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Posted: 6/8/2001 9:03:02 PM EDT
I was out eating a late meal tonight when a guy walks up to the table next to me with a story of how his car was broken into and all he needed was enough money to get a tank of gas to get home. Well, the lady at the table just dug into her pocket and gave the guy $30 and said just pass it on (doing something good) to someone else and now he wouldn't have to ask any one else. I thought that was kind of nice of the lady, in a way, but also wondered many more times this guy might do this.

I try to help people if I can, but I don't give money away and it just kind of bothers me when people do this. You never know who really needs the help and who is just scamming. If the guy really needed the money I would have rather seen him talk to the manager and possibly wash some dishes, take out garbage or something like that to make a few dollars. What do you guys think?

BMB
Link Posted: 6/8/2001 9:17:01 PM EDT
[#1]
What kind of dive you eating at that allows panhandlers inside their establishment?

Don't believe any of these sorry bastards.

If he does this only 5 times a day, thats a pretty good wage. Tax free.
Link Posted: 6/8/2001 9:23:57 PM EDT
[#2]
Had to be a scam. Ever hear of a telephone?
Link Posted: 6/8/2001 9:31:09 PM EDT
[#3]
If I'm giving someone money for gas, I give it to the gas station attendant. If I'm giving someone money for coffee or food, I pay for it myself. I normally just ignore beggars, but the odd time I actually do something for them, I don't give them a chance to use my "donation" for a bottle of liquor or a box of smokes.

By giving them money we're basically saying "It's OK to beg for money". I think that's CRAP.
Occasionally someone will offer to do some work for $$, I see that differently. I'll gladly give some down-and-out guy a couple bucks to wash my windshield, but just giving out money to some guy because he's asking for it is wrong in my book.

[edited because I don't type very well in the dark]
Link Posted: 6/8/2001 9:33:14 PM EDT
[#4]
I was at Paninis near Jacobs Field one evening with my wife and another couple. We were having a beer and a sandwich before going to the game. This guy walks up to the table asking for change. Everyone looks at each other and I gave him a buck. What do I care? It's only a dollar.
Anyway then he asks the other couple for money. Now I get pissed. I tell him to get the f*ck out of here before I take my dollar back. He left. No problem, but they are ballsy.
Link Posted: 6/8/2001 9:46:27 PM EDT
[#5]
Similiar thing happen to me yesterday. Guy comes running full speed up to me as Iam going into an ATM, of coarse I put my hand on my S&W 9mm. He stops in front of me and goes into this long boring story. Basically he was a 30 miles from home and ran out of gas in his car and he wanted money for gas. I said, I'll push your car to the gas station and fill up your tank. He didn't know what to say! I said come on, get in your car and I'll push. He says no,no,no, can't you just give $20.00? I said, yes I could but, Iam NOT. And he walked off. I come out of the bank and he is playing the same song to a women. I told the women he is full of sh*t and he walked away again. But imagine how many times he does this and gets away with it!!
Link Posted: 6/8/2001 9:50:39 PM EDT
[#6]
Too bad we can't use the [b]Sinistral Rifleman[/b] technique on them. Mace them, then kick them in the stomach a bunch of times...[:D]
Link Posted: 6/8/2001 9:50:56 PM EDT
[#7]
Of all newspapers, the Washington Post profiled a talented beggar that made enough from his racket in DC that he OWNED a house in Florida that he lived in during the winter months.  

Many beggars use the money for drugs ot alcohol..
Link Posted: 6/8/2001 10:13:23 PM EDT
[#8]
Outside McDonalds I was making peanut butter sandwiches. (I'm a broke-ass construction worker!) While the boss was inside buying I'm enjoying the sun..... Bumm walks up asking for money for micky-D's food. I said hell no, but I'll make you a "sammich." He starts cussing and we get into an argument. He starts getting pushy so I hit him once, he falls. BUT..... A LEO saw that and gave me a ticket..... I fought it and won, but It still pissed me off.
Link Posted: 6/8/2001 10:15:01 PM EDT
[#9]
HAHA that's funny, fiyerbird!!!  [:D]
Link Posted: 6/8/2001 10:38:17 PM EDT
[#10]
beggars? they cant be choosers [:D]

dont pay those guys anything

seen one guy with a sign that said "Need Money for beer"

watch out for the beggars at the airport dressed up as nurses or priests, they are big time SCAM ARTISTS
there is NO starving children orphange in mexico named St pancho castro chavez of tijuana
Link Posted: 6/8/2001 11:03:43 PM EDT
[#11]
A story, circa '77. I was in School in Baton Rouge. I had become the 'unofficial' tour guide for the French Quarter among my fellow law students, and spent many a weekend in N.O.

