Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1  There ARE social programs for these people....if interviewed, the majority of these people state "safety is a concern", or "I dont want to listen to preaching to get a meal or a place to sleep", or "You have to get up every morning and leave during the day, then go back at night", or "there is nothing for my kids to do", etc....Is it better on the street? We all have choices we have to make....a lot of the time, these choices are NOT a reflection of what we consider a wonderful option. When we are self sufficient and can care for ourselves, make our OWN way without getting handouts from the government or society or individuals at stop signs and parking lots, then we have the freedom to say, "NO, that option is not an acceptable solution to me", I will rent my oun room and pay for my own meals". But, as the true saying goes, "Beggars can not be choosers". Accept help that is provided by society in organized, legal, healthy methods, some at GREAT tax payers expense, as well as generous donations made by civic organizations and accept some "preaching, teaching, and soul serching" to try to help you raise up out of the despair you are currently experiencing. I too offered food and drink to a pitiful LOOKING soul at a stop sign. He actually told me he didnt like chicken sandwiches!!!!! PLEASE!! Then there was the man I offered a case (12 cans) of vienna sausage to ....MY thoughts were , easy to open cans, small light cans, easy to carry in a back pack, etc.....This "starving" man who is dependent on anything he can get his hands on from anyone willing to share it, says "there is too much sodium in veinna sausage".....When you are starving and not eating, you are not getting ANY sodium intake, so 3 cans of vienna sausage a day, while you beg at a red light in the 100* heat in Texas, is NOT your major problem! Sorry for the rant, but I have offered food and work so many times to these people and in every case, they have refused the particular help offered. They were only willing to accept CASH. They want to manage their own life, even tho they have apparently not done very well in that area, up to this point in time! CLEAN OUR STREETS UP! MAKE IT SAFE FOR US TO STOP AT INTERSECTIONS WITHOUT BEING BESEIGED BY PAN HANDLERS! Dont support hese people....let them go to the multitude of services provided for them. |