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Mar. 21st, 2006 01:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
badstar*Sigh*
So I really hate to see it when people don't have enough money for food, clothes, rent etc...especially when they have kids. On Sunday coming back from the Grove with Jesse and steph, I saw a woman standing on Northern Parkway wth a sign asking for money to buy food for her kids. She had two kids there, playing at her feet. It didn't occur to me until we were pulling through the intersection that I could have asked Jesse to pull over (nevermind that there was a couple of lanes between us and the side of the road and a LOT of traffic)...I had a huge container of soup and about a third of an apple pie left over from Ostara and some granola bars in my backpack...I'd have given her the food. I have no idea if they had dinner that night. It's heartbreaking. I wish there was somerthing more that I could do, but at the moment, things are a little tight for me. But is it enough to donate canned goods to a food pantry? I guess not because..well, it helps someone in the moment, but does it get them OUT of the situation? for some, it's a short-term thing...they lost their job, they find a new one and they can pick theirself up, dust off and move on. but for so many, it's obviously not. For so many reasons. And what DO you do for the peole who don't want to get out of it, who ONLY want to rely on others? I think people have some responsibility to help each other, but I also think they have a greater responsibility to help themselves. When does enough become enough, when should people HAVE to take some active role in being responsibe for their own well being?
I'm not familiar with the welfare system and I'm not exactly a lawmaker or anyhting like that...But wouldn't it make sense to require everyone on welfare to also be in some sort of job training program, or something like that so that while they're being helped, they're also being given the ability to become independent eventually? Maybe something where they could turn around and work in the same system to help people who are in the same situation they once were? Like, okay, we're going to hlp you out here, and we're going to teach you...I dunno, office skills...the stuff you need to know that once you've completed this program, we'll give you a job and you'll work for a certain amount of time with us helping people who are in the same situation that you were, and then after a time, we'll help you find a job elsewhere. I don't know.it just makes some sense to me set up a welfare system to get people out of it and help them became capable of supporting themselves and their families....No I don't know how such a thing would be implimented. Yeah, it would be a huge overhaul and it would cost more money in the beginning...But in the long run, it could be getting people off of welfare and able to support themseves and give back to the community.
(side note...i'm not referring to people who are not able to work due to whatever health roblems, disabilities, etc)
On a slightly different note on a similar vein...it's really starting to creep me out that I can't buy an MTA pass at a machine half the time without someone standing there, begging for change and saying things like "You can't tell me you don't have any cause I just watched you buy a ticket and get change from the machine."
Also, there's this lady that pops up every now and then down at Charles and Preston by the Wachovia ATM. She waits for people to get money from the ATM and then begs from them. The same story every time. She and her kids are getting evicted from their house today and need cab money to get to a shelter in (Insert the farthest-away part of the city you can think of). It's usually during the day, lots of people around. I've seen her at night too. I've also seen an occasional man (different ones) doing the same thing- though usually at night. That ATM is just around the corner from my house..but I never use it anymore...it's really pretty creepy and I don't want to have to worry about getting mugged. Most of the time, I use the ATM at the train station, even though it's not my bank..because no one's going to stand there and watch me take money from the machine, and there are Amtrak police officers thirty feet away and usually at least one B'more cop wandering around.
Last night, I hoped off the 19 after taking the bus back from picking up my coat at the Grove, and as soon as I crossed the street, a man came up to me asking for directions to somewhere in Fells Point. I told him how to get in the general direction of Fells Point, but that I didn't know how to get to the exact place he was going to. Then he asks for money to take the bus. I didn't have money on me and I said as much. I was arrying my day pass, which I was finished using, but was still good for several more hours. I offered that to him. He said no, he didn't want to take my pass. Could I give him money? I said again that I didn't have any on me, but I was finished with the pass, if he needed to get somewhere, he could use that. So he took it and I started to walk away. This was right next to the Rite Aid by the State Center...I was walking dowen the sidewalk and he asked as I was walking away, if when I came out of the store if I would have any change then so he could get something to eat (nevermind that he was carrying a bag through which I could clearly see two fotlong subs, two bottles of soda, and he was eating chips by the handful). I told him I wasn't going to the store, wished him good luck and walked away. A police officer that had been sitting nearby the entire time asked me if the guy had threatened me or anything...he hadn't, he was quite polite...but well...what the hell do you do? If the officer hadn't been there I probably would have just kept walking when the guy refused the pass to begin with. I mean...I'm concerned about people and all...but I'm not going to endanger myself.
