the economy/stock market has a major downward correction.
Actually, the above paragraph is wrong... There ARE significant Corporate Cut-backs, layoffs & out right bankruptcy or closing down taking place right NOW... in the anticipation of a likely significant/major economic downturn.
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Panhandling in public places is protected speech in the US. To ban panhandling would be to ban expression based on its content. That's never a good idea, no matter how uncomfortable that expression of views makes us feel.
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In my city no absolutely no. The homeless here are smart enough for food stamps and churches while people who have houses and people who went to jail for said crimes are on the street panhandling when they dont need to. There was this one guy who had a house and he took his dog to panhandle in 100 degree weather and the cops had to step him aside as the dog almost died from dehydration.
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They should be free to use the sidewalk just as anyone else, do you have a right to infringe upon the natural rights of another human being simply because you distrust their need and whether or not it is genuine? you think you should prohibit other human beings from simply speaking in asking others peacefully for help? ... hmmm...strange.
if you ever find yourself down on your luck, perhaps you might change your tune ;)
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Lol I guess but all the panhandlers here are people who have stolen from my store,have houses and or dont need to. Well I agree with the sidewalk mostly but for example on Tuesday usually the sidewalk going down to the grocery store there are at least 8 people there begging for no reason and customers see that as it lowers the value of the store and leave to other stores. There are enough shelters and the food bank here said there is enough food to feed 4x the people that come in.The actual homeless people I help out all the time even though they dont panhandle like for example the expired food I double bag and leave to the right for them
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Some good info there, thank you. As someone who had to ask for money a few times because I was stranded, I can not imagine the indignity of having to do it every day. Many panhandlers are veterans. When I give them money and they say thank you I say "no thank you"
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