It was a Saturday morning, I had just left my hotel room on Bourbon Street. I had all of $350.00 in cold hard cash in my pocket and was looking forward to a fine time indeed.

As I was walking toward Canal, I noticed a young girl walking towards me, pushing a baby carriage.  I could feel the 'pinch' coming on by the way she was searching for eye contact with me, and, sure enough, when we got even, she stepped out in front of me.

'Excuse me, Sir, but I need to ask a favor of you.  My baby and I need a place to sleep tonight and the Mission charges $8.00 a night.
I have $3.00, could you just spare me $5.00!'

I thought 'surely the Mission would not charge a fee for a young helpless girl and her child to stay overnight'and, averting my eyes, said 'Sorry,' and brushed past her and the child.

Well, I must have only taken three or four steps away from the girl, when all of a sudden it came over me 'Eric, you POS, you've got a pocket full of dough, how do you figure not even seeing if the girl was telling the truth. Walk with her to the Mission, pay the bill yourself.'

And figuring I'd earn myself some brownie points with the Lord Himself, I turned around to do my good deed for the remainder of the year, hand reaching into my pocket.

[b]The girl and the carriage were out of sight!Gone. Vanished.[/b]

I mean that at about 10:00 in the Morning, when even Bourbon Street is still pretty much sleeping off the night before, with a very few number of people on the street, the girl with the cumbersome buggy, was nowhere in sight!

How odd! She must have pushed the buggy into one of the little shops that were just getting ready to open for the day, and I went into the closest one, figuring that she could not have gotten VERY far.

Nothing in the first shop. Oh well, she may have had time to slip into the next one, I must
have just misjudged her dexterity and speed with that buggy.

Nichts! in the second store.  By now, I'm actually beginning to get a little worried about finding this girl, her child and the baby
buggy.

Well, let's just say I spent the better part of an hour looking for the group, but to no avail.
They had simply vanished, in my view, from the very face of the earth!

There was never a time that I went to N.O. after that day that I didn't catch myself still
looking for the girl, the child, and the buggy.

I believe that you should seldom ever think about [b]not[/b] giving to people who ask for your help.  You should thank the Lord that YOU are in a position to help someone else, and that YOU are not the one seeking help!

Giving to a person who you know will never be able (or even willing) to return the favor carries a special blessing.

If you're worried about the fact that your money may be used to buy liquor or drugs, [b]Why?[/b] Don't believe in free will? Self-determination? [i]Chacun a son gout? De gustibus non est disputandum?[/i], etc.?

Are you [b]just[/b] as worried that some of the serious money that you've spent for tickets to any Spielberg-Hanks movies may have wound up in a Clinton Election/Reelection/Legal Defense Fund?

To my mind, that may be the greater sin.

Lord, how I wish I'd just given that girl some money!

Eric The(KnewNotTheHourOfHisVisitation)Hun[>]:)]


Link Posted: 6/8/2001 11:19:51 PM EDT
[#12]
That's an interesting twist, EricTheHun. It doesn't change the way I feel about able-bodied men asking for freebies, but definitely makes a person think.

I handle each situation on an individual basis, there are times when I would help a person out. I realise that I never know the whole story, and I can't judge 100% correctly when it comes to peoples' motives. But I work damn hard for my money, and I'm not going to toss it away just to hurt someone else's karma, which in turn hurts mine.
Link Posted: 6/8/2001 11:22:30 PM EDT
[#13]
Darn, I thought this was a thread about Imbrog|io...[:D]
Link Posted: 6/8/2001 11:27:03 PM EDT
[#14]
Beggars are people that just haven't realized yet they could be professional politicians.
Link Posted: 6/8/2001 11:53:41 PM EDT
[#15]
I was at a Korean restaurant in Berkeley, CA one night with my dad and younger brother and just as we were served and about to dig in, this "street person" walks in the door, up to our table, and asks for money. Dirty F*cker reeking of cheap wine. The waiter just stood there watching and didn't say anything. I guess they have to deal with that crap everyday and have learned not to offend the bums (you'd have to know the mentality in that city). So, just as I'm about to tell him to get the hell away from our table, my 70 year-old WWII vet dad says, "Get the hell away from our table you son of a bitch or I'll beat you silly!" Pops! What a stud! So, I look at Pops, look at guy, and both my brother and I start busting up. The bum's toally floored and just walks out.

One time I was in San Francisco with my girlfriend in the mid-80's and just as we're laeaving Tommy's Joint, this guys walks up asking for money. I tell him hell no, so he gets in my girlfriend's face and starts demanding money. So, I position myself between him and my girlfriend and tell the guy to take two steps back or I'll f*cking kill him on the spot. Funny how thing work out if you show a little force. Mr. tough guys changed his tune immediately with the usual, "It cool, it cool. I's was only fooling" line.

