What is the morally responsible way to deal with bums?

Question

I was once conned out of 60$ by one. Stupid me. Since then, I always say: "Sorry, I already gave at the office".

P.S.: I am talking about aggressive panhandling here. "Homeless" is not more politically correct. It is plainly inaccurate. Bums are not necessarily homeless. One bum that I see all the time is literally living next door. He is not homeless by any means, but still a bum.

Answer 1

tell him to f off

Answer 2

I guess the bottom line is, no one technique will work for all situations. If someone doesn't seem like a full on bum yet, but might be heading that way, I try to give them advice, and send them to organisations who might help them. If they're professionals. . .

Having lived in several large cities in my life, I've seen a lot of this. You learn who's legit and who isn't. If you know for a fact that someone is a scam artist, well, you could tell them that you see through them and if they don't go away you'll get the law involved. There are usually very specific laws on the books, like in NYC, you can panhandle, but the moment you follow someone it's considered harrassment. Riding the subway while panhandling constitutes following. It helps to know what the laws in your area are. And if you really want to be mean, I bet the IRS would love to hear about your neighbor.

Anyone who thinks a homeless shelter is a home is delusional, and some people are never going to work again in their lives. I'm talking about the people who would, but can't. As for disability benefits- I'm legally blind and was denied back when i was broke enough to swallow my pride. Some cities will chew you up and digest you for a while before leaving you dead in an alley somewhere, so the bums you're talking about really anger me- they're mooching off the help that should be given to the truly desperate.

I never give money, I give food. Anyone who doesn't need it won't accept it, and you're not out anything.

The ones who really make me mad, but are easiest to deal with, are those who claim to be from a charitable organisation and are not. My solution for this is to refuse to give change, but to offer a larger amount via check if they can give you a business envelope and some reading material. That gets rid of them in a hurry, and tends to let everyone around you know the score, as well.

Answer 3

usually the ones that actually need help and are really homeless are not the ones asking for money. Fortunetly for these people there are shelters and "soup kitchens" to help them out. giving out a few bucks to a real homeless person isnt going to help them and as a matter of fact it usually goes to buying booze or drugs. because they know they wont get enough on the streets to buy or lease an apartment. Now the panhandlers are a different matter. These are usually people that are out of the workforce threw there own devices or by bad luck but they usually already have an income and decided that this was a way to make extra money..ive heard in some cities that the better panhandlers can make 20 - 25 grand a year (tax free) so they continue to swallow their pride and keep on doing it.

If you truely want to help those who actually need it .. ignore the bums asking you for money and give a nice donation to the american red cross or other non profit organization that helps people who truelly need it

Answer 4

This capitalistic society and materialism turns us all into panhandlers. Treat them as you would anyone else, with respect and do not think yourself any better. Their position in life may be a series of bad luck events and they couldn't find another way to change their circumstances.
With a little more sharing the world would be different. I think many bums ask for their lifestyle because they can't put down the bottle. I don't give them money because that's how they keep their addictions to drugs.

I think you should avoid certain people for your own safety.

Answer 5

Most people who beg seem to be professionals, i ignore them, for the real homeless, I treat them like I would want to be treated, with dignity, who knows what has brought them to that stage.
I will often buy two burgers or whatever and give one away to a genuine homeless person,
A girl once asked me for money, said she was hungry, I offered to take her home and feed her and contact a support group, she ran a mile lol, just as I knew she would.
I hate people who bum cigarettes from strangers.

Answer 6

Morally responsible? HA.... this man just scammed you out of $60 and it probably only took a minute or two. I'm thinking of giving up my day job to take up pan handling if it's paying that well.

Actually, I'm kidding. It's become more and more common. I was just harrassed in the grocery store parking lot last week. I simply told the person that I have to work hard for my money and if he needed money, I could get him a job with great pay and great benefits. He looked at me like I shocked him, then said "no thanks" and he walked away. You can't help someone who doesn't want to help himself. And the job thing seems to frighten them off, so try using that.

Answer 7

Do not give any money. Tell them to get a job and do something better with their life. Sometimes I feel sorry for them, but then I think that person made a choice that led them to where they are. My friend once gave a homeless person a sandwich and he threw back at her because he asked for money not food. Horrible.

Answer 8

There is a fine line to determine who is really in need, and who is a "con" expert.

I leave the job of determining who is really in need to those that deal with them on a daily basis, such as Salvation Army.

We give to them on a regular basis, and have seen great many people helped by this compassionate organization.

Just consider your $60 a lesson learned.

God bless

Answer 9

Bums are definitely not homeless. There are shelters everywhere.

All you have to do is say, "Maybe the next kind person who does fall for your begging will actually give you the money for you to do something different with your life. Otherwise I don't need to waste my generousity on someone who's going to blow it away."

Answer 10

You gave $60 to a scammer, grifter. Ignore him.

I pass an old man daily who begs for handouts. I have bought sandwiches for him, but most time, I just say hello. Acknowledgement is what all people require. It is a sign of respect, and it gives a bit of dignity back to that person.

Answer 11

The biblical god must be the two good and evil so as to maintain a stability. maximum folk say the devil is in command of the evils. once you think of approximately it, then devil possesses as lots ability because of the fact the god (the comparable god who claimed to be the two darkness and gentle-weight) or god lost some ability while it casted devil out. remember that devil became purely an angel while he became casted out so the two angels have equivalent ability because of the fact the god or devil have been given an incredibly massive ability-up while in Hell. the two way devil grew to become prevalent because of the fact the entity that went against the god, attributing all evils to him. as a effect turning out to be the different area of the coin.