trick or simply true?

L31mr0d

I think its a judgement call on the part of the pedestrian whether to give the person money or food. I'm not generalizing homeless romanians as a whole, but I have a friend thats a courier and he said he'd be passing through the city center at around 7am every morning and he would see romanian guys in BMWs dropping off women and children to beg on the street for the day, all over the city. I can't verify it this is true, but I remember passing by this one Romanian walking up Grafton st and she had quite a few euros in and a fiver in her hat, then on the way back 10 minutes later the hat was empty except for a few coppers, and she was still begging for more. I think its a racket because I have NEVER see a romanian sleeping on the street when i'm leaving a pub but I see plenty of Irish people.

James Larkin would turn in his grave. I always remember one of his grandchildren, in his fourties, giving a speech in our class and breaking down into tears about the state of the country and the level of homelessness.

greenkittie

I quite agree with stepbar, the only reason people are homeless in Dublin in 2006 is by their own choice.

argh.
trick or TREAT.

lodgepole

greenkittie wrote:

I quite agree with stepbar, the only reason people are homeless in Dublin in 2006 is by their own choice.

That's not the case. Some are victims of their own mistakes, but many have no choice in their homelessness.

Why would somebody choose to be homeless? Of course not everybody who begs is homeless, nor is everybody worthy of recieving our help. There are lots of people living in shelters and hostels who are in need of help also.

stepbar

But they choose not to abide by the rules laid down by the social welfare / health boards. Believe me the social welfare / health boards bend over backwards to help and prevent people from having to walk the streets.

Fanny Cradock

once, a long time ago, i did a little bit of work with homeless people. it was a glimse into the stark reality that many of these people live in. anyway, i couldn't stick it, it was too much for me, but i did learn that money given to these people will, more than likely, go straight to feeding their addiction. subsequently i, like some other posters out there, will give a cup of tea etc. instead.

the fact of the matter is that many (I'm not saying all) of these folks have some sort of mental illness that is accentuated by their addiction. To say that homelessness is "their own choice" totally fails to address the reality of their situation, be it the state of their mental health or other cirmstances which have caused them to end up in their current position. As an example, telling someone who is clinically depressed to "snap out of it" isn't going to do much good really.

greenkittie

It may be so that these people have mental problems and or addictions but they know exactly how to get themselves off the streets and they don't do it therefore I can have no sympathy. Earlyer on in the topic someone mentiond that it was near impossible to get them to stay in hostels in the summer, fact of the matter is they like their lifestyle.

On a slightly differnt topic.. in Belfast a common thing done by the rich kid goths of the city is "tapping" where they ask random passers by for a small amount of money untill they scrape enough together to buy a 10 deal before going home to mummy and daddy later in the evening.

Gone West

greenkittie wrote:

fact of the matter is they like their lifestyle.

another deluded poster.
*sigh*

greenkittie

They see themselves outside of society and they are content with continuing in the manner to which they have become accoustmed. I say help those who want help, let the rest rot.

Fanny Cradock

rot you say?

you're right though, homeless people love the life. any why not? i mean the constant chance of being beaten as you sleep, shorter life spans, increased likelihood of contracting various diseases, bighting cold and, of course, little hope.

ah yes, halcion days beside the cash machine!!

L31mr0d

greenkittie wrote:

let the rest rot.

I actually laughed at the absurdity of that, its like something off monty python.

juanjo

loads of them have mental problems, kittie, and it is not easy to help sum1 who doesn't see that needs any help. I saw this documentary in Spain about homeless who stayed at metro stations overnight, actually some stations remain open on the coldest days in winter for them in Madrid, there were 2 pple that caught my attention. this argentinian girl who came to make a living there in Spain, she got pregnant and was dumped by the boyfriend (what a scumbag, by the way) and this guy from a tiny town who went to look for a job and never got one, i don't know, he was so ashamed of returning back or something that he stayed waiting for that call that never got. It was really sad to see the guy dressed smartly, with his suitcase and mobile, just waiting...

It is quite complex and can't be lightly considered, u got junkies, pple taking advantage of good folks, mentally troubled... I think that the thing is to try to spot what kind of person u have in front. I personally give change to pple who r doing something (1st musician i see at the metro station in madrid, for example), but never to romanian gypsies or junkies.

Ruu_Old

greenkittie wrote:

They see themselves outside of society and they are content with continuing in the manner to which they have become accoustmed. I say help those who want help, let the rest rot.

Hopefully everyone will offer as much compassion as you.:rolleyes: Very ignorant comment.

[Jackass]

I have a divided opinion on this also OP.

I used to give a euro or two (selfishly because I used to think it gives you good luck/ Karma) but I decided after getting abuse off some of these people for not giving change when I genuinely didn't have it and also once being called cheap when I took €50 out of an ATM and gave him a €1 coin....

(Obviously it's not a fortune, but if everybody who went to that ATM on a saturday night gave him what I did, he could have a four course steak meal.)

I have devised some rules, because I'm sick of being ripped off left right and centre and then when I can give away any money I can spare (which isn't a lot) there is no appreciation. And before you say it, yes, there should be apprecation, not to boost my own ego, but if somebody paid for my accomodation, dinner or drugs, I would at least have the manners to say thank you.

So here are my rules which will not go down well but I stand by them.

1/ Never give to junkies or anyone who's strung out. If they're not going to help themselves then I wont help them and a part of me feels I'm donating money to organised crime.