Anyway, my response to this crap is NO 100% of the time.
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 9:17:12 AM EDT
[#16]
Just outside of the pier in pompano, a dude slurs to my fiance "yo baby hows about $5 an a little play". She was walking about three feet in front of me. A second later he's on his ass with a broken nose and a terrified look and I just happen to be standing over him reaching for his shirt when a lady starts screaming "why did you attack that poor man!". 30 sec. later the cops are there (they pull details there) and they frisk both me and him. Turns out he had a stolen wallet and a knife. Kinda makes ya wonder don't it.

Semper Fi
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 9:21:54 AM EDT
[#17]
he needs to go get a job instead of ripping
people off! take a hike buddy.
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 9:30:34 AM EDT
[#18]
And Jesus spoke:

"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me, I was sick and ye visited me: I was in prison and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and tood Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee?  And the King(Jesus) shall answer and say unto them Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

Ronnie
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 9:43:32 AM EDT
[#19]
Where I'm from they stand in the middle of the road with signs.  I see the same guys everyday.  I saw one man coming out of the bank with a roll of money that must have been 6" thick.  All that tax-free, while we bust our humps, pay taxes, and they just expect to guilt you into giving them money.  They either expect you topay through intimidation or play the heart strings, either way it is a scam. [:(!]
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 9:51:52 AM EDT
[#20]
posted by rainman
"What kind of dive you eating at that allows panhandlers inside their establishment?"

It was a Dennys, but I have seen this happen at just about any type of establishment.  

posted by Oslow
"Had to be a scam. Ever hear of a telephone?"

I agree about the scam and yes I had a phone and my carry gun, but since the man came and left and did not cause a scene or pose any threats I saw no need to use either.

BMB
 

Link Posted: 6/9/2001 9:53:31 AM EDT
[#21]
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 10:22:26 AM EDT
[#22]
I was at the range the other day with a couple of friends and at the far end sat one of the most pathetic looking beggars I've ever seen. He held a sign in his withered hand that read " Will work for SS109." We felt so sorry for him that we each threw a few rounds into his tin cup. As we left that day I saw a tear in the old man's eye. Made me feel kind a special...
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 12:26:54 PM EDT
[#23]
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 12:54:03 PM EDT
[#24]
Quoted:
Here in the Seattle area there are plenty of jobs, plenty of entry-level jobs not just at Boeing and Mickeysoft. There's an able body man about 40 years old at the end of the off ramp I use nearly daily. Me must make good money there because the minimum wage jobs don't appeal to him. He's clean-shaven, always in a different set of clean clothes and seems to be able to walk around fairly quickly when someone hangs a dollar out their windows.


Would that be at I5 & 45th?
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 1:13:21 PM EDT
[#25]
Bums piss me off.  They say they want money for food but when you offer food they get pissed.  

!!!!9.9 out of 10 are just drunks!!!!
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 1:30:26 PM EDT
[#26]
It would be tuff to do something like that.

But around here there's so many socialists, it would be a pleasure to beg money from them, and then give it to the RNC or NRA.
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 1:31:15 PM EDT
[#27]
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 1:31:22 PM EDT
[#28]
Whenever this happened to me, I offered to buy food. They usually dont want this, just the $$$.
Eric
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 1:32:56 PM EDT
[#29]
Originally Posted By Ronnie Stephens:
And Jesus spoke:

"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat........Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

Ronnie
View Quote


Notice Jesus never says to just give them money.  He wants us to help them out on a personal level by taking the time to feed, clothe, and/or care for them.  DO NOT give scam artists money.

I did give money to a retarded young man once. But only because it looked like he really did need money for the bus.  But I never give handouts to able-bodied people that could be working.  I work hard for my money. Why can't they?

I wonder how much money that guy down town makes with his sign that says ", Why lie? I need a beer!" He doesn't even have to shower or change clothes to go to work in the morning.

This is the problem with the Welfare system. There is no personal caring and interaction, which brings accountability; there are only handouts.
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 1:51:03 PM EDT
[#30]
It takes all the money I make just to pay my taxes and bills. What little is left I try to save so I can do something nice for myself once in a while (say, like buying the LEGP with a clear conscience). The last thing I'm going to do is hand money over to some alleged down-and-outer just because he's got a tear-jerking story! If I donate, I want a receipt that I can show Uncle Sam on 15 April. [:(!]
Link Posted: 6/9/2001 2:40:06 PM EDT
[#31]
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