Do you trust beggars?

I was walking down O'Connell Street a few weeks ago and seen this guy, not sitting but on his knees with his hands out-stretched. No human being should decimate their dignity like that, it's completely and conclusively beyond human rights as far as I'm concerned.

I told him he didn't have to do this and talked with him for ten minutes about his plans for the duration of the week. He assured me he was looking for work... What is the world coming to?

As far as trusting them goes, in Ireland, we have the fortune of having help on hand for homeless folk. But they don't want help. Some people enjoy spending every last penny they get on alcohol and cigarettes. If they were actually trying to help themselves, I think people would be more accommodating and less hostile.

Had an a bad experience in Goats-town once.

I was stopped at the lights when a girl approached and knocked on the window.

She handed me a candle and a note and walked off. It was one of those small church candles. I assumed this to be something to do with some Christian sect and tossed it in the passenger seat. She was dressed pretty well and i simply didn't peg here for homeless. In fact she was attractive.

Next thing she reappeared and started knocking again I rolled down the window and she stood there with her hand out almost impatient with me , not a word of english. I leaned over and could only find the note.

It said something along the lines of I am homeless will you please buy my candle. I wanted to give her the candle back but it had disappeared into the mess that is the floor of my passenger seat. The lights where changing and she knew it she said something in a foreign tongue that made me hurry I reached into my pocket and could only find a fiver I gave it to her and she sprinted off to the next car without even a foreign thank you.

The whole thing left me feeling Like i had just been robbed. Passing her again I noted she was clean and well dressed wearing high heeled leather boots and jewellery.

The whole experience left be feeling very pissed off.

Having talked to several people about the incident. I have been told of groups of foreigners being picked up and delivered and even getting hours off for lunch.

One report i laughed at was a guy in bird avenue begging who could be seen changing tracks on his ipod every so often. I think their should be a rule if you have an ipod you shouldn't be allowed beg.

Having said all that during the cold snap last year i met a guy outside a spar shop it broke my heart I bought him a coffee and gave him what i had a tenor.

I think the greatest disgrace here is there are people out there taking advantage while there are people who do need help and the whole situation is getting very ugly.

Food for thought

I_AmThe_Walrus wrote: »

No human being should decimate their dignity like that, it's completely and conclusively beyond human rights as far as I'm concerned.

It's hard to have dignity when you're in that situation.

He assured me he was looking for work... What is the world coming to?

Why? Do you expect him to be working? Do you think he has a chance with any employers?

But they don't want help.

That's a big generalisation. Plenty of homeless people are crying out for help. The young ones who are vulnerable to every opportunist at night. The people who are doing untold damage to their health by sleeping rough every night, especially in the cold months. The mothers with young kids. Do you think these people actually don't want help?

Could happen to any of us.
Maybe crash your car and you're on disability for life if you hurt your back.
Wife (or husband) leaves you for some reason and you lose the family home and visitation rights to children.

Now you are resorted to living in a bedsit and surving on disability and rent allowance.
And what happens if you get cut off but cannot work.
Or maybe you move to a new city but your promised job falls through and you've no money and nobody to turn to.

As said above:
'There but for the grace of God go I'.

We can sit here and log onto www.welfare.ie and know what to do.
Some people don't know where to go or have addictions and realy if you slept on the cold streets, alcohol may the only way you have to cope, an escape.
Plus a lot of homeless people have mental health issues, which is shamefully stigmatized in Ireland.
In our county "going to Clonmel" is a stigma and an insult as that is where the mental hospital is.

Anyway, give or don't give. Of course there are chancers and people who beg for a living, as it happens I never give money, my taxes are for that but I do volunteer my time.
If they are aggressive or hassling you, go to the gardai.
But I wouldn't try to judge somebody on the footpath I walk on when I've never walked in their shoes.