Living in the richest province in Canada with the lowest unemployement rate as well.

There is absolutely No Way ANYONE in Alberta should be "on the bum".

I tell them to get a job, They say: I tried there aren't any"... I say: "I'll hire you to shovel snow" ...They say: "That sounds like work...No Thanks".

This are the guys standing on the centre median asking people for money that are in cars waiting for a light.

 

It's still in circulation the last time I saw it, which was several months ago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_Sheet

 

I'd donate to that cause.....


I also donate to purple heart and the salvation army on a regular basis

 

sorta like the bear that searches for people food cause people feed them.

 

not in chicago, where on any given street there could be 20 people trying to pawn them.

 

I won't give panhandlers a single penny. The reality is that it's a scam. I also remember a news bit on Channel 4 back when I lived in Denver. Many of them "make" more per day begging than I do working. Screw that, they can go get jobs themselves.

 

Working in mental health for 15 years, Ive seen all the transients, bums and panhandlers I care to. There are SOME who are mentally ill. But the majority are seeking a weeks worth of free meals and some "good drugs" then they are back on the road.

I've lived through too many hard times and I never once stuck my hand out for a free buck. I've done jobs that most folks would cringe at. Even after a back injury, living on huge amounts of Tylenol daily..nearly a bottle... I'd take any work offered as long as I thought I MIGHT be able to work at least a day..enough to get some grub. I have no pity for anyone who is too lazy to get even a day job or even a minimum wage job. It'll at least show you are willing to work until you can find a better job and move up from there.

Bottom line with most panhandlers... YOU OWE THEM!!!! I ask the vietnam sign carriers where were you? or when were you there? Most of them just turn away or offer some lame excuse..I can't remember the name of the base. Horsepuckey. It's been more than 35 years for me and I remember everywhere I was and what I was doing.

Panhandlers are professional bums, period. They are too good to work. Even the ones you see with signs saying will work for food... try to offer them a job that involves some hard work and see what happens.

I don't give them a dime. I do, however donate to the Veterans Pantry and the food bank....where I often see people with newer rigs than mine, getting chowed up for the month.

We live in a pretty pathetic time, for a large part. I anxiously await the return of our Savior. I'll take my chances on Judgement Day. And yes... knowing I'm not a perfect specimin of humanity, I'm also prepared to be pointed in either direction.

 

Cave Chapelle said it the best. "get a job grouch"

If they are truely homeless, they have nothing, no job, family, money, home, nothin, why not rob a bank? If you get away, you have money, if you dont, you get FREE shelter and food in the local jail. Beats the streets i figure.

I remember way back in 8th grade, we took a class trip to Washington D.C. They were all over. I gave some change to a few guys playing some blues on accoutic guitars, just because they didnt directly ask me for money, and they were pretty good at playing.

 

Next time I see a bum on the side of the road at an intersection or something, I think I will give them some spare change...

I'll see how hard I can whip the pennys in my ashtray at the bum.

 

Seems as though "bummin" would be some pretty tough Duty up here and over N.D. in the winter.

 

There's a clown in town here who hangs out in popular areas, and has been "written up" by the local paper a time or two - once for suing the city for the right to beg wherever he wants. If you don't give anything, or don't give him enough, he hollars at you and calls you names. Tell him to get a job or some such, and he'll follow you down the street, getting in your face and yelling. I keep thinking "man, it would only take one punch" - but if I were to stoop to go there, I'd be in jail.

Our paper did a story on similar individuals a couple of years ago. One guy only comes here when it's warm. Rakes in $30K to $40K (clear, no taxes) and then returns to his home in FL when the weather starts to change. Hey, begging is one thing, but not paying taxes! Now they're on my fighting side.

So, whenever I'm presented with the opportunity to contribute to what may very well be an un-American lifestyle, I say "No thanks." and continue on my way without looking back.

 

Absolutely right Dennis. A lot of them around here seem to be of one particular race, who just happen to get PAID by the government just to be a member of that race. They have free houses, free trucks, and free post-secondary education, courtesy of the Canadian government, and us taxpayers, and they are still standing in front of every liquor store in town, panhandling. I just ignore them or tell them I gave at the office.
But they sure make me MAD!

 

Getting a lot of imput here.

I know there are several homeless shelters and soup kitchens here, my church operates one of the soup kitchens/cold weather shelters. I should probably get a few cards with the location and operation times to hand out.

I still just dont understand why they tend to single me out instead of someone that clearly has more then I do.

I have thought about what I would do if I were in that situation, robbing a bank wouldent be too bad of an idea. 5-10 years with free food and a roof over your head and the chance for a free education doesent sound too bad.

 

heh, true that.

I'll throw the pennies at bums in Minneapolis when I go home for the summer.

 

Whenever you go somewhere, grab a business card. Keep them all in your car. When the bums ask for a handout, tell them you have something better, then give them a handful of your contacts that may be hiring. Panhandlers bother me too. Mostly because i can never tell who is in NEED and who is just lazy. To solve the problem, i dont give handouts, period. I work for my money, im not into freebies.