Quoting Daryl Stout to Joe Mackey on 02-17-20 18:11 <=-
No asking someone for a handout is asking for help. Not getting and keeping a job.
Plus, the panhandlers don't have to declare it as income, and don't
have to pay taxes on it...and they can work whatever days and hours
they want.
And often aren't out when the weather is lousy, unless they are trying
to play on the emotions....
Most of these are asking for money...and likely is going for either tobacco, alcohol, or drugs. But, I've heard of these variations...
1) They want money for gas for their car. They're told "follow me in
your car to the gas station", and I'll fill your tank up". They
decline.
2) They want money for food. They're told "follow me to this nice restaurant, and I'll buy you a buffet lunch". They decline.
So, they're not needing the gasoline, and aren't really hungry.
Once in a great while, the story is true, and they do take the person up
on the offer of the actual gasoline or food...
Another guy was in a wheelchair, and this one person was about to
give him some money, when the guy in wheelchair pulled out a
smartphone. The other person said "If you can afford a smartphone, you don't need money".
Not necessarily the case any more... there are a couple of plans for the disabled/elderly poor that don't cost anything, like Safelink... One
does have to apply and qualify for it, but once approved, one just has
to recertify annually (and make at least one call per month), and gets a certain number of minutes per month each month... I know someone that
has that, and the phone they sent her was a smartphone...
Another guy got done with his "panhandling", got up from his
wheelchair, and rolled it to a nearby parking lot, put it in the trunk
of his Lexus, and drove off. That soured me to the entire process.
That does seem rather excessively contradictory...
If I could know their hearts and motives, it'd be a different
matter. But, because of the above example, I tell each of them that I'm broke.
I'll usually just tell them I'm sorry, but I don't have anything that I
can share right now... I've been known to hand out meal tickets from
our local homeless mission, and suggest that they check that out for
help...
This former classmate was always giving money to these panhandlers,
and I couldn't convince her that "What happens when the shoe is on the other foot, and you need money? They surely won't be there to help
you".
Of course, the point isn't that if you help them, they'll help you...
it's that they probably won't be able to reciprocate, especially if
truly needy...
ttyl neb
... Cats took many thousands of years to domesticate humans.
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