Quote from: Atlas on February 02, 2011, 03:08:43 PM

Quote from: pull on February 01, 2011, 12:27:02 AM

This is why I suggest you all panhandle for 2 hours.. See how people treat you, and maybe you'll treat someone else with a little more respect next time.

I would expect nothing more than disrespect, begging for money with no productive work in exchange. You're capable of valuable work. I can tell just by that post. There is no reason why you can't sustain yourself.

Indeed, but for some reason my craiglist posts tender nothing. The only thing I got was that fake cashier's check. I've had alot of replies for web design work, but when I reply, no one gets back to me. I don't know exactly where to advertise my resume in the non-digital world. You're correct, I am sustaining myself, but that's not enough. I need more than just to survive.

Why would you expect nothing other than disrespect? That's what bothers me, what are you supposed to do when you are genuinely hungry or perhaps someone stole your shoes (I've had it happen)? If you have no one that can help you to begin with, where do you turn? Should you spend hours on end trying to track down some charitable organization that might be able to get you some sneakers? Doesn't it seem more prudent to stand outside a foot-locker barefoot and ask a fellow human being if he'd mind buying you the cheapest pair of shoes so you don't destroy your feet?

And why is it assumed that you should be disrespected for such an act? To me it seems like the most logical and quickest way to fulfill your needs. When another human being is genuinely in need, why is disrespect an assumed and apparently reasonable response? Unemployment is still 10%, and in Colorado unemployment rose 1.5% from Dec 2009 to Dec 2010. Which shows that jobs are harder to get, and apparently getting harder to maintain.

This means that one out of every 10 people, can't afford their own way. I know the majority of them rely on family to help sustain until they rebound.

Quote

``At this festive season of the year, Mr Scrooge,'' said the gentleman, taking up a pen, ``it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.''

``Are there no prisons?'' asked Scrooge.

``Plenty of prisons,'' said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.

``And the Union workhouses?'' demanded Scrooge. ``Are they still in operation?''

``They are. Still,'' returned the gentleman, `` I wish I could say they were not.''

``The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?'' said Scrooge.

``Both very busy, sir.''

``Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course,'' said Scrooge. ``I'm very glad to hear it.''

``Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude,'' returned the gentleman, ``a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?''

``Nothing!'' Scrooge replied.

``You wish to be anonymous?''

``I wish to be left alone,'' said Scrooge. ``Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there.''

``Many can't go there; and many would rather die.''

``If they would rather die,'' said Scrooge, ``they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."

Have we all forgotten the lessons we were taught as children? Or perhaps it was only meant to be superficial. Those of us who weeped at the death of Tiny Tim, quickly grew hardened of heart and abandoned the ideas of charity and lending a helping hand to another.

I find it personally disgusting that I have to sit here and defend the concept of charity. That almost all of you have the nerve to suggest that everyone need make their own way without assistance, and those who can't (regardless of the reason why they can't) need not waste the air you breathe. Most of you seem to expect that there's some other entity that has the duty to help people, but churches have limited funding, and social security is withering away to nothing. Work programs don't exist for individuals, and if they were to be subsidized there would be a mass-protest chastising Obama for his "nazi-like socialist reforms." So how do we win as a society? With this attitude, I feel we don't. Everyone complains about illegal immigration as an issue due to the fact that "jobs are being taken." And as a country we have enough clandestine problems we need to resolve before we take care of foreign citizens, but how are we taking care of our own citizens? 10% unemployment.. with no work programs an minimal financial assistance.

Yet it's assumed that you should be disrespected when you ask for help.. It doesn't logically add up. Yet, I am the target of aggression and angst. I am apparently everything that's wrong with this world. The homeless, the "beggar," the poverty stricken, the man who asks for help.... I am the evil one because I ask for help, but those who insist the poor need not anything from anyone, and must accept the soup kitchens and shelters as a way of life, and accept no other assistance. These are the socially acceptable ones, and I'm the bad guy. If it helps you sleep at night knowing that there's a terrible HOMELESS BEGGAR in your midst, as opposed the man who steps over a homeless vet (who fought for our freedom when you were a child) and tells him to get a job..