Giving beggars stuff
- Thread starter Morlan
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Soldato
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No more or less sanctimonious than you for making that statement. He's not on a high horse, he stating a matter of fact. Whether they are a smack head or a boozer or any other such thing, they are at the tail end of a pretty sad story.
To me it's the people that are the smack heads and the drinkers that are significantly more in need of help. They are written off because everyone else just sees them as being the lowest of the low and not worth the effort. The thing is that they would've had to go through some seriously bad times to make it to that point.
If you're so anti helping these people directly then give to a charity. I find it sad that so many people go through their lives with a 'It's not my problem' point of view and you know I'm glad I don't know you personally because you're missing something that's pretty fundamental in society these days - compassion.
By all means help those who choose to help themselves (i.e. the Big Issue brigade) but don't for a moment think that every one of the homeless are there because they chose to be and don't shoot down people who clearly have more compassion in their little finger than you have in your entire body.
I almost pity you more than the bums in the street.
That's very true but at the same time that good luck might hold for a while longer if you're not giving all your spare change to beggars
I used to give pennies to buskers until my friend started doing it for a laugh and ended up making £180 a day!
There's so many in Edinburgh that I'd feel sorry for giving one person money/food and not giving it to any of the others.
I've also had so much abuse from them when I've said I've not got any money to give and I've had one trying to look up my skirt before! And when waiting for the bus I normally get the guy that smells of booze asking for 50p from everyone for "the bus". I seem to get targeted a fair amount but I've now learnt to not give in just because I feel intimidated!
I don't have an issue with your statement, it is fact, these people need help.
My problem is with people in general who believe themselves better than others for doing something they don't, something you have shown quite wonderfully.
I do give to charity, 2 to be precise, and this is because I believe in the causes they represent.
I say its not my problem because it isn't my problem, I am not duty bound to help every soul on the planet, I give some money every month and that is MORE than I am required to do. Don't for a second think that because I don't help them that I don't care, I feel deeply sorry for them but the fact of the matter is that it is not my responsibility to help them. If I had the choice I would do something about it, but currently I don't have the power to do so, and I don't believe giving 50p to a beggar on the street will change anything.
If someone came up with a plan to get people off the streets that was efficient and long term I would back them 100%, but helping a homless guy buy a cup of tea is not going to solve anything. Yes it may be generous and kind but what these people need is not a cup of tea, they need the help to get out of the situation they have landed in, and no amount of tea will do that. To stop something you need to treat the cause, not the symptom.
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Soldato
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It was all going well until "and ten fags."
I thought I'd just be honest with the story, the main thing was the guy gave me a ticket home and a lesson in kindness at a bad point in my life, the fags were just a bonus, and tbh after the night I had I really needed them.
Soldato
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Oh I entirely agree and that was a far more eloquent statement than "Not to mention the "Holier than thou" pretentious *******...".
It's a shame that more people don't give to a couple of charities - if more did that then quite possibly there would be less homeless and needy people.
It's a sad indictment of western society that there is more than enough resource and wealth to look after the entire country/world and for everyone to live a happy secure life but human nature prevents that from ever happening.
/end of sanctimonious rant.
...and world peace.
And beggars can't be choosers!
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Soldato
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"Big Issue Please?"
Makes me rage.
What does she want one for? She's already got a stack of them sitting beside her. Selfish cow.
Makes me rage.
What does she want one for? She's already got a stack of them sitting beside her. Selfish cow.
Expert post, would read again 10/10 A++
(I appreciate both people were using sweeping generalisations in blanketing the responses of the majority of the forum, but still good lulz).
Anyways, where I live there are the odd few who mainly sell the big issue. I have never been known to donate any spare change or buy the big issue.
Helping out is when I have been with parents shopping and they have given the guy outside the store some food from our bags. My mother being an animal lover is a sucker for the people with dogs and will often buy food for the dog and perhaps buy a sarn for its owner.
There was this one time, when I was a student and I walked past a guy sitting in a bank alcove and he was asking for money to buy a light (he had a poor excuse of a half-a-stubbed rollie in his hands).
I genuinely had nothing (student) and I was there to get cash. I ended up feeling a bit sorry for him because he seemed genuine and I know from expereince with smokers how annoying it is to not have a light. So I walked home, grabbed a disposable from a pack of 10 that was kicking around, walked back to the bank and gave it to him.
I said to him "Sorry mate, didn't have any money but I live across the road and have this spare".
His response was "Awwwwwwh cheers mate, thats really decent of you!". He was definatley happy and I felt like I'd done a good deed for the day!
You're a BNP supporter if I recall, I wonder if others are similarly like minded
No I'm not, and even if I were what the **** does that have to do with my refusing to give money to dirty scrounging ****s?
No I'm not, and even if I were what the **** does that have to do with my refusing to give money to dirty scrounging ****s?
It's because the tramp was black, innit?
I know they are not beggers, but I once went to one of those animal welfare stalls they have in town centres sometimes, and asked how much for the puppy in the cage poster, the lady was not impressed, she scowled at me for the rest of the afternoon ( Iworked directly opposite where they were).
Soldato
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I wonder if "How much for the poster of the dead foetus in a steel bowl" works on the anti-abortion stalls?
We do have a fair bit in Edinburgh.
I can't really say "pick your battles" wrong context but trying to determine wether they're genuine or not it's a very fine line.
I've seen a lot of the same people and I've seen some like once (they're bad at the game maybe). If I lived a life of luxury I would give money to those who needed it. As lowrider said to lift their spirits (even if drug induced). When you give people money really they can do what they want with it. You're just being a dictator if you tell them what to do with it. And really you shouldn't be so quick to judge.
...That's my daily grumble.
Even if it was a bit all over the place.
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