Hand out and homeless…
The man was standing on the corner, at the intersection, as I pulled up to the red light. He had a huge smile and a partially folded sign that read “ Do you know what the best nation is?” He unfolds the sign and on the inside, it reads “donation”. That was clever but for me, it didn’t work. It wasn’t that long ago when you rarely saw people holding signs up and wanting a hand out. Now no matter what part of town you happen to be in, there’s always someone asking for money. It’s a sign of the times I’m sure and it makes me thankful for what I do have (which I earned by my own efforts) and that I don’t have to do the same thing. So I can’t help but wonder about the circumstances that brings one to this point. It’s not like there are no jobs out there for people who are willing and able to work and want to be productive, independent and support themselves, instead of taking the easy way with your hand out for support from those who wake up every day and go to work to make a living and pay their own way. I can believe that there are victims of circumstance, who for one reason or another, are unable to hold down a job. But honestly, the majority of the panhandlers I’ve seen appear to be able to work or are either look like crackheads or alcoholics. There are too many people now who just are not willing to make an effort. On one hand, giving of yourself and what you have is a good thing. On the other hand, if you’ve got your hand out and you appear to be able to support yourself with a real job, chances are you’re not getting anything from me. I know, that’s cold but I can’t tell who’s legitimately hurting due to no fault of their own and who’s just a freeloader, panhandler, lazy, drug-using parasite looking for me and the next person, to support their addiction. School organizations that use to hold car washes and events such as these to raise money for trips or uniforms, have turned to putting the kids with signs at the intersection, asking people to just give them the money, without them trying to earn it. What is the lesson that we are teaching the young when we encourage and promote that kind of behaviour? Why work for it when you can just walk up and down the sidewalk and stick out that little plastic pail, hoping someone will put money in it. I remember years ago, when I worked near the downtown area, when I was approached by someone who wanted to “borrow” some money. I didn’t give him much as I but I did run into him again a few months down the road. And when he asked again, I said “ You still owe me from the last time”. I shouldn’t have but he was one of those who looked quite capable of supporting himself. How do you distinguish the difference between hand out and hand up? Should I be okay giving you a few bucks so you can head to the liquor store for alcohol or buy a pack of cigarettes? Some may say, it’s doesn’t take away from the fact that you did a good thing by lending a little financial assistance to anyone who asks, regardless of how that money ends up being used. True as that may be, if you appear to me to be red-faced, as an alcoholic might be or glassy-eyed, with most of your teeth rotten or missing,(as a crackhead might be), I’m not contributing to or supporting your habit with money that I earned by working. Sorry about that. I would rather support legitimate organizations that help people in need (like Meals on Wheels), than be an enabler to those who choose to exist in a world without even the basic responsibility of trying to take care of yourself. I won’t help hold you up if you’re able but unwilling to help yourself. Once again, it’s those who exploit the goodness of others that make it tougher for those who really need help.