boo freaking hoo

[Johnney]

link

ATLANTA - About two hundred people crowded into a City Council meeting Monday on a proposed panhandling ban after homeless people and dozens of their advocates spent the night on the steps of City Hall to show their opposition.

William Fox, 57, who is homeless, said before the session began that he never panhandled but "forcing people not to panhandle is taking away their rights. It's not American."

i didnt know this was a "right"?

 

[dmp]

lol

F'em. Get a job...any job.

www.bumvertising.com

 

[nakedemperor]

I really don't have an opinion one way or the other, but what law could you cite to prevent someone from sitting in a public place with a 'spare some change' sign?

 

[no1tovote4]

I really don't have an opinion one way or the other, but what law could you cite to prevent someone from sitting in a public place with a 'spare some change' sign?

Unfortunately they don't often do that. There are laws against aggressive panhandling, not just sitting there w/ a sign.

Amazingly if you panhandled in the time of Ben Franklin and the other founding fathers you were put on display with a sign for others to mock you. It wasn't even considered cruel and unusual to do so....

The "right" to panhandle is not one that was included in the Constitution.

 

[Trigg]

I lived in New Orleans for about a year and a half and they had a huge problem with panhandlers at the time.

One paper did a story on some of the people out there with "spare some change" signs. It was found that for 2 men this was their "job" and they went home to a middle class neighborhood at night, apparently people are fairly generous.

Some of these people can be very hostile and dangerous, not to mention mentally ill. It would be nice to see these people as harmless but a fair number are also pickpockets and petty theives. I don't have a problem with cities that try to keep panhandlers out of tourist areas because of this reason.

 

[mattskramer]

The "right" to panhandle is not one that was included in the Constitution.

Hmmm. Do people have rights outside of those specified in the Constitution. Do people have a right to wear red nail polish in public? It is not mentioned in the Constitution.

 

[Shattered]

I really don't have an opinion one way or the other, but what law could you cite to prevent someone from sitting in a public place with a 'spare some change' sign?

Loitering.. Obstructing traffic.. Depending on where they're doing it.

 

[dilloduck]

Hmmm. Do people have rights outside of those specified in the Constitution. Do people have a right to wear red nail polish in public? It is not mentioned in the Constitution.

I haven't heard anyone claiming a right to wear red nail polish but it wouldn't surprise me as some people wrongly think they have a right to do anything they please.

 

[hylandrdet]

I really don't have an opinion one way or the other, but what law could you cite to prevent someone from sitting in a public place with a 'spare some change' sign?

Hey nake, check this out. While I was in Germany, I came across something interesting; I saw an old man, with bum like looks, step out of his car (a mercedes) with a dog and a sympathy sign. He looked at our body language and could tell that we were judging his character. So he said, in his rough accent," fauk yau" and went about his business.

Our nation understands that there are people out there that are dodging taxes by earning their living as beggars.

If you live in NYC, where the streets will be occupied by millions of individuals per day, you can earn as much as $500 per day, without paying taxes, by simply begging the millions to giving you a nickel at a time. It is the slight of hand procedure that gives you the illusion that the bum is not receiving anything, therefore he earns your sympathy as well as your nickel.

These folks are not theives, they're con artist. A thief takes your possessions away from you without your permission; a con artist takes possessions away from you using your own free will.

Think about it!

 

[mattskramer]

Hey nake, check this out. While I was in Germany, I came across something interesting; I saw an old man, with bum like looks, step out of his car (a mercedes) with a dog and a sympathy sign. He looked at our body language and could tell that we were judging his character. So he said, in his rough accent," fauk yau" and went about his business.

Our nation understands that there are people out there that are dodging taxes by earning their living as beggars.

If you live in NYC, where the streets will be occupied by millions of individuals per day, you can earn as much as $500 per day, without paying taxes, by simply begging the millions to giving you a nickel at a time. It is the slight of hand procedure that gives you the illusion that the bum is not receiving anything, therefore he earns your sympathy as well as your nickel.

These folks are not theives, they're con artist. A thief takes your possessions away from you without your permission; a con artist takes possessions away from you using your own free will.

Think about it!

Yeah, Yeah. You can find all kinds of opportunistic frauds - From your lazy well-to-do street-corner panhandler to crafty Fortune 500 CEOs. Now. Is it just possible that some "bum" that you see, a complete stranger, really did fall on hard times? Perhaps he made a few foolish choices coupled with unforeseen circumstances. Maybe, just maybe, he is an ignorant depressed man in desperate need for a small and brief handout. I spent nearly an hour really communicating with one such "bum" who practically told me his life story. I give him some spare change and several old "temporary employment agency" business cards. (I used to do much temp work for several such businesses when I became desperate for work). I gave him some advice, writing the instructions out for him, and directed him to some support shelters and groups relevant to his circumstances. He thanked me and I never saw him again. I suppose that my point is that I hope that people are not quick to judge individual strangers based just on appearances and prejudices.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

i wish they would do something here to regulate these people who stand on street corners.

when i worked just south of DT Mpls-or as we locals call it, Murder-apolis, at one particular intersection on Lyndale Ave N, after Franklin Ave., just before the hwy 94 exit, these bums would literally walk in front of cars to get them to give money. Sometimes they would hold up traffic so bad, it would start backing up 5 blocks or more.

