If Some Person Standing On A Street Corner Asks You For Change Would You Help?

M

MR.KAZ

Lurker
Almost every time I go uptown people approach me asking for change to buy coffee.If I have it I give it to them.I know there is a strong chance he or she is going to spend it on alcohol or drugs,but I know what it feels like to be hurting for a fix.Some say no with a harsh response,some don't give money but will take the poor soul to the nearest fast food joint and buy them dinner,and some respond by yelling at the person and saying .."Get a job.!!.". It's not that simple for some people.

Have you had anyone approach you asking for change?What is your reaction to this poor soul's request?What goes through your mind while he or she asks you for help?Do you become angry?Do you feel sorry for them?Do you say no in a cold fashion and continue on your merry way?
 
Caps lock on a new topic is not your friend. Anyways, I deal with panhandlers all the time at work. So I recognize them all the time and are not allowed on our store property. However I watch them before I even attempt to give them a dollar. If they have been working the route for more than 25 mins, then it's time to put a stop to it.
 
If asked if I have spare change, I would answer honestly; no if I did not have change, yes, if I did have change.

However, either way, I would not be handing out change.
 
Ive given money to people asking for change who are working for charity's but ive never been confronted by a homeless or struggling person before but of course i would if i ever was hell i would buy them a nice lunch as well i'm a very charitable person and unless your struggling your self i find it silly that you can't even spare $5 or something like that for a person in need.

just my 2 cents
 
Yes I give change. A lot of the ones I see are most likely Vietnam vet's who can't really help the condition they are in. I figure, they went over to some nasty jungle and risked their life for this country, most probably not by choice, so the very least I can do is spare 50 cents and just be thankful I am not in the position they are.
 
No I would not give them change. I would go with them to the nearest place and purchase the cup of coffee or burger that they was collecting the change for. Locally they will usually turn you down. Why? Because they have a problem that they are collecting for.
 
Grindspine said:
If asked if I have spare change, I would answer honestly; no if I did not have change, yes, if I did have change.

However, either way, I would not be handing out change.

Just to clarify, being a working college student who is paying my way through school, I have little that is "spare" change. Furthermore, the only time I was approached by someone asking for change was off campus at IU Bloomington. This particular character was not starving, he begged for change out of choice more than necessity at a known location. My room mate and I happened to walk past him and knew his game. So we answered honestly, yes we had spare change, no we would not give it to him.

I understand there are those in need. However, some also exploit the kindness of others.
 
Hmm. Maybe, but sometimes I wonder if they are fake. You know, the people who are on the streets and just pretend like they are homeless? Because there is this one guy who has been on this same spot on the street for 2 months, and he still looks well fed, and so does his dog, and he isn't dirty at all. So I would if it looked like he/she really needed it, but probably not. :-\ Don't take this the wrong way, of course I would help the ones in need. But not the fake ones. have you ever noticed that most people on the street are men? :-\
 
SpartanEvolved said:
Alcoholics get no sympathy from me.
Would you feel the same way if it was one of your loved ones that was suffering from this truly horrible disease?No child wakes up in the morning and says...when I grow up I'm going to be an alcoholic.
 
I never understood why people call alcoholism a disease. A disease is cancer, aids, hepatitis, etc,. While nobody wakes up one day and says "Hey, I'm gonna be an alcoholic!", they do get there by their own actions. You can't help whether you get cancer or not, but you surely can prevent becoming an alcoholic by simply not drinking everyday. I do not mean to sound in-compassionate, but I get a bit frustrated when alcoholics say they have a "disease".
 
x2 said:
I never understood why people call alcoholism a disease. A disease is cancer, aids, hepatitis, etc,. While nobody wakes up one day and says "Hey, I'm gonna be an alcoholic!", they do get their by their own actions. You can't help whether you get cancer or not, but you surely can prevent becoming an alcoholic by simply not drinking everyday. I do not mean to sound in-compassionate, but I get a bit frustrated when alcoholics say they have a "disease".
QFT

As for me, If I think someone truly needs the money, they'll get a bit from me. But I find that most people who really need the money find jobs fairly fast.
 
MR.KAZ said:
Would you feel the same way if it was one of your loved ones that was suffering from this truly horrible disease?No child wakes up in the morning and says...when I grow up I'm going to be an alcoholic.

I am not going to give an alcoholic money to go buy booze. I know, I am SUCH a TERRIBLE person.
 
SpartanEvolved said:
I am not going to give an alcoholic money to go buy booze. I know, I am SUCH a TERRIBLE person.
I'm not saying you're a terrible person,but you've dodged my question.
 
MR.KAZ said:
Would you feel the same way if it was one of your loved ones that was suffering from this truly horrible disease?No child wakes up in the morning and says...when I grow up I'm going to be an alcoholic.

This reminds me of the South Park episode where Stan's dad argues that alcoholism is a disease over which he has no power, then Stan says, "No, it's easy, just put the bottle down."
 
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