I didn't look at the dates and saw some names I hadn't seen in forever. Then I realized...Zombie thread!
I did skim it and saw a post by C.Ann. I still wonder about her sometimes.
I didn't look at the dates and saw some names I hadn't seen in forever. Then I realized...Zombie thread!
I did skim it and saw a post by C.Ann. I still wonder about her sometimes.
My daughter and I were a Pizza Hut some years ago and this guy came in passing out cards with the ASL alphabet and asking for a dollar for them. We watched as he came over to our table and then started signing to him to stop begging and get a job. Boy did he get angry. Started to sputter and low and behold he not only could speak but could speak well. Oops caught.
Never buy cards from these people. They don't get but $.10 per card and the rest goes to the person who provides the cards. They are playing on the hearing person's feeling of poor deaf person.
If there are those of you who think you are helping kdis/babies....
Give to local Food Bank and child/family charity programs in your community.
Lets just say, that there is just the very slight chance that a pahnandler is actually a parent in need.... I would not want to enable a child to be kept in a situation with no food, housing, and parent out begging. Giving to Panhandlers is the worst approach. 99.9999 they are just mentally unstable, or on-the-take. And, I would not want to choose to enable that.
A gift is a gift. Give it, or don't give it. But once it's given you don't get to dictate how other people use your gift.
I don't EVER give to panhandlers.
They are just on the take....
We used to see this guy in the same spot all the time... needed money for food (near an interstate Cracker Barrel)
DH used to laugh and say, we ought to pull up and throw him a can of tuna fish...
We called him the tuna fish man!!!!
Said his Lexus was probably parked right around the corner....
My DH was only trying to make light of the situation and we were reassuring our son that nobody was really starving.
But how did you know that? How did you know he wasn't starving?
When I was little, we were homeless. My dad had a good job, we were just down on our luck. Back then, places could refuse to rent to you if you had children, and a lot of affordable places did. We lived in our van. My dad never pan handled or begged for money. But there were times there was no food. My parents applied for foodstamps, but were denied because the van counted as an asset my parents should've sold before asking for assistance, never mind that it was currently our home.
A couple months after we got back on our feet, my Dad took me with him to grab gas for our car (I always loved when I'd get to go on one on one trips with him), and as we were walking out, there was a man asking for money for his family. My dad did not hesitate, he opened his wallet and gave him his last $20.
As we were walking away, he said to me, "Always remember there are people who need more than we do. If you can give, it is your job to give." THAT is the lesson my father taught me about homeless people. And THAT is the lesson I hope to pass on to my children. Compassion always beats judgment and contempt.
I didn't know that this was a Zombie Thread at first!
Anyhow, funny how so many people just have to jump in and quote me directly, totally exaggerate or totally miscontrue what I have said, and even put words into my mouth.
I am used to it here!!! Seems to be a popular thing to do.
I think it is pretty clear that I do not think that children in need, or people out trying to 'take' from others is actually funny. My DH was only trying to make light of the situation and we were reassuring our son that nobody was really starving.
Where I live, there is not a bona-fide homeless population.
There are several organizations who work to provide food and shelter and support for those in need.
We and our son's Scout Troop have supported them.
My son has collected food for the food banks, and taken our nice dolly to help load food into peoples cars at food distributions. (I don't think we saw any Lexus, either)
I stand by my post...
I am not going to pat myself on the back thinking how much good I have done, when in reality I know that I would only be enabling a problem.
the city where I have been asked for money the most was Paris.
At Notre Dame Cathederal, I sat outside for about an hour waiting on my family to come out. This was super interesting to me. An elderly woman beggar in a long dress and bonnet was carrying around a cup, begging. she appeared to be so old, hunched over, could barely walk. the police came by and told her to get lost. She left quickly but as she bent over to pick up her things, i saw she had on new expensive athletic shoes! As she left, she wasn't hunched over at all - walking perfectly fine. I don't think she was actually an old woman. About 15 min later, a different " old woman beggar" appeared. Same exact outfit in a different color. Do they all work together? Don't know.
DH just came home from the grocery store. He said a woman approached his car and asked for money to buy food. He handed her a $5 bill and she thanked him. He began to roll his car window up when she abruptly stopped him and said, "Hey wait! I need 35 cents more to pay the tax on my sandwich with the $5 you gave me". DH laughed and said someone else would have to pay her tax and drove away. This floors me that someone would ask for *more* money from a total stranger. Oh well...
I don't EVER give to panhandlers.
They are just on the take....
We used to see this guy in the same spot all the time... needed money for food (near an interstate Cracker Barrel)
DH used to laugh and say, we ought to pull up and throw him a can of tuna fish...
We called him the tuna fish man!!!!
Said his Lexus was probably parked right around the corner....