Zombie I just chewed out a panhandler.

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BLAZINGGIANTS said:
My brother is a recovering heroin addict. That means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. While he never lived the completely crusty life many addicts did, he lived in some filth. That being said, I have met many addicts who are trying to get clean. They all refuse to give money to those who beg on the street, and claim that 97% of them will immediately take any money they make and flip it for drugs or alcohol. How do they know? They lived it. Who am I going to trust on this bit of "fact"? Them, cuz, again, they lived it. So I don't give a dime to beggars, and have been encouraged by former beggars to not give up a penny.
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I've been of that school as well, but an event a few years ago changed it. I used to just give money to shelters or donate food and my old coats and blankets with the idea that I could control how the money was being spent. However, when I lived in Chicago, there was a guy who lived in my neighborhood. I would pass by him on the way home every day. He would always ask for money and I would always decline (I believe in saying "no" rather than ignoring the question).

One cold night he asked me for money and I again declined. He died that night from exposure. I often wonder what he would have been able to do with the money I could have given him. Get a cup of coffee? Sit in a diner? Since then, I've taken the risk that I could be contributing to someone's drug or alcohol problem.
 
I just want to apologize for what I said. Like I said I would never Run up to one and just start yelling. Actually I'm usually the one who hands them money. I was very frustrated the other day and that isn't me.
 
There are a lot of ways to help people in need... but giving money to pan handlers is not one on my list. I think it can actually help feed problems.
 
I was walking out of the drug store a few days ago...gave a guy who asked a dollar....then he asked for one of the beers from a 30 pack....gave him one...lol
 
I doubt the IRS would garner 75%.... unless the 25% was enough for him to live on.

I feel bad for homeless people... a lot of them used to be in mental institutions but unless you are a danger to yourself or others regardless of how crazy you are... you can't really expect much help.

There is a new bread of panhandlers now though... they are organized... they are not crazy... they are doing it for easy money.

Edited: Originally said max IRS could garnish was 25% but I don't think that is true. There is a table they use to determine the amount. Most likely he is having child support or something also
 
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Paxil said:
Max amount IRS can garnish is 25% not 75%.

I feel bad for homeless people... a lot of them used to be in mental institutions but unless you are a danger to yourself or others regardless of how crazy you are... you can't really expect much help.

There is a new bread of panhandlers now though... they are organized... they are not crazy... they are doing it for easy money.
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can they garnish this on top of normal taxes (about 30%), adding up to say 55%?
 
I had a divorced friend who lost a very good job... and his ex remarried some rich guy... and yet he was paying almost all his salary (much less than the good job) to child support. He went to court to try to get it reduced and they raised it. He had about $600 take home after they took child support, and his rent was $500. Not sure how he made it... but buying beer wasn't on the top of his list.
 
DaRizzle said:
...and the theory proves true

Those who know the least are the loudest

...hope you enjoyed yelling at a homeless man who did nothing to you.

...and you didnt "take a stand" as you claim...you yelled at a homeless man. Thats not taking a stand, thats letting frustrations get the better of you (again) and chewing somebody out because you dont know how to express yourself unless you are pissed.

Going to City Hall or the Police to try to remedy the problem is "taking a stand"....you were just being a snob
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Many of the freeway off-ramp panhandlers are not homeless.

That is part of the problem. Gangs control the locations and place workers to beg idiots for money. These probably are professional beggars.

Didn't you see that documentary about professional beggars done years ago? Ones in NYC were pulling down over $100k per year. Tax free - as in those fuckers don't pay taxes on their "earnings".

The only solution to the problem of professional beggars and drug addits is NEVER give money to beggars/panhandlers. Carry around calling cards to social service agencies / shelters and tokens for meals. Hand those out.
 
[video=youtube;HtrYU6vWdiE]

At least this guy is creative and sings
 
The Sebastian Express said:
Why don't you offer them some help on how to try and get a job? Why don't you take them to a shelter, and offer them another alternative than panhandling for money?
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You need to try this out.

You are in for an education.

My experience is that 95% of the panhandlers / beggars will get angry when you try to "help" them.

Don't you get it? They don't want your pathetic fucking "help". They want hard, cold cash. End of story. Anything else is junk to them.

I have offered beggars manual work / food / drive to a shelter, etc. Been turned down most times. Even been cursed at multiple different times for the insulting offer. That is how you can flush out the pros and drug addicts.

Again - never give money - EVER.
 
It depends on my mood and the vibe I get from the homeless person if I give them a buck or not.
 
The only time I ever give money is if I talk to them for a while...and it's extremely rare. I have given money to some folks broken down in a parking lot had no money and were stuck, some funny drunk homeless guys in New Orleans (because they told good stories - figure it was payment for the stories so they could go get drunk), to a girl that said her bf had kicked her out of the car and she needed to get bus money back to Salem (that was a scam - she had no idea where bus station was and didn't want a ride - I figured out the BS after giving her money). I have also given food to homeless people that haven't asked...

all that said I should probably do more...but I won't give to pan handlers...especially aggressive pan handlers...
 
When I was in Seattle the panhandles I saw by the Piers were drunken messes. Like every 20-feet there was one asking for money.
 
Masbee said:
You need to try this out.

You are in for an education.

My experience is that 95% of the panhandlers / beggars will get angry when you try to "help" them.

Don't you get it? They don't want your pathetic fucking "help". They want hard, cold cash. End of story. Anything else is junk to them.

I have offered beggars manual work / food / drive to a shelter, etc. Been turned down most times. Even been cursed at multiple different times for the insulting offer. That is how you can flush out the pros and drug addicts.