And sometimes it's obvious that someone is lying...other times it isn't. Whether I have money on me or not, I don't just give money to people. If they say they're hungry, if I can, I'll offer to buy them coffee and a bagel or something. Or if I have some food on me, I'll offer that. Most accept...some don't. Maybe the person really is hungry...okay, great...here's a granola bar and some carrot sticks. It's not a gourmet feast but it's food.
One time I was down at the Harbor and some guy was asking people to give him and his cousin the money to go to a restaurant and get a steak dinner. Sorry, no. Again..I'm not just handing anyone money, I don't care what they say it's for. And even if I wanted to, I didn't have the money to buy dinner for myself. But I had some poptarts or something on me, the guy said they were hungry and hadn't eaten in days. I offered the poptarts, he said no....then said if I didn't have cash, would I take them in there and buy them dinner with a credit card. I had said no, I wasn't able to do that. This time the guy took the poptarts. I walked away and a minute later, heard a thunk in the water..and saw the poptarts floating there.
But people who flat out lie just anger me to no end...
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penguinicity, you'll remember this one...There's a guy that turns up down by the Harbor or somewhere nearby every now and then with a hospital bracelet on. Same story every time. He'll stop someone walking by by saying "Excuse me, do you know how to get to *mumble mumble mumble*" And then if you stop to ask where he's looking for directions to, he shows you the hospital bracelet on his arm (it's always ragedy and stained), but says that he just got out of the hospital today and he needs to get home to detroit/cleveland/chicago...different city each time...and needs help getting a bus ticket. Then gets rather insistent with his begging and pleading if you say no. He's desperate, he needs to get to his family, he's weak, he's poor...The first time I saw this guy, I said no, I didn't have any money on me...Brandon finaly offered him some change...but they guy refused and said it wasn't enough and kepts asking for more. I don't remember if he took the change or not, but it took several mintues to get away from him because he wouldn't leave Brandon alone. I saw the some man a few weeks later...this time begging for money to get to a different city..same story though. I asked him if his home city changed because last time he begged from me he was trying to get somewhere else, saying it was home. I've seen him a few times since then. I once saw someone offer to take him to the bus station and buy the ticket...but he refused, he wanted the cash. Guess he didn't need to get to Cleveland/Chicago/Detroit/wherever that badly after all...
There was a guy for years up in Lancaster who would stand on a traffic island on the Harrisburg Pike near Wheatland Ave with a sign "I'm homeless, will work for food or money" I know someone who had a small business who kept driving by the guy, and he needed some extra help so he tried to offer the guy some work stocking boxes and stuff like that. He refused and demanded money instead. One day in my senior year of high school, I was at a convnience store near this intersection and I saw this guy leave for the day....he takes his sign...walks across the street...over to a BMW...pulls the keys from his pocket, gets in and drives away.
Like I said, its heartbreaking...but what do you do about people that just want to languish in the system...or that lie? And some people are getting more and more aggressive or creepy in their begging tactics...
So I really hate to see it when people don't have enough money for food, clothes, rent etc...especially when they have kids. On Sunday coming back from the Grove with Jesse and steph, I saw a woman standing on Northern Parkway wth a sign asking for money to buy food for her kids. She had two kids there, playing at her feet. It didn't occur to me until we were pulling through the intersection that I could have asked Jesse to pull over (nevermind that there was a couple of lanes between us and the side of the road and a LOT of traffic)...I had a huge container of soup and about a third of an apple pie left over from Ostara and some granola bars in my backpack...I'd have given her the food. I have no idea if they had dinner that night. It's heartbreaking. I wish there was somerthing more that I could do, but at the moment, things are a little tight for me. But is it enough to donate canned goods to a food pantry? I guess not because..well, it helps someone in the moment, but does it get them OUT of the situation? for some, it's a short-term thing...they lost their job, they find a new one and they can pick theirself up, dust off and move on. but for so many, it's obviously not. For so many reasons. And what DO you do for the peole who don't want to get out of it, who ONLY want to rely on others? I think people have some responsibility to help each other, but I also think they have a greater responsibility to help themselves. When does enough become enough, when should people HAVE to take some active role in being responsibe for their own well being?
