I was approached by a disabled panhandler this morning, and a question struck me. Seems these days like it's en vogue to hate "big government"; that taxes are bad and that people should take it upon themselves, as INDIVIDUALS, to provide themselves and their families with what they need: Health care, retirement money, education, etc. Most people you ask seem to condemn the ideas of welfare, social security, and government-sponsored universal health care. INDIVIDUALS should provide for INDIVIDUALS, right?
Well, if that's so, why are people so reluctant to give personally to some needy, broken-down homeless guy on the street? I hear people say they'd rather give their dollars to charities and shelters, and let these ORGANIZATIONS do the actual "helping". If people are so opposed to centralized organizations when it comes to health care and welfare, why won't more INDIVIDUALS give a buck or two to the man in the street, and cut out the bureaucracy? Just a Thanksgiving thought.
2007-11-22 05:01:25 · 3 answers · asked by ? 6 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Polls & Surveys
give a man a fish he eats for one day teach him to fish and he can eat for a lifetime...it is all about long term help buy a hot meal for someone yes of course*
2007-11-22 10:32:20 · answer #1 · answered by Penny Mae 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's true "Sarah" -- some "bad apples" spoil it for the others. I'm a live-in employee at a homeless shelter in southern IN, so I see 1st hand how manipulative some "street people" can be. What being here has done for me: 1) I managed to evolve beyond a 33 year love affair with marijuana [clean now for nearly 3 yrs.]; 2) I was given a chance to give back (or "pay forward") by accepting a position here 5 months after coming in as a resident myself (when I had nowhere else to go); 3) I received treatment for "acute, chronic depression" (after the break-up of my 3rd marriage); 4) I re-discovered that God still loved me, & wanted my love in return. So now I share one of the gifts He gave me by singing in the choir at the same church in which I grew up. Happy Thanksgiving to all, & I hope each of you can find in your lives at least one thing for which to be thankful!
2007-11-22 13:51:50 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they feel if you continue to encourage poor helpless broken homeless guy on the street, they will see that this is an acceptable way to get money, which it is not. We have seen time and time and over and over again that people can build up a life for themselves from working a mc'ds shift or whatever. it takes time but with perservence it can happen.
(plus some beggars outright lie just to get some cash)
2007-11-22 13:07:10 · answer #3 · answered by sarah 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