Don't Feed The Homeless

Having trouble getting employment/residency? Why not also get a criminal record?!

Oh I'm very aware hence the pokerface. I probably should have put a picture of an open can of worms instead. It's actually not a bad alternative.

The only controversy involved is the level of your morality. As long as you don't kill anyone or cause a large amount of trama to someone.

I actually know of somebody who has a family member who hit that point. He robbed a bank with a butter knife and went and sat on the sidewalk and waited for the cops to come pick him up. He got 7 years for it. When he got out he actually found work and they rehabilitated him. I think he even got a degree while in jail?

I mean it's pretty crazy.

meh.... The majority of "homeless" people out there are so because they'd rather live that way than get their life together.

The resources available to these people are almost limitless.

Prison healthcare can get pretty extensive... a lot of suicides in prison... more than I would have thought...

People have done it before, one guy in particular for medical care after he lost his job... but I wouldn't recomend it as they are not places you ever really want to be ever..

What world do you live in? I mean seriously... how out of touch with reality are you?

Where on earth do you get your "information" from? Not sure what relevance that has to anything, but anyway.... Doesn't happen. I think there was like, one incident where a rogue punch killed a fan.

Back to the point, you get the same thing in any major city in this country. One homeless person, fine, not a problem. Gang of homeless smackheads? Give them a wide berth or make sure you know you have the means to deal with it if it turns nasty.

And for the record don't mistake me for being sarcastic or cold/uncaring. I actually care a whole lot about this type of issue. That's why I was quick enough to fire out the living in car guide as well as jail alternative. (Don't recommend it unless your so far gone that you are about to die).


I agree with this for the most part. If you want to fix your life enough you'll find a way to. Letting yourself go is the #1 mistake most make. Then you start to blame other people. You get into a cycle and it becomes extremely hard to pull out of.

You are in control of your own life, nobody else.

Right. Because America is soooooo good with mental illness. You know, the condition the majority of homeless people have to deal with.

I repeat, many homeless people are mentally unsound. Drug addicts, alcoholics and social pariahs bring up the rear.

Ultimately the issue has nothing to do with a "hobo being dangerous," but rather they are reducing property value.

Edit: I dunno it comes with the territory. If one lives in a large city duh they're going to encounter homeless.

I agree, the person isn't violent. However, the drugs and alcohol that they are on makes them unpredictable in ways that can result in violence.

I also agree with this as well. It's a touchy subject because there are a TON of factors involved. It's always a case by case basis. You can always find help and try to recover, but if you get an ounce of money and blow it to get drunk or high it's going to become very apparent and those helping you are going to abandon you very quickly. This is where it spirals into someone elses fault again for your situation.

It's a very nasty downward spiral where rock bottom becomes a magnet.

I joked but that's why I mentioned jail. At that point your going to go nuts in prison from withdrawls and either die there or turn it around and make something for yourself. You can perform jobs and apparently get a degree while in jail.

In short not everyone can be helped.

Perhaps not the majority, but there are homeless people out there that live on the streets because they can't deal with everyday pressures like employment, paying bills on time, etc etc.

Somehow, begging people for money, being chased off by police and angry shop owners every other day, being attacked by random strangers, and being looked upon like you're a freak are a better alternative.

The fact that so many homeless people want money to buy drugs and alcohol is good indication that they are just looking for an escape.

So.... how exactly do you know they're on drugs and alcohol?

Also, how many people on this site even brag about being high and boozing it up while gaming? Does that mean that they are unpredictable and their actions can result in violence?

Are you afraid to walk into a bar because of all the people consuming pitcher after pitcher of beer or downing shots like they won't be there tomorrow?

I mean god... you act, first, like in order to be homeless you must be on some kind of drug and be constantly consuming alcohol... then you relate to them in a completely different way then people you probably walk past every day who are either drunk right then and might even be on something too... drug trafficking is a multibillion dollar business that is afforded to more than just the average homeless person..

If you want to make any kind of reasonable case for yourself then at least reference some kind of mental illness... hell you were drunk yourself when you had your "encounter"

Oooooo bad play.

I thought you right wing nuts would do anything to support our VoFW?

so now you're saying our vets "just need to get their lives together"?

do you have any notion of the perceived social stigma of mental illness in our country?

wow.

(writing in crayon now)

vets account for a good percentage of the homeless

So we're back to "there are some people that won't get out of this no matter what help they're offered" rather than every homeless person just wants to be like this no matter what anyone does for them...

Also, how do you know they want money for drugs and alcohol? Do you follow them around and watch their purchases? none of them actually eat? they just booze and drug it up?

so many assumptions and labels tagged on people without even having a clue...

These are really good points however you kind of exaggerate the situations a little bit. Getting high or drunk while hanging out or playing videogames in a stable environment is one thing. It's recreation for many people.

