Supporting "Bum" culture

Quote: Evenbob

He can embarrass himself and
bug you till you give him money,
because to him you aren't real.

Isn't that interesting. If he didn't embarrass himself and ask for money do you think anyone would come over to him sitting off to the side desperate, hungry, and smelling bad? If we could we wouldn't treat the homeless or the systemic problem of homelessness as real and ignore it completely. We do this to real people in need 99% of the time if they don't humble themselves to beg. It is the beggar who isn't real to us, we treat him or her like a toll that the only way to get rid of them is to throw some money at them.

Quote:

He only
cares what others in his group think
of him.

You say this as if it is unique to homeless people?!?

Quote: Nareed

"Good Samaritan" is one of the New Testament's lessons in bigotry. "Samaritan" refers to an inhabitant of Samaria, a region in the old kingdom of Israel, whose inhabitants were all classified as a**holes and jerks by the people of Judea at the time of Augustus.

It's capitalized as you'd capitalize "American" of "Roman."

Good post, it is just one of the many, many stereotypes and prejudices that Jesus broke down during his public ministry.

Quote: FrGamble

If he didn't embarrass himself and ask for money do you think anyone would come over to him sitting off to the side desperate, hungry, and smelling bad?

According to the video I posted in this post, there are plenty of soup kitchens and housing for the homeless. Granted, I'm far from an expert in the subject, but I tend to believe this to be largely true. I also tend to believe there is no shortage of work for anybody who wants to work. I know the table games manager of a Laughlin casino and he says they are so hard up for employees that they will take anybody with a beating heart.

Of course, I concede some people are truly desperate and unable to even seek proper help. However, show me somebody with the "work ethic" to make a sign and hustle for spare change and I'll show you somebody who can probably hold down a simple job or at least sponge off of charity and welfare.

Quote: Wizard

According to the video I posted in this post, there are plenty of soup kitchens and housing for the homeless. Granted, I'm far from an expert in the subject, but I tend to believe this to be largely true. I also tend to believe there is no shortage of work for anybody who wants to work. I know the table games manager of a Laughlin casino and he says they are so hard up for employees that they will take anybody with a beating heart.

Of course, I concede some people are truly desperate and unable to even seek proper help. However, show me somebody with the "work ethic" to make a sign and hustle for spare change and I'll show you somebody who can probably hold down a simple job or at least sponge off of charity and welfare.

There are lots of soup kitchens and other ministries that care for the homeless and materially needy. Just a reminder I do not think we should be giving moving to people on the streets, but rather be supporting these groups that are working to do direct service in an organized and responsible way and those who are working to make real changes in society to help end homelessness.

Many of the homeless are as you recognize unable to get or hold a job. Many have serious addiction and mental issues. Even those crafty enough to find a sign, a marker, and something to hold some money in are not able to shower, don't have clothes to wear for work, have no means of transportation, no ID, health issues, or are one flat tire away from getting fired. The other thing to recognize is the lack of a "living wage". If you find a job that pays minimum wage there will be no way for you to pay for shelter, let along food, clothing, toiletries, etc.

Quote: FrGamble

Many of the homeless are as you recognize unable to get or hold a job. Many have serious addiction and mental issues.

We used to keep people with mental issues. We no longer do. Might be time to bring back some of the old system.

Quote: FrGamble

Good post, it is just one of the many, many stereotypes and prejudices that Jesus broke down during his public ministry.

Too bad the story didn't take, eh?

By qualifying any member of any group as "good," the implication is that the rest of that group are not good. Rather than break down a prejudice, it reinforces it.

Maybe that explains the prevalence of bigotry and discrimination in Christianity.

Quote: AZDuffman

We used to keep people with mental issues. We no longer do. Might be time to bring back some of the old system.

I agree with you. I don't know why we did not reform the asylum system instead of just dismantling it.

Quote: Nareed

By qualifying any member of any group as "good," the implication is that the rest of that group are not good. Rather than break down a prejudice, it reinforces it.

Remember I said that your penultimate post was a "good post".

Quote: FrGamble

I agree with you. I don't know why we did not reform the asylum system instead of just dismantling it.

Road to Hell paved with good intentions.

Even in the asylum system there are likely many that you can do little but dope them up all day and night. But I would rather we have a place for them. Realistically, no politician is going to run on bringing them back.

One weird thing I read about asylums is the people in them know they belong. In a psyc course I read where sane people were slipped in for some kind of experiment and within the day they were told they did not belong there.

Quote: FrGamble

Isn't that interesting. If he didn't embarrass himself and ask for money do you think anyone would come over to him sitting off to the side desperate, hungry, and smelling bad?

You can spot the truly desperate very
quickly just a little experience. The
pro beggars, which most of them
begging are, have a way about them.
And again, it's not embarrassing to
them. In a way they look at themselves
as superior to you because they're
living by their wits and you're their
chump. I knew some of these people
for years. I saw them for years, I knew
their names. They like what they do,
that's why they do it.