Zone1 Beggars at the Intersection: How do you feel about them? What do you do?

[Mashmont]

In the past two years, I have noticed an epidemic of people begging at major intersections in my city. At a big four-way stop, you'll see them at all four medians. They're working in tandem. All have cardboard signs. All begging for help.

What do you do about it?

My first impulse is anger. I'm angry that they're implicitly lying about how they'll use the money, probably going for drugs or booze. The other thing is my charity solicits in front of certain stores. We have to go through a lot of red tape to get permission and permits to solicit. From the business; from the state; from the strip mall owner. And it absolutely frosts me to see these beggars at those same strip mall exits panhandling for themselves...not for charity....to buy drugs and booze. They didn't ask permission from anyone. It angers me even more when dunderheads give them money.

Now as a Christian, I wrestle with this. I feel bad that I get angry. I've talked to two priests about this. Both said I shouldn't get angry. One said that rather than give them money, I should engage with them and offer to accompany them to a restaurant and have a meal with them. The other priest said I should be pleasant and treat them like a human being, though I don't have to give them anything. He said "How rotten must their lives be that they would stand out there, regardless of what they do with the money?" He had a point. People addicted to drug or alcohol are not happy or well people. Anger isn't the proper response.

One time I did as the first priest instructed. The very next day after I talked to him, I was sitting in the parking lot at Lowe's looking at my phone. A woman tapped on my window and asked for money for something to eat. I thought it was divine providence. So I offered to go into the Kroger's and get her some fruit and bread and such. But that wasn't what she had in mind. She wanted to eat at the Sonic across the way. So I said fine and let her order. She got a meal deal with fries and a drink. I bristled at what I considered a junk meal, but went with it. I paid $8.64. Trying to make conversation, I asked her name. She refused to tell me. We talked a little bit about her circumstance. Everyone in her life was a f*cking asshole by her account. At the end, she asked for money. I declined. She thanked me for the meal and went on her way .

Pope Francis when asked the question, said he would not only talk to a beggar kindly, he would give them money. He said "So what if the person wants to buy a glass of wine. Who among us doesn't have a guilty pleasure?" I don't see it that way. I see it as enabling an addiction. I was talking to a woman who works in the ABC stores. She said she'll see these guys who were out panhandling come in with stacks of bills to buy liquor. Homeless professionals advise people to NOT give beggars money, that you can give them vouchers for the local shelter. It is a fact that most homeless are not beggars, and most beggars are not homeless.

So how did I feel after my encounter with the woman at Lowe's? Ambivalent. I felt sort of good, but also sort of like a sucker. Probably more the latter. I definitely didn't like getting her a junk meal, but I guess that wasn't the point. I liked that she seemed appreciative, and may it did help her a little. But I decided I probably would do it again if given the same circumstance, at least not in the same way.

I have softened recently, when I considered the plight of a neighbor girl my daughter's age who fell into drugs. Nice family, good neighborhood. But she just went bad. Now they don't know where she lives. She has a child her parents have adopted and take care of. What if it was this neighbor girl whom I've know since she was six who I saw pandhandling on the street corner? I wouldn't be angry then. I would feel compassion and sorrow. I'd ask her if she needed anything or to be driven somewhere. But I wouldn't give her any money.

Any thoughts about this topic?

 

[rightwinger]

The best way is to go up to them and try to get them to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

They will quickly move along because everyone knows Fundamentalist Christians are more annoying than Panhandlers

 

[petro]

I ignore them as if they don't even exist.
I won't give money to anyone begging under any circumstances including politicians.

Local news a few years ago followed some beggars working the State Fair. At the end of the day one of them walked a half mile to their new Lincoln SUV and drove off.
There are tons of stories on Google of professional beggars.

 

[Dekster]

Just depends on who it is. I have given a few times but not often.
Last time was maybe 6 months ago to a Muslim woman. I figured she was either legit (or I was funding terrorism) because that is not something you usually see, especially around here. Usually it is some one who looks like a hard core drunk or addict. Jihad Jane was well-dressed and stood there saying a prayer over me for a few seconds after I threw her a ten. Her sign said she had 4 children and was about to be evicted and needed money for rent. If any of my rentals were vacant at the time, I may would have offered her use of one as, like I said, you just don't see that sort of thing around here in the Muslim community. They are pretty good about taking care of their own.

 

[fncceo]

What do you do about it?

Absolutely nothing. I don't concern myself with someone who begs. I also don't give them any money.

 

[DukeU]

Sometimes I give them a few dollars and sometimes I don't. It depends on how I feel at the time and the way the person acts and carries themselves.

