Do you give money to beggars in the street?

Discussion in Misc & Others started by Dora M • Jul 25, 2014.

  1. Dora M

    Dora MWell-Known Member

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    In the city where I live there are a lot of beggars. They often sit in street corners with outstretched hands asking for coins, or they travel on the metro, carrying paper cardboards with pictures of their children whom they can't feed. Many of them have no arms or legs, or they are deformed in some other way. Getting any kind of income is hard for them as this country is suffering from an unstable economy. Most people give a coin or two. I also give something whenever I can.
    How are things in your place? Do you have many desperate people on the streets where you live? Can you help them out every so often?
     
  2. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    There aren't many beggars in the small town where I live so I've never had to choose to give or not to give. Back in time though when I used to live elsewhere, I occasionally gave some money to some beggars whose disabilities couldn't permit them to do any kind of work.

    However when I heard the story about a Thai couple who posed as blind people and made quite a lot of money every day, I think in future, I won't be giving any money to blind people because you never can tell if they're actually blind or just pretending to be blind.
     
  3. Dora M

    Dora MWell-Known Member

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    Denis, that's something I also wonder about. Whether there are some people who just pose, or if there are organised groups that send out people with disabilities to "earn" money. It's really difficult for me to refuse anyone who obviously looks down and out. But occasionally I have doubts. Like recently on the train, when a severely overweight person came begging for "food money".
     
  4. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    I'd never give money to an able-bodied person who could get any job [menial though it might be] to make a little money.

    By the way there's a possibility that some of the beggars are actually used to make money for some group and get a commission for the 'work' they do. But it's a disgusting thing to do — using people with disabilities to get some easy cash for them.
     
  5. tangela

    tangelaActive Member

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    I do, sometimes. If I don't have money though but say I just came out of a restaurant with leftovers, and they ask for change or leftovers, I'd definitely give them my food. I mean chances are it'll probably sit in my fridge and be forgotten, so why not give it to someone who can use some food in their belly?
     
  6. MindyT

    MindyTActive Member

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    No. If they can stand all day on a hot street corner holding a sign, they can stand 8 hours behind a grill and flip burgers. Now, that is not to say, that I don't give to charities and organizations that help out in the community. I just won't give money to people begging on the streets.
     
  7. Parker

    ParkerWell-Known Member

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    There are a lot of beggars in my city. I was eating lunch at El Pollo Loco for the first time in three months. A woman with a newborn and young toddler approached me for money. I used to give certain beggars money, but I don't anymore.
     
  8. Athenagdlyt

    AthenagdlytActive Member

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    We also have plenty of beggars in the city, especially on foot bridges and sidewalks. Some of them are permanently installed there which make me conclude that they are there because somebody put them there. They have electric guitars and powered microphones. To those types, I don't give. I only give food to street children who would ask for your leftover burger or drink. I do give my time and effort when there is a call for volunteers for donation drives for say, disaster victims.
     
  9. forextraspecialstuff

    forextraspecialstuffActive Member

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    Occasionally I do give money to people who ask (sorry I don't like the term beggars) but for the most part I do not. I have a few regulars that I always give a few dollars to because they have pets with them. Generally I prefer to buy someone food, it stops me from worrying about what they will do with the money I give them (I would hate for them to use it toward drugs) and if they say no to the food I figure they must not be that hungry.
     
  10. True2marie

    True2marieActive Member

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    It depends.

    I go with my gut. If it tells me to help the person, then I do. If not, I don't. After all, all beggars aren't really on hard times. Some people do this as a scam. My brother turned me on to this one day after he stopped to help out a guy. Then, a wad of money fell out of his pocket. He fessed up that begging was just his way of making a living and he really was doing all right.
     
  11. Dora M

    Dora MWell-Known Member

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    A bit of dark irony just flashed through my mind when I read your sentence about beggars being "installed". That is just so accurate. I see beggars installed here in strategic locations where a lot of tourists pass by. Some of them come with little chairs to sit on, while others bring blankets that they spread out on the floor. The other day I saw a very well dressed guy changing the begging cup for the guy with no arms who rattles a cup with his mouth for some spare change. After a while you get to know them... and you wonder.
     
  12. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    I have encountered some beggars and they always stay where most people are. When I go in the mall or even in the city hall they stay there asking for money. I only encounter kid beggars though, not adults, so maybe the parents of these kids ask their children to beg for them? Either way, I don't give them anything, because I'm suspicious of all of them.
     
  13. ACSAPA

    ACSAPAWell-Known Member

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    I do when I can. I've been in some bad situations myself so I have empathy for people who are down on their luck. Anyone can lose their job, get evicted, become disabled, have mental illness or be kicked out of their home by parents for being gay, so you never know what happened to make someone end up on the streets and you can't judge a situation that you haven't been in.
     