I'm not familiar with the welfare system and I'm not exactly a lawmaker or anyhting like that...But wouldn't it make sense to require everyone on welfare to also be in some sort of job training program, or something like that so that while they're being helped, they're also being given the ability to become independent eventually? Maybe something where they could turn around and work in the same system to help people who are in the same situation they once were? Like, okay, we're going to hlp you out here, and we're going to teach you...I dunno, office skills...the stuff you need to know that once you've completed this program, we'll give you a job and you'll work for a certain amount of time with us helping people who are in the same situation that you were, and then after a time, we'll help you find a job elsewhere. I don't know.it just makes some sense to me set up a welfare system to get people out of it and help them became capable of supporting themselves and their families....No I don't know how such a thing would be implimented. Yeah, it would be a huge overhaul and it would cost more money in the beginning...But in the long run, it could be getting people off of welfare and able to support themseves and give back to the community.
(side note...i'm not referring to people who are not able to work due to whatever health roblems, disabilities, etc)
On a slightly different note on a similar vein...it's really starting to creep me out that I can't buy an MTA pass at a machine half the time without someone standing there, begging for change and saying things like "You can't tell me you don't have any cause I just watched you buy a ticket and get change from the machine."
Also, there's this lady that pops up every now and then down at Charles and Preston by the Wachovia ATM. She waits for people to get money from the ATM and then begs from them. The same story every time. She and her kids are getting evicted from their house today and need cab money to get to a shelter in (Insert the farthest-away part of the city you can think of). It's usually during the day, lots of people around. I've seen her at night too. I've also seen an occasional man (different ones) doing the same thing- though usually at night. That ATM is just around the corner from my house..but I never use it anymore...it's really pretty creepy and I don't want to have to worry about getting mugged. Most of the time, I use the ATM at the train station, even though it's not my bank..because no one's going to stand there and watch me take money from the machine, and there are Amtrak police officers thirty feet away and usually at least one B'more cop wandering around.
Last night, I hoped off the 19 after taking the bus back from picking up my coat at the Grove, and as soon as I crossed the street, a man came up to me asking for directions to somewhere in Fells Point. I told him how to get in the general direction of Fells Point, but that I didn't know how to get to the exact place he was going to. Then he asks for money to take the bus. I didn't have money on me and I said as much. I was arrying my day pass, which I was finished using, but was still good for several more hours. I offered that to him. He said no, he didn't want to take my pass. Could I give him money? I said again that I didn't have any on me, but I was finished with the pass, if he needed to get somewhere, he could use that. So he took it and I started to walk away. This was right next to the Rite Aid by the State Center...I was walking dowen the sidewalk and he asked as I was walking away, if when I came out of the store if I would have any change then so he could get something to eat (nevermind that he was carrying a bag through which I could clearly see two fotlong subs, two bottles of soda, and he was eating chips by the handful). I told him I wasn't going to the store, wished him good luck and walked away. A police officer that had been sitting nearby the entire time asked me if the guy had threatened me or anything...he hadn't, he was quite polite...but well...what the hell do you do? If the officer hadn't been there I probably would have just kept walking when the guy refused the pass to begin with. I mean...I'm concerned about people and all...but I'm not going to endanger myself.
And sometimes it's obvious that someone is lying...other times it isn't. Whether I have money on me or not, I don't just give money to people. If they say they're hungry, if I can, I'll offer to buy them coffee and a bagel or something. Or if I have some food on me, I'll offer that. Most accept...some don't. Maybe the person really is hungry...okay, great...here's a granola bar and some carrot sticks. It's not a gourmet feast but it's food.
One time I was down at the Harbor and some guy was asking people to give him and his cousin the money to go to a restaurant and get a steak dinner. Sorry, no. Again..I'm not just handing anyone money, I don't care what they say it's for. And even if I wanted to, I didn't have the money to buy dinner for myself. But I had some poptarts or something on me, the guy said they were hungry and hadn't eaten in days. I offered the poptarts, he said no....then said if I didn't have cash, would I take them in there and buy them dinner with a credit card. I had said no, I wasn't able to do that. This time the guy took the poptarts. I walked away and a minute later, heard a thunk in the water..and saw the poptarts floating there.