The beggars who really bother me are the ones who call on the phone. The police, firefighters, political campaigns, etc. calling and begging for donations over the phone.

 

[JGalt]

Hand them a half-pint bottle of cheap vodka through the car window. That's what they really want.

 

[Devils_Advocate]

How do I deal with them?

I tell them I drive for Uber and then they donate to me!

 

[Lisa558]

Just depends on who it is. I have given a few times but not often.
Last time was maybe 6 months ago to a Muslim woman. I figured she was either legit (or I was funding terrorism) because that is not something you usually see, especially around here. Usually it is some one who looks like a hard core drunk or addict. Jihad Jane was well-dressed and stood there saying a prayer over me for a few seconds after I threw her a ten. Her sign said she had 4 children and was about to be evicted and needed money for rent. If any of my rentals were vacant at the time, I may would have offered her use of one as, like I said, you just don't see that sort of thing around here in the Muslim community. They are pretty good about taking care of their own.

So you‘re prioritizing Muslims over others, even if the money you gave went toward terrorism?

To answer OP’s question, I ignore them - and yes, they are all over the place. They often have children in tow, and even a baby in a stroller, which I suspect they’ve “borrowed” in order to get more people to fork over.

I have to wonder about these “mothers” I see, who are in the Target and Walmart parking lot, next to the help-wanted at $17 and hour. We give them rent-subsidized housing, food stamps, Medicaid, free this, free that. Why are they also begging?

 

[rightwinger]

Last December I went to a local Shopping Mall. There was a beggar outside wearing a fancy red suit who kept ringing this stupid bell.

I figured why would someone who could afford an expensive red velvet suit with white fur trim need to beg money from me?
The guy did need a shave though

 

[Devils_Advocate]

So you‘re prioritizing Muslims over others, even if the money you gave went toward terrorism?

To answer OP’s question, I ignore them - and yes, they are all over the place. They often have children in tow, and even a baby in a stroller, which I suspect they’ve “borrowed” in order to get more people to fork over.

I have to wonder about these “mothers” I see, who are in the Target and Walmart parking lot, next to the help-wanted at $17 and hour. We give them rent-subsidized housing, food stamps, Medicaid, free this, free that. Why are they also begging?

My adopted calls the Police on them if a child is out in this Texas heat.

He considers it abuse and exploitation on the parent part.

 

[petro]

The most clever one I saw in South Mpls was a grown man wearing a cat costume meowing at the top of his lungs carrying a sign that said "help this cat out".
Guy was making a ton of cash.

 

[beagle9]

In the past two years, I have noticed an epidemic of people begging at major intersections in my city. At a big four-way stop, you'll see them at all four medians. They're working in tandem. All have cardboard signs. All begging for help.

What do you do about it?

My first impulse is anger. I'm angry that they're implicitly lying about how they'll use the money, probably going for drugs or booze. The other thing is my charity solicits in front of certain stores. We have to go through a lot of red tape to get permission and permits to solicit. From the business; from the state; from the strip mall owner. And it absolutely frosts me to see these beggars at those same strip mall exits panhandling for themselves...not for charity....to buy drugs and booze. They didn't ask permission from anyone. It angers me even more when dunderheads give them money.

Now as a Christian, I wrestle with this. I feel bad that I get angry. I've talked to two priests about this. Both said I shouldn't get angry. One said that rather than give them money, I should engage with them and offer to accompany them to a restaurant and have a meal with them. The other priest said I should be pleasant and treat them like a human being, though I don't have to give them anything. He said "How rotten must their lives be that they would stand out there, regardless of what they do with the money?" He had a point. People addicted to drug or alcohol are not happy or well people. Anger isn't the proper response.

One time I did as the first priest instructed. The very next day after I talked to him, I was sitting in the parking lot at Lowe's looking at my phone. A woman tapped on my window and asked for money for something to eat. I thought it was divine providence. So I offered to go into the Kroger's and get her some fruit and bread and such. But that wasn't what she had in mind. She wanted to eat at the Sonic across the way. So I said fine and let her order. She got a meal deal with fries and a drink. I bristled at what I considered a junk meal, but went with it. I paid $8.64. Trying to make conversation, I asked her name. She refused to tell me. We talked a little bit about her circumstance. Everyone in her life was a f*cking asshole by her account. At the end, she asked for money. I declined. She thanked me for the meal and went on her way .