at the time, i alternated between the 99 monte carlo Z34 (not a light car) and our Chevy Z71 3/4 ton, not a light vehicle either, and both took a considerable distance to stop given their weight.

i can't even count the close calls i had with these people. if it wasn't that, then they would come RIGHT UP TO YOUR CAR WINDOW!!! I prayed for a straight green light every time i came to the intersection that was popular with vagrants. I was stopped at the light, and one guy would not leave me alone, and just my luck, my cell phone battery died, so i just started honking my horn to get people to look. That scared him off, but that did not do well for my blood pressure, and i was pregnant at the time. I almost fainted i was so scared.

i NEVER drove down there without my doors locked, or my windows down. i am so glad that i work where i do now in Roseville. i can drive there, park, and not worry about getting mugged or shot or carjacked on my way to work. my husband wanted me to get a permit to carry a handgun if i was going to continue working in DT Mpls because of this. i chose to change jobs instead.

 

[dilloduck]

Yeah, Yeah. You can find all kinds of opportunistic frauds - From your lazy well-to-do street-corner panhandler to crafty Fortune 500 CEOs. Now. Is it just possible that some "bum" that you see, a complete stranger, really did fall on hard times? Perhaps he made a few foolish choices coupled with unforeseen circumstances. Maybe, just maybe, he is an ignorant depressed man in desperate need for a small and brief handout. I spent nearly an hour really communicating with one such "bum" who practically told me his life story. I give him some spare change and several old "temporary employment agency" business cards. (I used to do much temp work for several such businesses when I became desperate for work). I gave him some advice, writing the instructions out for him, and directed him to some support shelters and groups relevant to his circumstances. He thanked me and I never saw him again. I suppose that my point is that I hope that people are not quick to judge individual strangers based just on appearances and prejudices.

That's a great first step toward spiritualty !! Keep on truckin!

 

[Hobbit]

Yeah, I live near Atlanta and this stupid protest, where they used the most popular buzzword, 'racist,' is the most work any of these guys have done in decades. Last time I saw a panhandler, I decided to check his sincerity by offering him a few bucks to wash my windshields (which were covered in bugs) and he refused. These guys are just lazy con artists who wouldn't take a high class job handed to them on a silver platter.

 

[Nuc]

My wife and I were approached by a panhandler last week. He said, "I'm sorry to bother you but..." and before he could say more I shot back with, "then why are you bothering us?" Evidently he hadn't heard that before because he started having a temper tantrum.

Usually when they say, "Sir, could you spare some change?" I just say, "No, why don't you give me some money instead?" They act indignant.

 

[Johnney]

Yeah, Yeah. You can find all kinds of opportunistic frauds - From your lazy well-to-do street-corner panhandler to crafty Fortune 500 CEOs. Now. Is it just possible that some "bum" that you see, a complete stranger, really did fall on hard times? Perhaps he made a few foolish choices coupled with unforeseen circumstances. Maybe, just maybe, he is an ignorant depressed man in desperate need for a small and brief handout. I spent nearly an hour really communicating with one such "bum" who practically told me his life story. I give him some spare change and several old "temporary employment agency" business cards. (I used to do much temp work for several such businesses when I became desperate for work). I gave him some advice, writing the instructions out for him, and directed him to some support shelters and groups relevant to his circumstances. He thanked me and I never saw him again. I suppose that my point is that I hope that people are not quick to judge individual strangers based just on appearances and prejudices.

Matt... the thing is i have no problem with the older generation. its when i see the younger ones out there begging. as you have said, or headed to, there are support channels out there that can help.
the ones out there that are younger... bullshit. the ones out there that go home to that blue collar neighborhood after a hard day of begging for money... more bullshit.
and to sit there and say that there maybe some truth in what they say about being truly being down on their luck, hell you wade through the swell of shit they throw at you. for the most part i play it safe (for me anyway) and automatically figure they are lying. that way i can be unbiased. im not a tree hugging bleeding heart.

 

[Shattered]

My wife and I were approached by a panhandler last week. He said, "I'm sorry to bother you but..." and before he could say more I shot back with, "then why are you bothering us?" Evidently he hadn't heard that before because he started having a temper tantrum.

Usually when they say, "Sir, could you spare some change?" I just say, "No, why don't you give me some money instead?" They act indignant.

There's no point in being rude.. A simple "Sorry, no." and keep walking would be sufficient...

 

[Annie]

There's no point in being rude.. A simple "Sorry, no." and keep walking would be sufficient...

On the other side of the cheddar curtain, the panhandlers are not so nice...

 

[Shattered]

On the other side of the cheddar curtain, the panhandlers are not so nice...

So... You would have met a "Sorry to bother you, but"...with the response Nucular fired off? I wouldn't.

 

[Annie]

So... You would have met a "Sorry to bother you, but"...with the response Nucular fired off? I wouldn't.

I don't harrass, they are 'invisible' to me. I give to charities, but the panhandlers from the cons are impossible to tell. In Chicago we have 'working times' to make it even more difficult.

 

[Shattered]

I don't harrass, they are 'invisible' to me. I give to charities, but the panhandlers for the cons are impossible to tell. In Chicago we have 'working times' to make it even more difficult.

Don't misunderstand.. They won't get a dime of my money.. That's time they could be using to look for a job.. I just think his response was unwarranted, given the first portion of the initial question.. If they start harrassing you, hell yes, give it right back.. But to sound like a jackass right off the bat for no reason is just uncalled for, IMO...