Our perception of the homeless

And besides, what were you going to spend it on?

Well he earn’t it so he can spend it on what he wants, give it to charity, or give it to a homeless person to spend on what he wants. If you want to help the homeless give to a charity, if you want to give them a treat then give to the homeless person directly – it’s all fine.

EAT THE RICH

But who the hell are you to say whether it’s wasted?

Well as the person giving it or not, of course you make that decision. We make decisions every day whether to give or not to people and companies based on our own particular values, the homeless are not exempt from this.

Homeless people offer opportunities for certain non-homeless to:

1. Make sweeping generalizations and assumptions
2. Sit in judgement from as far away as possible.
3. Have the luxury of enjoying their existing prejudices/projections being fulfilled when observing any ‘charlatan’* **

*Most any homeless person or beggar, but especially those who smoke, drink or do drugs.
** Observing any charlatan behaviour in any individual also gets them ‘off the hook’ so that they never feel bad again about not helping any of the useless cheats that are homeless people. (Homeless?? Hah, they probably make 1000s a week and live in luxury when we aren’t looking)

here we go….
all homeless people are not equal.
how are we to recognise who are destitute, who are mentally ill, who are career beggars, who are charlatans?
can we not give to charity and presume that they can distribute the money by providing assitance to those who truly in need?

3 years ago I was diagnosed with a shit mental illness. Since then I have not worked.
I was lucky that I had worked bloody hard prior to being signed off and managed to save a few quid. I am also surrounded by some amazing people.
Should I have not saved and didn’t have my loved ones my life could be soo much different.
Who knows, I might have ended up on the streets. How different my life is now.
Just be careful, it could happen to you guys.

but there’s a peception that rough sleepers are supported by a big organisation which they aren’t.

True, a good friend managed a homeless charity in Southampton for years, and she said as much. Additionally, I think the most unnoticed obstacle towards anyone achieving greater independence (obviousl ones being money, family issues, mental health, substance abuse etc) is the dehumanising, cyclical effect of being cast as social pariah ‘ having a laugh’ at duping us good hard working folks.

‘And don’t get me started on foreign beggars’, etc… 🙄

Just be careful, it could happen to you guys.

very true, many people are only one bad episode of depression / anxiety away from homelessness….

Sadly, a lot of homeless are ex-squaddies.

And as one myself, I can see how easy it would be to slip into it.

To be fair, I was heading in that direction, I’m crap with money, I can’t cope that well on my own, I suffer from a “perk of the job” that will never leave me, and was generally in shit state.
If I hadn’t met my ( now) wife, I think I would be out there asking for spare change.
Thankfully I’ve a decent job now, but, yeah.. Its never far from the back of my mind what could have been.

how are we to recognise who are destitute, who are mentally ill, who are career beggars, who are charlatans?

Ask them? I do find women are better at this – Mrs MR (crisis refuge worker, now a counsellor) routinely sits and chats with homeless, has them normally twigged within less than a minute. I’m rubbish at small talk but can always listen.

I once saw a tramp collecting the “buy 10 get one free” tokens off coffee cups in McDonalds and the mananger desperately trying to clear tables before he could get to them.

Bought him a meal and sat there while he ate it just to wind the spitefull cow up.

how are we to recognise who are destitute, who are mentally ill, who are career beggars, who are charlatans?

Wait till it’s sub zero and snowing. Those still sat on door steps shivering are the genuine ones. Normally buy them some warm food etc.

routinely sits and chats with homeless,

I’ve always done the same. I’ve never been that good at just walking past someone who has called me.
You get to hear some moving stories and meet some remarkable people. I have befriended a few and was even lucky enough to go to a wedding of one chap. I was partly responsible for him meeting his wife.
Giving money monthly or lose change or food sporadically are all good, but it is surprising what can happen when you give a little time or have a bit of a conversation.

These are people with serious, multiple problems

Now hang on, that’s as much of a sweeping generalisation as the “they’re all charlatans” brigade!

These are people with serious, multiple problems

Now hang on, that’s as much of a sweeping generalisation as the “they’re all charlatans” brigade!

Do you honestly believe they don’t have serious, multiple problems?
They have nothing. They have no roof above their head. They have disassociated from friends and family for whatever problem. They have no money. They have no real idea where the next meal comes from. I could go on. These problems seem quite serious in my eyes.
Sweeping generalisation my arse.

i’m in the states atm. One thing that’s struck me is that the majority of the guys in the streets begging are extremely polite. Day after day, they sit and wait and wish people well. They must be very patient.

The other thing i noticed, is that the ones who are begging are really articulate. They don’t look or act like crack addicts. Many seem to be former army personnel.

US has bugger all safety net – after 99 weeks on the doll you get absolutely nothing. Combine that with 9% unemployment (some states are much higher) and you have graduates on the street….

Never gave money to the homeless but the other week I gave a lift to a couple of hitchhikers. They were a young Hungarian couple who were touring round Ireland on the cheap with a tent an hitch hiking their way. Told me they had only planned to stay for two weeks but only made it round half the country in that time so they were gonna stay another two. Slightly off topic but I thought it was kinda cool and the first time I ever pulled over to give a lift to a stranger.

Used to be an old alcoholic called Steve The Tramp near Wokingham, Always up to mischief – nice enough, but would wind folk up and was arrested on a monthly basis

Used to buy him a couple of beers or some baccy to make his life a little more bearable

Bought him half a bottle of scotch one lunch time – drove past 2 hours later and he was getting carted away in a Police car – he’d been running amok in the local Co-Op demanding more booze

Not one of my finest ideas! :*

They have nothing. They have no roof above their head.

Guy who lived upstairs from me a few years back used to go out begging. So that’s not always true. There are some beggars with problems and some chancers. Maybe start by avoiding the sweeping generalisations on both sides, tricky as that might be.

I was talking about homeless,not beggars as per the title of this thread.
Thanks for giving us a nice story about a guy with a home.