Giving Money to Beggars

[K-9]

YOU MIGHT FIND IT A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO GET A JOB AS YOU HAVE NO FORWARDING ADDRESS OF FIXED ABODE.

 

THEN THERE'S A LITTLE PROBLEM WITH WHERE DO THEY SEND YOUR PAY EACH MONTH. YOU'LL STRUGGLE TO GET A BANK ACCOUNT WITHOUT REGISTERING AN ADDRESS.

I already have a bank account. Take the offer of the housing first and you can easily get a job starting immediately if you want one enough. A sh*tty job will do until you can find something better suited to your skills!!

[JimmyJimmy]

On a serious note (not about taking their photographs), I would say that I probably don't give as much to homeless people as I'd like to but then who can say they do? On my route home from Uni I'd be surprised if I don't pass around 6 homeless people on any one day - is it really possible to give each of them a few quid? Not to mention the countless big issue sellers at St Nicholas square or the 'harrassers' outside HMV on Union St. On a night out this number can vary by a factor of 2 - 4, again, I'm not going to give all of them my money.

 

Most likely the money is going to go on booze and/or drugs which I think the point K9 is trying to make - if give your money to homeless charities then you know they can make a real difference. If I'd felt that strongly about the individual person then I'd probably buy them a coffee, sandwich, poke of chips (on a nite oot) or give them my newspaper. Still it probably wouldn't stop me giving them my loose change.

 

It is a reality that not all street beggars in Aberdeen are homeless thus deserving of my money, which I think is a real problem for genuinely desparate people of Aberdeen.

[JimmyJimmy]

K9 - I don't think you understand the complexity of getting a job when all you have are the clothes on your back. Next time you are walking down the street ask one of the beggars about his success on the job searching front. Homeless people need the support of charities like Shelter and the Cyrenians to get them back on their feet as many of them have drug/alcohol/depression problems to overcome and have no qualifications or skills to begin even contemplating taking up work.

[Sneckie]

One of the homeless guys in Inverness used to be Santa Claus at Santa Claus Land (the original one in the 80s) in Aviemore. A bit of a random comment I know but just remembered that when you were talking about the drug and alcohol problems.

[JimmyJimmy]

One of the homeless guys in Inverness used to be Santa Claus at Santa Claus Land (the original one in the 80s) in Aviemore. A bit of a random comment I know but just remembered that when you were talking about the drug and alcohol problems.

 

 

Scary thought, I'd doubt he'd get that job now with all the Disclosure Scotland checks that folk have to go through nowadays. Then again...

[BTR]

One of the homeless guys in Inverness used to be Santa Claus at Santa Claus Land (the original one in the 80s) in Aviemore.

 

That's is really interesting!

[Guest El Padre]

K9 - I don't think you understand the complexity of getting a job when all you have are the clothes on your back. Next time you are walking down the street ask one of the beggars about his success on the job searching front. Homeless people need the support of charities like Shelter and the Cyrenians to get them back on their feet as many of them have drug/alcohol/depression problems to overcome and have no qualifications or skills to begin even contemplating taking up work.

 

Exactly. :appl:

[Sneckie]

That's is really interesting!

 

Did I tell you about the time I nearly played against Aberdeen at Pittodrie? I was gutted I didn't!

[Guest CAPSLOCK]

I already have a bank account. Take the offer of the housing first and you can easily get a job starting immediately if you want one enough. A sh*tty job will do until you can find something better suited to your skills!!

 

AHH I SEE! SO IN YOUR WORLD:

 

A LITTLE HOMELESS MANNIE HOBBLES INTO THE COUNCIL OFFICES AND ASKS FOR A HOUSE AND THEY HAND OVER A SET OF KEYS THEN AND THERE.

 

OR

 

THEY SAY "THERE'S A WAITING LIST SO JUST LET US KNOW WHICH DOORWAY TO FIND YOU IN AND WE'LL COME ROUND AND DROP THE KEYS OFF"

 

HOW STUPID OF ME!

[minijc]

They get sheltered housing for starters paid for (for limited time for them to sort themselves out if they so choose), they can get same benefits as every other person in the uk is entitled to aswell.

 

If i find myself in that situation then i will go out and get myself a job no matter where it is or what it is doing whether it be at Burger King, down the fish or sweeping the streets. I will take the offer of cheap council housing in Logie, Ferriers or Bedford and then pay my way.

To help you get more money i'd say get 2 dogs then you are sorted for sleeping on the street as you would get an extra

[Guest glasgowdon]

Never give money to people who are poor and/or idle.

 

The only money I give away is to charities for war veterans and animal charities.