But people who flat out lie just anger me to no end...
penguinicity, you'll remember this one...There's a guy that turns up down by the Harbor or somewhere nearby every now and then with a hospital bracelet on. Same story every time. He'll stop someone walking by by saying "Excuse me, do you know how to get to *mumble mumble mumble*" And then if you stop to ask where he's looking for directions to, he shows you the hospital bracelet on his arm (it's always ragedy and stained), but says that he just got out of the hospital today and he needs to get home to detroit/cleveland/chicago...different city each time...and needs help getting a bus ticket. Then gets rather insistent with his begging and pleading if you say no. He's desperate, he needs to get to his family, he's weak, he's poor...The first time I saw this guy, I said no, I didn't have any money on me...Brandon finaly offered him some change...but they guy refused and said it wasn't enough and kepts asking for more. I don't remember if he took the change or not, but it took several mintues to get away from him because he wouldn't leave Brandon alone. I saw the some man a few weeks later...this time begging for money to get to a different city..same story though. I asked him if his home city changed because last time he begged from me he was trying to get somewhere else, saying it was home. I've seen him a few times since then. I once saw someone offer to take him to the bus station and buy the ticket...but he refused, he wanted the cash. Guess he didn't need to get to Cleveland/Chicago/Detroit/wherever that badly after all...There was a guy for years up in Lancaster who would stand on a traffic island on the Harrisburg Pike near Wheatland Ave with a sign "I'm homeless, will work for food or money" I know someone who had a small business who kept driving by the guy, and he needed some extra help so he tried to offer the guy some work stocking boxes and stuff like that. He refused and demanded money instead. One day in my senior year of high school, I was at a convnience store near this intersection and I saw this guy leave for the day....he takes his sign...walks across the street...over to a BMW...pulls the keys from his pocket, gets in and drives away.
Like I said, its heartbreaking...but what do you do about people that just want to languish in the system...or that lie? And some people are getting more and more aggressive or creepy in their begging tactics...
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no subject
Date: 2006-03-21 07:31 pm (UTC)I don't even know what else to say- just Wow.
Thank you for sharing your stories. I guess I don't see it bacause I don't live in the city, and sometimes forget the things that go on...
no subject
Date: 2006-03-21 08:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-21 07:48 pm (UTC)Incidentally, the only time I can remember giving money to a pan-handler in NYC was a man who came up to me and said he needed money to buy drugs. He was so totally non-threatening and comic that I burst into laughter and handed him a fiver. I'm not sure whether or not he was lying, but at least he brightened my day.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-21 08:23 pm (UTC)I live near the train station in Baltimore. My block is half empty and largely under renovation. The worst thing I've had on this block and the two immediately adjacent would be the transvestite prostitutes that wander around. They don't bother people that live here. We also have a major national TV show filming literally in the backyard (HBO's The Wire) I think that probably helps to keep a lot of questionable activity down with all the BRIGHT lights and stuff. But this is a transitional area from Mt. Vernon, a couple of colleges, cultural area, ots of business etc. to well...the ghetto. I don't even mention plastic, I just generally say I don't have any money. And I really generally don't carry money either, other than bus fare or enough to get some coffee.And its deep in my backpack til I need it.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-21 08:44 pm (UTC)We are pretty bad at taking care of our own as a society, aren't we?
no subject
Date: 2006-03-21 09:30 pm (UTC)There's a number of problems that drive a lot of people into unemployment and poverty:
Minimum wage - This is one of the number one reasons people with kids end up unemployed. It turns out cheaper to just watch the kids and not get paid then to hire someone.
Messed up priorities - (this one is more of a judgement call) economic choices are made that override food and shelter. Sometimes it's and XBox, sometimes it's a drug/alcohol problem, etc.
Pride - People who are unwilling to accept help until it's WAY too late.
There's also a fairly big chunk of homeless peopel who have genuine mental disabilies.
So I guess it comes down to: If someone genuinely wants a job, chances are they can find one. It just might not be worth it.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-22 03:09 am (UTC)The good news is that such poverty doesn't follow generations - I think it was only 14% of underclass kids stay in it. The rest are motivated to get out. I wish I had that study handy....
no subject
Date: 2006-03-22 03:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-22 03:59 am (UTC)Baltimore sucks. Other cities are not as bad as Baltimore. It's really true. For some reason, they're especially aggressive there.
I make no other comments because I am holding my politically caustic tongue! La-la-la! Good luck!
no subject
Date: 2006-03-22 05:43 pm (UTC)I tried when I saw new faces, but there's only so much you can do, either for the liars or the real homeless. At the same time, even when I lived at home I was trying to save my $7.50 an hour to pay for tuition, so I hardly had the money to begin with. I guess sometimes all you can do is follow your instincts and try to help, or turn a blind eye.