Again - never give money - EVER.
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I give them food, water and blankets - never had a problem so far. I guess none of them want to educate me, sorry to disappoint you.
 
not sure what kind of homeless person would swear at you if you offered them a sandwich...
 
I never give them money because I don't carry cash. If I have time, I usually buy em a sandwich or something.
 
drexlersdad said:
not sure what kind of homeless person would swear at you if you offered them a sandwich...
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I had one get pissed when we offered him about six muffins that we had leftover from an event. It was in Salem, I think, a couple of years ago.

Ed O.
 
Masbee said:
You need to try this out.

You are in for an education.

My experience is that 95% of the panhandlers / beggars will get angry when you try to "help" them.

Don't you get it? They don't want your pathetic fucking "help". They want hard, cold cash. End of story. Anything else is junk to them.

I have offered beggars manual work / food / drive to a shelter, etc. Been turned down most times. Even been cursed at multiple different times for the insulting offer. That is how you can flush out the pros and drug addicts.

Again - never give money - EVER.
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We must live on different planets.

I worked at SW 3rd and Pine, downtown Portland for 15 years. During my lunch breaks I got to know many, many homeless people quite well. I learned their colorful histories, their insurmountable challenges, and came to admire a few of them for their "scrappiness". I often shared my lunch, and sometimes gave them a little money. They appreciated food over money every time.

I treated them with respect, and they returned in kind. That's how human beings roll.

I've never run into anything like what you describe.
 
One time I went downtown and took 5 or 6 dollars in coins with me with plans to give it to the first person to ask me for some spare change. Just before heading home I gave the change to some dude, and not even 10 minutes later while on the bus heading down the bus mall, I spotted the same guy quite obviously buying drugs from some dude. He probably got 2 rocks for that 5-6 bucks.

Years later I was walking down the street with a a friend after work, when a girl asked my friend for some change. He said he didn't have any change. I then turned and told her I didn't have any change either, to which she replied "I wasn't talking to you."

I give out change once in a while, but rarely.
 
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DaRizzle said:
I was walking out of the drug store a few days ago...gave a guy who asked a dollar....then he asked for one of the beers from a 30 pack....gave him one...lol
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Moral of the story? Everyone can use a cold one.
 
I have had interaction with many homeless. I think the general rule is if you give a panhandler money, it could be for drugs, alcohol (I think most likely) or food.

Some homeless are nice and have real human stories about themselves and their life. Others can be rude and an all around jerk. Some are young punks, some are bipolar people who can't adjust, some are poeple who have worked all their life but are disabled with no means of income. There are so many differnt stories out there.

There are a lot of better places to donate money if you feel like helping out the unfortuante. But if you don't care what the panhandler is going to do with the money, I like the attitude of you may have just given a dollar to someone who really needs it . . . and hopefully when I'm down on my luck, someone is there to help with whatever they can.
 
I miss the guy who used to stand at the light at the Rose Garden exit from I5 North. Dude had a sign that said, "Bet you can't hit me with a quarter..."
 
I am not sure how all our anecdotes of experiences with would-be homeless / panhandlers / beggars has that much relevance to the core issue:

DO NOT GIVE MONEY TO PEOPLE ON THE STREET.

If you do, you are likely supporting a drug habit. There is NO WAY for you to know what the situation of a person you just met on the street really is. You have to assume they will take the cash and do something with it you wouldn't approve.

If you want to get involved, direct them to help, give them food or food vouchers directly, offer them work etc. Do not give beggars cash.

I am not sure why that is so hard for folks to grasp. It makes no difference what percentage really need help and which are scamming.

Think of it this way. We all get what we pay for.

If the collective pays for begging/panhandling we will get more begging/panhandling. The more money they get for doing the more panhandling will occur.
 
The only thing I ever give to panhandlers is a Chalupa coupon.
 
Masbee said:
I am not sure how all our anecdotes of experiences with would-be homeless / panhandlers / beggars has that much relevance to the core issue:

DO NOT GIVE MONEY TO PEOPLE ON THE STREET.

If you do, you are likely supporting a drug habit. There is NO WAY for you to know what the situation of a person you just met on the street really is. You have to assume they will take the cash and do something with it you wouldn't approve.

If you want to get involved, direct them to help, give them food or food vouchers directly, offer them work etc. Do not give beggars cash.

I am not sure why that is so hard for folks to grasp. It makes no difference what percentage really need help and which are scamming.

Think of it this way. We all get what we pay for.

If the collective pays for begging/panhandling we will get more begging/panhandling. The more money they get for doing the more panhandling will occur.
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Because some of us are on completely different wavelengths. I'm not interesting in stopping panhandling or concerned that my dollar may be feeding some drug habit.

I look at the person in front of me, maybe talk to him and decide if I feel the person could use a break today and if I have some the spare money to help him out.

I realize he could go buy drugs, alcohol or food with it. I realize this may make more panhanddlers come into the area and on some large socialogy scale giving money is bad for the overall community. I honest don't care about all that if I see some dude who I think could use a dollar.
 
BlazerWookee said:
I miss the guy who used to stand at the light at the Rose Garden exit from I5 North. Dude had a sign that said, "Bet you can't hit me with a quarter..."
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This guy deserves money! Creativity will make me dish out some cash every time!
 
it's_GO_time said:
Because some of us are on completely different wavelengths. I'm not interesting in stopping panhandling or concerned that my dollar may be feeding some drug habit.
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You are completely irresponsible if that is your attitude.
 
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