2/ Anyone who approaches me on the street or especially when i'm sitting outside a bar i will not give money.

3/ Gypses (sp?) I will never give money to no matter what the circumstances. Is it racist? Probably, but i've seen too much of those women over europe and in Ireland thieving and fighting, they harress people on the street and have no respect for local surroundings, people or eachother.

(I have at least 10 examples to back me up on this and this is the most iron-clad one...I will say it, they are complete scum. I'm only back from benidorm today, sh*t hole I know, but the place was swarming with them selling roses, I saw them kick the living sh*t out of eachother over "their patch", mugging and pulling hair and generaly kicking the fu*k out of English or Irish drunken girls)

Besides, if they need the money so bad, why don't they sell one of their teeth?

4/ If you are sitting by an ATM or anyother form of public service in an attempt to intimidate people, or gilt trip them into giving money, you aint getting a cent.

If you say "any spare change please?" as I walk by and don't have any of the above attributes I will gladly give you money and if you're not a scumbag about it, I reguraly give money to the same people as I pass. I know (of) at least 5 or 6 people who are in and around the same areas asking for money who are cool about it and I believe to be genuine so I always give two or three euro.

juanjo

and nick, those gypsies are here asking for the dole as refugees, they put more children that they have on it (know it from a rumanian "normal" guy) and they can prolly buy ur house just with the gold they carry in their mouths.

greenkittie

Not Dublin but an interesting read, especially the picture section as it puts a face to the "homeless" we have been talking about.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/11/30/MNG263BHKR1.DTL

stepbar

Sure and they are the ones who know how to get it, I dealt with 2 incidents involving Romanians, one guy was in the country for 3 yrs and tried to get out of looking for a job cause he.... wait for it..... wanted to go learn English.... Part time! :rolleyes: had friend in toe to "represent" him as well. Don’t get me wrong there are plenty of people who come here and haven’t a word but after 3 yrs? Taking the p1ss TBH :rolleyes:

Another pair of jokers (man and wife) were trying to extract more money from the system. They would come up to the hatch and ask for their payments to be taken separately because they were seperated....., then to emphasize the point the would start fighting... laughing and giggling.... taking the p1ss :rolleyes: Separated my hole. What was even worse they would bring their young son and he would have to watch this charade.

Black Swan

Ruu wrote:

Reminds me when I was in Heidelberg train station, a fella came up to me and started speaking in German, of course I had no idea what he was saying. I cut him off mid sentence and told him I didn't speak any German. He said "Ok sorry, I make my living walking around the station and collecting money from people, would you be able to spare some change?" No lie! I told him where to go, as polite as I could.

Was in Los Angeles not too long ago and I was in one of my silly moods. This guy in fancy duds approached me asking for taxi money. I asked him, "Can you make change?" and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of dollars! I laughed and walked off. He said some rather unpleasant things to my back.

greenkittie

As an aside, i have always liked the idea of a sexy hobo... like in the Smashing Pumpkins video for Try Try Try.

FranknFurter

Really is hard to believe some of the opinions here, specially given that its 2006.

As always, with all minority groups, its the bad eggs that we constantly hear of, not the fact that in 50 homeless people maybe 1 may be a scammer.

Go to a hostle at night, then you will get some perspective on how many truely homeless people are in need. You may gain some perspective.
(And FYI, most hostles reach full capacity within 2 hours of opening each night, *thats* why some people can't or don't use them).

Really irk's me how some people have had such an extremely easy lifestyle and have'nt bothered to take the time to look around them, past the gates of mammy and daddies 250,000 euro house.

I have NOTHING against somone NOT giving to charity, be it homless or otherwise, what DOES piss me off is people making blind judgments about others. "He looks like a junkie, therfore he must be, no euro coin for him!".... never even thinking "well, maybe hes been wearing the same clothes for 6 months and is so thin because he has'nt eaten".....or "maybe those marks on his wrists are from a failed suicide attempt"....... *sigh*....

As always, its a huge shame only the scammers hit the media or make the "friend of a friend told me..." stories start...

b

stepbar

In my 6 years in Dublin of all the homless people, I have seen only seen a handful who IMO are genuine. TBH for me its is not hard to make a judgement call when the person had a can of cider etc in their hand, nor is it hard when you see a young lad beside an ATM (with a nice white pair of runners on him and better clothes than I have) with a blanket, shivering and it not cold. Now I know its is not fair to tar everyone with the same brush but TBH for me the judgement call is not hard to make. I see it every day up and around Aungier St / Christchurch. The problem I have is that the majority of these people can get the help needed and either dont or dont abide by the simple rules that the health boards / social welfare set down. TBH the majority of them are very selfish people who have no regard for their families / friends.

[Jackass]

FranknFurter wrote:

"He looks like a junkie, therfore he must be, no euro coin for him!".... never even thinking "well, maybe hes been wearing the same clothes for 6 months and is so thin because he has'nt eaten".....or "maybe those marks on his wrists are from a failed suicide attempt"....... *sigh*....

b

Well what I ment about a junkie anyway is someone who's strung out...actually off their tits there and then...you know the guys, the ones with their eyes in the back of their heads, the guys who when you throw a coin into their cup the slow motion look into the cup and then followed by something in heroin language which could be "Thank you" or "Fu*k you" .... either way, that money is going towards his next hit.