Pope Francis when asked the question, said he would not only talk to a beggar kindly, he would give them money. He said "So what if the person wants to buy a glass of wine. Who among us doesn't have a guilty pleasure?" I don't see it that way. I see it as enabling an addiction. I was talking to a woman who works in the ABC stores. She said she'll see these guys who were out panhandling come in with stacks of bills to buy liquor. Homeless professionals advise people to NOT give beggars money, that you can give them vouchers for the local shelter. It is a fact that most homeless are not beggars, and most beggars are not homeless.

So how did I feel after my encounter with the woman at Lowe's? Ambivalent. I felt sort of good, but also sort of like a sucker. Probably more the latter. I definitely didn't like getting her a junk meal, but I guess that wasn't the point. I liked that she seemed appreciative, and may it did help her a little. But I decided I probably would do it again if given the same circumstance, at least not in the same way.

I have softened recently, when I considered the plight of a neighbor girl my daughter's age who fell into drugs. Nice family, good neighborhood. But she just went bad. Now they don't know where she lives. She has a child her parents have adopted and take care of. What if it was this neighbor girl whom I've know since she was six who I saw pandhandling on the street corner? I wouldn't be angry then. I would feel compassion and sorrow.

Any thoughts about this topic?

My thoughts is that if you really want to do the right thing, then you join with as many citizen's as you can, and y'all get after the root of the problem. You know what that is right ?? Elect a government that works instead of one that is responsible for this fall out in society. As we elect the wrong government from local to national, we are enabling our societies to crumble, and these things to become more and more the norm.

Stop electing Democrat's is the first positive step, and then hold republican's accountable if they are to lead in any kind of capacity the American nation.

Right now we are seeing the fall out from bad voting choice's, and the allowing of government to go unchecked after being elected.

 

[petro]

Melbourne's 'professional beggars' part of global trend that could target other Australian cities

Melbourne's booming tourism industry is the likely reason "professional beggars" targeted the city, and other mainland capitals could also be infiltrated by similar groups, a criminologist says.

www.abc.net.au

 

[pknopp]

My thoughts is that if you really want to do the right thing, then you join with as many citizen's as you can, and y'all get after the root of the problem. You know what that is right ?? Elect a government that works instead of one that is responsible for this fall out in society. As we elect the wrong government from local to national, we are enabling our societies to crumble, and these things to become more and more the norm.

Stop electing Democrat's is the first positive step, and then hold republican's accountable if they are to lead in any kind of capacity the American nation.

Right now we are seeing the fall out from bad voting choice's, and the allowing of government to go unchecked after being elected.

The people begging do not care who is in office. Panhandling is a protected 1st Amendment right.

 

[Lisa558]

Last December I went to a local Shopping Mall. There was a beggar outside wearing a fancy red suit who kept ringing this stupid bell.

I figured why would someone who could afford an expensive red velvet suit with white fur trim need to beg money from me?
The guy did need a shave though

I used to give to those guys until the became “woke” and anti-white.

 

[Lisa558]

The people begging do not care who is in office. Panhandling is a protected 1st Amendment right.

As long as they aren’t aggressive or in any way threatening, which most of them seem to know and abide.

 

[Dekster]

So you‘re prioritizing Muslims over others, even if the money you gave went toward terrorism?

To answer OP’s question, I ignore them - and yes, they are all over the place. They often have children in tow, and even a baby in a stroller, which I suspect they’ve “borrowed” in order to get more people to fork over.

I have to wonder about these “mothers” I see, who are in the Target and Walmart parking lot, next to the help-wanted at $17 and hour. We give them rent-subsidized housing, food stamps, Medicaid, free this, free that. Why are they also begging?

I prioritize people who I think could be legit who aren't hard core addicts. This woman was well-dressed, emotionally expressive not trying to put on some faux droopy facade, was waving at people, had her teeth, and because she is muslim and that community is so tight knit, I assumed that she had crossed the pack somehow and got herself cut off. The terrorism thing was an obvious joke.

 

[JGalt]

The people begging do not care who is in office. Panhandling is a protected 1st Amendment right.

Seriously? Along with a "free education", "free rent", the "right" to bugger your neighbor and marry him, and the "right" to murder your unborn children? None of those "rights" are in the Constitution. If you'd been one of the founding fathers and suggested they put those in the Constitution, they would have put you in stocks and pelted you with rotten fruit.

How do you guys and girls come up with this stuff?

 

[Devils_Advocate]

I prioritize people who I think could be legit who aren't hard core addicts. This woman was well-dressed, emotionally expressive not trying to put on some faux droopy facade, was waving at people, had her teeth, and because she is muslim and that community is so tight knit, I assumed that she had crossed the pack somehow and got herself cut off. The terrorism thing was an obvious joke.

Actually she could be Romani pretending to be Muslim.