 

Apart from that, my money is my money.

[boaby]

just a couple of stories:

 

my mate knows a restaurant owner who offered a beggar outside his restaurant a job as a kitchen porter and free meals. beggar said no thanks cos he reckoned he'd get more cash from begging.

 

The scrounging twat.

 

Also heard a story from a cabby who said he saw a girl being "begged at". The girl walked away without giving. The beggar then beat her up.

 

Disgraceful.

 

 

I never give them anything.

[HewittInTheMiddle]

From my point of view, don't let cynicism get in the way of slipping some poor c*nt a quid. Or even just say hello.

 

Manners don't cost a thing.

 

Beggar:Any spare change pal?

Person: Hello.

 

 

:laughmad:

[The Hobbit]

So homeless people are all criminals, work shy and have the ability to get out of their situation at any time they choose. No stereotypes there at all then.

 

 

f*ck knows how anyone could see animals as more deserving either.

 

I have no problem with anyone who doesn't want to give anything but just say you don't because you are greedy or because you can't or because you are more interested in consumption. Fair do's. But don't pass off your choice as some form of indignation about people who are very poorly equiped to have a voice to fight back.

 

These narratives about what people are or are not also need to be challenged. I suppose they all live in big houses and make 30k a year. To call them all (don't get me wrong there probably are some) work shy is a sweeping generalisation and to be honest shows the person making the claim as misinformed at best.

[The Hobbit]

Beggar:Any spare change pal?

Person: Hello.

 

 

:laughmad:

 

I meant instead of turning the metaphorical cheek.

 

Sorry if it was too subtle for you.

[Pholasin]

I personally know I won't give money to every beggar in the street, therefore as a matter of principle I won't give money to any.

 

However, as Hobbit says, I have absolutely no problem acknowledging their existence what so ever. If a big issue seller offers me a big issue I decline politely, if a homeless person asks me for change I apologise and decline, always.

 

Not only does said homeless person or big issue seller respond in a positive fashion that you have taken the time to acknowledge them, you don't get a barrage of abuse as you walk away.

 

Some of the best random conversations I have had were with a junkie beggar on Crown Street, and a Tramp on Oxford Street in London - I bought him a packet of fags such was the chat we had. An old Etonian too, and the least thing like a work shy drug addict - he was just a bit mental, but everyone on Oxford Street's noses were so firmly in the air they would never stop to speak to him of course.

 

Manners cost nothing, but then nor does being an ignorant prick ...

[uni_don]

I very rarely stop and give money to beggars for a variety of reasons. Firstly, I'm a student and don't have that much money to give away. It's not as if I'm going to cut back on my alcohol intake so I can give the money away instead. Secondly, I don't really like the way they sit by cash machines (I believe the one in JimmyJimmy's first pic is sitting by the one on Belmont Street?) and outside shops (the one by the chippy on Belmont Street springs to mind) to guilt-trip you into giving them money. At the end of the day, it's your money, which you've earned (or will pay back later, in the case of some students), so why should you be guilt-tripped into giving it away?

 

In my opinion, donating money to the charities that are supposed to help these people would be more sensible. At least then there isn't the possibility that they'll spend it on drugs and booze.

 

On another note, the beggars in Vatican City are quite something. I was there last year and they really make you feel bad - old wifies missing limbs, wailing and rocking back and forth. Frankly shocking, and there's priests and nuns walking all around the place.

[The Hobbit]

I personally know I won't give money to every beggar in the street, therefore as a matter of principle I won't give money to any.

 

However, as Hobbit says, I have absolutely no problem acknowledging their existence what so ever. If a big issue seller offers me a big issue I decline politely, if a homeless person asks me for change I apologise and decline, always.

 

Not only does said homeless person or big issue seller respond in a positive fashion that you have taken the time to acknowledge them, you don't get a barrage of abuse as you walk away.

 

Some of the best random conversations I have had were with a junkie beggar on Crown Street, and a Tramp on Oxford Street in London - I bought him a packet of fags such was the chat we had. An old Etonian too, and the least thing like a work shy drug addict - he was just a bit mental, but everyone on Oxford Street's noses were so firmly in the air they would never stop to speak to him of course.

 

Manners cost nothing, but then nor does being an ignorant prick ...

 

Quite.

 

I would never ask anyone to give their money away just because I sometimes flip a couple of quid but they don't deserve the abuse handed out.

 

the last time I was in Aberdeen me and the wife were in the taxi rank and a dude came past asking for cash. I said I had no change but good luck but the two boys next to me started with the "GTF ya beggin b*st*rd, they piss me off ".