You can't really compare that to having nothing and feeling like the worlds worst garbage. Your mental state deteriorates and the only way to escape into SOME form of good feeling is by getting high or drunk.

One uses to enhance current pleasure while the other is an escape from the problems of reality.

Also yes you should be VERY wary walking into random bars with drunk people. You never know who has a gun these days. Unless it's a local bar and you know the owner/bartenders (aka a regular) you should always be on some form of a guard. Hell even then you should be slightly wary.

Not to support Schmule's argument, however, he's partially right at least with regards to this article. The shelters especially in Hollywood (where the article's residents are bitching) have needle exchanges.

Not saying ALL or even most are shooting up, but the city has definitely had to take measures especially with the increased numbers of Hep C.

Edit: 1 in 4 Los Angeles Homeless Have Hep C So IV drug use is kinda an issue with homeless here in Los Angeles.

No, I don't follow homeless people around. When you see the same homeless people ritualistically sloshed or high as a kite, it doesn't take much to put 2 and 2 together.

A kind reminder that we are a so-called "christian nation" and this is what Jesus would have wanted.

It is staggering how few of the "christians" in this country actually follow Christ.

Have you met some of the people on this site alone? hell some people even use gaming as an escape... There are a lot of people dealing with all kinds of different forms of depression... homeless or not... not everyone who uses drugs or alcohol that isn't homeless is using it as a supplement to enhance current pleasure...

I'm not trying to make homeless people into a shining beacon of hope or your pity... I'm trying to get you guys to not be afraid of something just because of what you're conditioned to believe... Homeless or not you're a person... it doesn't degrade your value... it doesn't make you more dangerous... there are people who have homes that are just as docile or dangerous... that partake in some of the same activities for some of the same reasons... It just seems like people automatically associate the homeless with booze drugs and violence before they even have any idea what the truth is...

Point blank there is no way to prove or disprove that someone is in their situation due to drugs and alcohol. The only thing you know is that the situation has reached a point where everything was lost and the worst has happened for someone.

It varies on a person to person basis and it's such a wide variety that you could argue this into the ground.

There will never be a definitive way to solve this problem logically.

The only thing we have to go on are statistics and studies performed and an extremely large amount of them are indeed addicts of some sort. I already explained that escapes of reality is the last line of defense before suicide. If a stranger gives you 10$ (which lets face it, you're LUCKY to even get spare change). What is 10$ going to do for you? Chances are you have no credit... blackballed from getting an apartment due to bad rent history. Your in collections for like a billion things. What else are you going to do besides eat? Hitting up Wendy's for a 99 cent junior bacon cheeseburger and 9$ worth of alchol is your best option until you hope something better comes along.

You have to walk a mile in someones shoes.

So those few people represent the entire community for you? If I see the same couple of guys going to the bar every day and drinking during work does that mean all people in a similar situation are exactly like them?

Umm... When did I personally say that all homeless people are like this? You're claiming that I and others are over-generalizing, but you're doing plenty yourself.

Sometimes I wonder if people's cruelty reflect republican talking points or do republican talking points reflect people's cruelty.

I agree with the message that we shouldn't be afraid of homeless or to help homeless. For me personally I always gave food away instead of money. One time I even gave my packed lunch away while on the way to work. I'll never give money but I'll give anything else I can at that moment in time. That's my choice.

And you're also absolutely right that not everyone here uses drugs or alcohol for recreation. But the vast majority do.

Videogames are a great escape. Just like books, television and movies are. Everyone handles escapes differently. But these still will never compare to somebody with nothing.

It's unfortunate but statistics are statistics. Most homeless are addicts for the reasons I listed above already. But I personally don't hold that against anyone. People cope in their own way.

Having a heart and compassion is a rare admirable trait.

how unfortunate...

Most homeless people have social disorders or other mental illnesses. The very idea that they organize large packs with lawless intent is the absolute opposite of their mental capacities. You are probably confusing the homeless with druggy hooligans. A bunch of tweakers on a mission are a far cry from what the vast majority of the homeless population actually are.

CRISIS estimates that over 50% of homeless have "problems" with alcohol and around 40% with drugs. However, you don't need that confirmed when you actually interact with them, it is obvious.

You won't likely get shot in a rowdy bar in England, but you will definitely end up in a fight if you mouth off, or step in the wrong pub.

People who get high or drunk for recreation behave very differently to those who are addicted, or doing it for escapism.

99% of people I "walk past" who are high or drunk don't interact with me, so it's not a problem. 100% of homeless people interact with me asking for money, a few of them turn nasty when you tell them no.

I have tales (some mine, some others) of first hand altercations with homeless drunk / high people ending in violence against them, so don't tell me "it doesn't happen" because it does.

My initial point was to the comment "they aren't bothering anyone" - They are. Frequently. ...and sometimes it ends badly.

Supply-side Jesus would!