  14. AugustGreig

    AugustGreigMember

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    Yes, I always try to give to beggars when I can. A lot of people don't want to give to them because they say that the person might go out and buy beer or drugs with the money. I remember Joe Rogan said on the subject, and I'm paraphrasing, "I'm not giving this guy a dollar, he's just gonna go get drugs or alcohol with it...wait a minute, that's what I was gonna do with it...Here you go buddy!" But yeah, if a homeless guy wants to go get a beer, that's fine with me. It isn't like the dollar I give is going to be able to change his life if he invests it wisely.
     
  15. DrRipley

    DrRipleyExpert

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    I do sometimes, but I try not to feel too guilty about it when I don't. I know I'm very privileged in a way that I was born with a head start when compared to beggars, but I would much rather just better myself to be able to help a lot more of them than to give every beggar I see a bit of my own money each time. I don't think giving them money helps all that much anyway and some of the beggars make too much of a career out of it in a way that some of them might even have more money than me behind the scenes.
     
  16. stacyje

    stacyjeActive Member

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    I do I have to say I am guilty of doing this. My sister tells me all the time that I am to free hearted and she tries to convenience me sometimes that these people sometime fake in the city. But I tell her if they are God will deal with them in his own way. I dont have alot of them in my area but in the city where my sister live which is Baton Rouge, la there are plenty.
     
  17. Jessi

    Jessi<a href="http://www.quirkycookery.com">QuirkyCooke

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    No, I don't, because I've read a lot of studies about the people who do this for a living and aren't actually struggling, too.

    So for me, I have offered food to those who look like they're in need, but I don't give money directly.
     
  18. ohiotom76

    ohiotom76Well-Known Member

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    Sometimes, if I feel the person is seriously distraught. I'm aware that there are people who do this for a living, and make a considerable amount of money off of it, but there are also a lot of people who are not there by choice, regardless if they seem like they are able bodied. Many of them have suffered for years with mental illness, severe depression and addiction issues, and unless you've ever experienced either personally, it's difficult to fully empathize with how crippling and destructive both can be. The very reason it's reached that point only underscores how damaging these types of diseases and behavioral disorders can be. There is also a very high rate of LGBT homeless youth who have been kicked to the streets by their families. I actually get really pissed off when some of my friends heckle the beggars and talk down to them. If you have nothing kind to say, then just keep your mouth shut. Making fun of someone who is already deeply humiliated by the situation they are in, is deplorable to me.

    Even in the case of them using some of the money people are giving them to buy more booze or drugs, something to keep in mind is that hardcore drunks or drug addicts cannot quit cold turkey. It's actually very dangerous to cut someone off completely if they have been at it for a long time. They need to be weened off of it more gradually, or they can run into a whole slew of other health issues, such as severe seizures.

    I went to a holiday get together with a friend of mine and her kids last year, it was downtown. There was a homeless guy walking towards us as we were about to pass by, and she very loudly pointed him out to her kids, and said something like "if you don't do what I say you're going to end up a real loser like this guy over here". I was ready to just ditch her and the kids and go home at that point, I felt like such crap - it was more or less guilt by association, so I walked back and gave him some money and apologized briefly. The kicker of it all is that she's a big drunk herself, and is behind on all her own bills, and the only reason she's in a run down house right now is her parents bought it for her. She's practically one step away from losing custody of her kids and being homeless herself, and it pissed me off for her to get on a high horse like that. I've lost track how many times her power and water have been shut off because she blew all her money on booze and partying.
     
  19. JosieP

    JosiePWell-Known Member

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    Yes I do. there are a lot of them who make more than anyone here; but the way I look at it.. they either don;t want to live like that or they do. They either need the money or they don't. They either use the money wisely or they don't. Just like everyone else on the planet. If someone needs it I would hate to not give them help because of those who don't. But those who don't have chosen to do this for whatever reasons and I'm happy to help someone live the way they choose. if they don't want to work, so be it.. either do I. If they want to drink it away, their choice. I will always help where I can. People shell out taxes for the stupidest reasons; but then complain about those who actually need the little bit extra.
     
  20. dannyluke1

    dannyluke1Active Member

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    I currently live in a big city wherein there are a lot of beggars roaming the streets. Most of these beggars are disabled - blind or missing some of their limbs. Do I give alms to them? Yeah, every once in a while if I have something to spare. Some people say they don't give money to these beggars because the act is only encouraging the beggars to beg some more. I sort of agree with this but I do believe that an even bigger reason why they beg is that it's their only option to scratch a living.