On this board, I read a lot about folks donating aid to people in other countries. I also see a lot of rant about how the government is stealing money away from main street and how desperate some people are living in conditions similar to the great depression and how the government should do more to help people. And now we read about folks pitching tents in parking lots, some with kids…
Out of curiosity, have anyone considered helping some of these people out?
I’ll admit, I haven’t….Something bothered me on the way home…While I was parked at an intersection, I saw a man with and apparently his little son, holding up signs saying “will work for food”….I didn’t think much of it at the time and just drove through the intersection when the light turned green… But then when I looked back, and saw the boy and his dad(I assume), it really bothered me…See, I would have had no qualms donating money to some girl scout or boy scout event, or buying my kid’s friends birthday present.. But why did I drive through the intersection without doing anything? I wasn’t alone either…I’m just wondering if we have become so indifferent and callous about helping each other in this country out? Is it really every man/woman for himself/herself now?[/quote]
That’s a tough one, FLU.
I used to feel sorry for homeless people, and would give them money (back when I was poor as well). It always upset me to see them a hour later with a bottle of liquor or high on drugs.
This is a subject close to my heart because my sister would float around “homeless” on a number of occasions. It’s not because we wouldn’t take her in and take care of her. She made that choice because she didn’t want to live by our/society’s rules. She wanted to party (drugs and alcohol), and didn’t want anyone telling her what to do. She worked sporadically, and then would stop showing up for days or weeks at a time. When she would return to work, she’d get angry at her employers if they chastised her. So many people tried to help her, but she refused to help herself.
Personally, I think it’s best to donate directly to homeless shelters, food banks, and other organizations that really try to help homeless people get back on their feet. While times are tough for everyone these days, there’s a high probability that any money you give to a homeless person will be used for drugs and alcohol. I just don’t think that solves anything.