 

Obviously I couldn't keep my mouth shut and said "f*ck's sake give him a break". I think I would have got my ass kicked if the wife wasn't there.

 

There was just no need at all.

 

Anyway, I'd rather homeless than tin rattling Christians anyday.

[Guest CAPSLOCK]

I meant instead of turning the metaphorical cheek.

 

Sorry if it was too subtle for you.

 

RUSSELL BRAND TOOK A HOMELESS GUY IN FOR A FEW NIGHTS TO LOOK AFTER HIM AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND BETTER THE HOMELESS SITUATION BETTER. THIS IS THE 3RD CLIP OF 3 WHICH I THINK MIGHT PUT YOUR POINT ACROSS QUITE WELL.

[BTR]

An awful lot of extreme opinions in this thread I think and all from the usual suspects to be fair.

 

On the one hand you have them that tar all homeless with the same "waster" brush while on the other you have the idealistic attitude that they are all destitute and hopeless and deserve help.

 

Fact is there is help available to folk that want to be helped. That's not to say that those who don't respond to this "help" are "wasters". Various factors like addiction and poor education tend to mess things up for people. I also don't think not giving is down to "greed", that is a pretty all-encompassing and idealistic viewpoint to take in the same manner as folk from the other persuasion think they are all "wasters".

 

My attitude on beggars kind of changed when I saw a schoolmate of mine begging on Union Street about 5 years ago - a guy I would never have imagined would end up like that. He was just about in tears when he saw me. I've never seen him begging again, I assume he'd be one of the ones that would be clever enough to get himself out of it.

[chunk]

Big Issue seller on my way to work this morning said to me "Morning big chap"

 

This threw me slightly. I hope my response of "No thanks mate" didn't offend.

[zig-a-zig-ah]

Every "case" is different, although I think that to get to the stage of pissing off SO many people, ie ALL your friends and family, is pretty drastic. Alot of them get so many "chances" but don't seem to want to help themselves.

 

Some however, if they ask the right way, instead of EXPECTING you to give, can be good friendly banter, and I've often given a couple of cigarettes to homeless guys, who seem really grateful.

 

Have to say though, there is one guy that sits in the BOS doorway on Union St, just off Crown St, that is a Class A skumbag. The abuse he dishes out, some of it racist, is a disgrace.

[Guest CAPSLOCK]

TO SEAMLESSLY LINK TO ANOTHER THREAD:

 

I WONDER WHY HOMELESS PEOPLE DON'T COMMIT MORE CRIMES SO THEY END UP WITH A SQUARE MEAL AND ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD?

[JimmyJimmy]

TO SEAMLESSLY LINK TO ANOTHER THREAD:

 

I WONDER WHY HOMELESS PEOPLE DON'T COMMIT MORE CRIMES SO THEY END UP WITH A SQUARE MEAL AND ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD?

 

Perhaps some of them have morals and have no wish to become a criminal, not all homeless people commit crimes. I suppose many of them might think that if they commit a crime then they will have next to no chance of returning to society.

 

 

p.s: My opinion of Russell Brand has changed slightly after watching that video - he can be quite a decent guy when not acting all 'Captain Jack Sparrow', savvy.

[K-9]

Perhaps some of them have morals and have no wish to become a criminal, not all homeless people commit crimes. I suppose many of them might think that if they commit a crime then they will have next to no chance of returning to society.

p.s: My opinion of Russell Brand has changed slightly after watching that video - he can be quite a decent guy when not acting all 'Captain Jack Sparrow', savvy.

Probably more to do with having to actually commit a serious crime to actually end up inside. But many criminals do come out and just get nicked again to go back inside as far easier life!!

[Suspect Device]

Skag/Alcohol/Gambling

 

 

You could add child abuse & mental health problems if you want to sound less of a heartless b*st*rd.

 

This is where a large number of homeless start out. The addictions can later obviously as an escape from their sad lives.

 

Of course there are professional beggars as well. It's just things are never black and white.

[K-9]

You could add child abuse & mental health problems if you want to sound less of a heartless b*st*rd.

 

This is where a large number of homeless start out. The addictions can later obviously as an escape from their sad lives.

 

Of course there are professional beggars as well. It's just things are never black and white.

Probably why they can only afford to go to Rangers game and then cannot afford Killie or Hibs matches!!

[JimmyJimmy]

Probably why they can only afford to go to Rangers game and then cannot afford Killie or Hibs matches!!

 

.

[K-9]

.

[hebrewdon]

I passed a girl asking for money last night when I was going to catch the bus home

 

Reminded me of this thread

 

Gave her a few quid to make up for all you miserable gits