SOT: When you come across a homeless person do you look them in the eye, smile and say “hello”?

Question

Or do you, like 98% of folks, try to pretend they are invisible?

As someone who was on the streets as a young man, have the decency to treat them like human beings. Being invisible really su*ks big time and does not help the situation at all. You don’t have to give them money but at least treat them with a little dignity.

SOT = sort of off topic.

Debbie posted a question that reminded me of this today Thanks Debbie.

End of rant.

Huh, for the last 15 years I frequently give money and even stop and chat some times. Never had a single problem.

Answer 1

I went through this a few weeks ago.
I was at a seminar in downtown Baltimore, and went outside to get some fresh air. I saw a couple trying to talk to people (they looked pretty dirty and he looked like he'd been beaten up recently) no one would make eye contact.
They walked up to me and said hello. I said, "hi, how are you?" Both of them teared up. The woman said, "If I wasn't so filthy and you weren't so dressed up, I'd hug you right now. You are the first person here who has even looked at us like we are human beings." They proceeded to explain that they had come up from virginia beach on the promise of employment, and the person turned out to be a liar. They had spent all of their money to get up there and ended up on the streets. One of the local services had set them up with bus tickets to go home but they needed to find a shelter until then. I told them that I wasn't sure where one was located, but that I could give them some cash to get food until then. We chatted for a few more minutes (I lived in virgina beach for 20 years) and then I had to go back to the seminar. I gave them what cash I had in my wallet, and they thanked me profusely. I made two new friends that day and helped someone in need.
I'll never forget the look on their faces when they said that I was the only true human being they had met that week.
It was powerful.

Answer 2

In my area, we don't see many homeless people and if they are then I can't tell. But my heart goes out for the homeless. The age ranges from young to old. My response would be a big smile and if they ask for something, I would try to help them as much as possible. I could be that homeless person. Whatever pushed a homeless person to that point of poverty must had robbed them of their self esteem and of all the confidence that they had left within themselves. There are so many reasons why there is homeless people so that gives us more reasons to want to help them. We can start by praying for the needy and the homeless that is all over this world. Whatever we do to and for a homeless person, we have did it unto the Lord!

Answer 3

Actually, I've found that I can have some of the most interesting conversations with certain homeless people. Good or bad, they'll almost always make your day memorable. One man, who did indeed seem a little unbalanced, asked me ever so politely if I had a shank on me so he could take care of someone down the street who was bothering him (which he was quite serious about). I said "no, I'm sorry, I don't", and he was just so polite, chatted with me a minute, and thanked me for my time. Very surreal. Another time a young man who was so down on his luck, yet was so optimistic and positive (though I do know it was a front) that it brought me to tears. If nothing else, talking with the homeless will give you a new perspective on your own life.

You do, of course, have to use your judgement as well.....some people are too unbalanced and are best left to themselves. I have also had a very unpleasant experience.

Answer 4

I could not agree with you any more. No matter who the person is or what problems they have they are still a person with value that should be treated with respect. It reminds me of a situation that I went through yesterday, I was at the gas station yesterday- and this gas station is where everyone goes- it's the spot. Any how there's this lady that is always everywhere and I have given this lady money when I can and even given her rides. Yesterday I saw her and again helped her with what I could and she gave me a hug outside of the store- these wanna be hood guys were talking trash, one thing they said was how can a beautiful girl like you dirty yourself by hugging a bum- I was in disbelief thinking that a person can humiliate a person that is no different than they can turn out in the future. There is a such thing as Karma.

Answer 5

I often say hello to people, and half the time i would not know if they were homeless or not. A lot of homeless people still find somewhere to freshen up and look clean. Some people are homeless through no fault of their own. A smile and a Hi costs nothing, so i do not mind sharing them.

Answer 6

not always,lot of bad memories,living on the street was no walk in the park. benches were cold,and the people had responsibility's . i had more people offer to help than if i had asked. there are ways around that can help when your a Homeless person. and there are those who have given up that just stay there . it's not easy to tell them apart .
When i can i may even give something. but there i am again. Bad memories.

Answer 7

Hello,

Yes, I say good morning. As it has been said on many occasions that most people are three or four pay cheques away from poverty. Talk to many of these homeless and you can tell by their diction they have pretty good education and were somebody higher up once. Scorning or making fun of them is just like laughing at a physically handicapped person. In this topsy turvy world economy, one stroke of a pen in a big company or government on the other side of the world or within our own countries can send any of us spiralling down from yuppie achievers to dejected street people.

Michael Kelly

Answer 8

I treat a homeless person the same as I would treat a rich person. I don't have to give to the rich, they just take what they want. I let the spirit guide me to try to understand if I'm helping this person's situation of hunger or habit. Some people have a bad drug habit and is their choice to be homeless. I will feed them if they are hungry, but I won't buy into their bad habits.

Answer 9

i ignore the ones that are obviously intoxicated (whether it be drugs or alcohol) and i certainly do not give them money. i don't work hard to hand off my money to someone that is in need but chooses to use my money to buy drugs/alcohol.

now with that being said, living in gainesville and coming from miami, i find there is a big difference between homeless. in miami, i am scared of them. they will follow you, run up behind you, bang on your car windows, etc. up here in gainesville, i am not afraid of the homeless at all. i walk around at night all the time and find that i am not bothered. i greet them as i walk by, a lot are very polite people that just fell on some hard times. i still don't give them money, mainly because i never have cash on me, but i have gone to mcdonalds and bought a meal and given it to one.

Answer 10

sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't, but this goes for anybody I come across homeless or not. If I smiled and said hello to everyone on the street that I came across, I would never get to work. Some of those hello's would turn into conversations etc…Unfortunately, if I do not show up for work, because I am too busy saying hello to everyone I come across I would lose my job, and eventually I would be homeless as well if I kept up this behavior.