Homeless

[SagGal]

I definitely feel sorry for the homeless, but there is also a part of me that just wants to tell them to get up and get a job. Sometimes you see pretty healthy people just standing at the side of the road asking for money. They need to stop feeling sorry for themselves and get a job. If the person is an invalid then I understand, but a healthy person standing there asking for money.....c'mon now. Even if it's cleaning toilets or w/e, it is still a job. Sometimes I wonder how they got to the position they are in, and that is usually the cause of drug abuse or the lack of education. Still, you can't give up on your happiness so quick. It's hard, yes, but you are not going to help yourself with just feeling sorry for yourself. God wouldn't give you anything you can't handle. Maybe I'm talking nonesense or being harsh since I've never been in their shoes and God forbid should I ever be, but I just don't see how feeling sorry for themselves is going to improve their situation.

If you think about what giving a homeless person $1 a day would mean, you would think it's too much, $365 a year - but think about how many times you've spent that $1 to buy stupid things.

I agree but you can't constantly do that because the person will get used to it. They have to toughen up.

Even if you can't tell by looking at them, having a 1 minute conversation with them tells it all.

Have you had that one minute conversation with them?

[Darorinag]

I agree but you can't constantly do that because the person will get used to it. They have to toughen up.

What do you mean by "toughen up"?

Have you had that one minute conversation with them?

Yes I have. I've sat with them in front of subway stations when it was -20 celsius and snowing like crazy, with nothing on but a t-shirt and a jacket and jeans. I have talked to them when I wasn't in that situation too. You'd be surprised how nice some of them are, and some of them are even very educated. Just that they had a crappy hand dealt to them, I suppose... at least some of them...

[SagGal]

Toughen up, as in don't feel sorry for yourself and do something about it.
You never heard of this expression? Toughen up? hmmm, okkkey. :-)

[Darorinag]

Toughen up, as in don't feel sorry for yourself and do something about it.
You never heard of this expression? Toughen up? hmmm, okkkey. :-)

Not feeling sorry for oneself does not necessarily mean that you can do SOMETHING about it. In most cases, people can't do anything about it. That is why most of them are homeless anyway...

[SagGal]

Not true. They can always do something. What can't they do? Get a job? They can.
It's like you're saying, they're screwed up and there's nothing they can do about it. In America, no one goes hungry. There are homeless shelters where they go and eat. They are getting help, but I just don't think it's healthy for them to count on those benefits through out their whole life.
Just like that ancient Chinese proverb that says, "Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he eats for a lifetime."

[Darorinag]

No, I never said they're screwed up for life. I said it's hard and most are unable to do it because most can't even think beyond filling their stomach. When you're starving and cold, come and talk to me about thinking about anything other than food and shelter.

If you believe that in America no one goes hungry, then your parents have done a great job at raising you in a shell... Sorry, but you're so wrong. Here in Canada where we have better social services (or at least I thought we did), there are people starving or living on a small piece of bread / day.

Shelters are always full. There is a reason so many people are on the streets. Do you think they like being out there in the freezing cold (like -40 celsius)? Most do not get the help they need to get themselves the resources to find a job. It's not like you can go in anywhere and get a f*ing job. Give me a break. University students can't even get a job beyond MacDonalds. Besides the fact that people are biased about looks and the stereotype of the homeless as a lazy drunkard..

So you want to cut those resources or keep it at that just because you don't think it's "healthy" for them to count on it? I am sure if you were the one on the streets with nowhere to go, nothing to do, no food to eat, nothing to put on for warmth, I'm sure you would agree with people who say the same thing you're saying.... Those "benefits" are obviously temporary and are meant to get them up on their feet with adequate resources to go off and get jobs and build/rebuild their future.

[SagGal]

Cut those resources?????? You are twisting my words. I never said such a thing. I think it's great that the homeless have that. I am being optimistic about this and hopeful, but you are just saying that there is nothing they can do about it. What kind of an attitude is that? You are just listing and saying the bad in their life and I am saying that they have to try to do something about it. The reason I said it is not "healthy" for them to count on it is because what if one day there aren't going to be those services? I have never been to Canada so I don't know how things are there, but from what I've seen, the homeless seem to never go hungry. My parents raising me in a shell? What I am saying has nothing to do with my parents. I am basing this on what I see. Not far from where I live, there is a place where homeless stand in line everyday to get food. THAT IS GREAT because they do need help like this.
I just think that there is always something that the person can do about thier situation.
It happened...........now what are you going to do to fix it?

[Darorinag]

I never said there's nothing they can do about it, now, did I? And read my sentence, I said "cut those resourcese OR keep it at that" (i.e. not add to them because they seem "enough").

You said they have to try to do something about it. I said they can't do that UNTIL they have the food and shelter worries behind them.

Why aren't there going to be these services one day, btw?

Did you also stay around until the food-line was over? Did everyone get food? Not everyone does. I know because I've been in that situation.

And what about the cold weather and how some people spend the night on the streets? I don't think that's an issue in California, but here in Toronto, it's a huge issue, with the freezing weather...

[SagGal]

I never said there's nothing they can do about it, now, did I? And read my sentence, I said "cut those resourcese OR keep it at that" (i.e. not add to them because they seem "enough").

You made it seem as though they can't do anything about it. And of course they're not enough, but just looking at the way things really are, do you think it will improve? Not likely.

You said they have to try to do something about it. I said they can't do that UNTIL they have the food and shelter worries behind them.

Why aren't there going to be these services one day, btw?

Well I don't see that happening because the food and shelter seem to get worse or just stay as bad as they already are.

Did you also stay around until the food-line was over? Did everyone get food? Not everyone does. I know because I've been in that situation.

No because they eat it inside and I'm sorry that you have been in that situation. I don't mean to make this all personal.

And what about the cold weather and how some people spend the night on the streets? I don't think that's an issue in California, but here in Toronto, it's a huge issue, with the freezing weather...

It does get really cold in California. What, when you think of California, you just think of LA? As I said before, I've never been in Canada and I don't know how it's there. I'm just basing this on what I've seen. Don't get all worked up over this.

[Darorinag]

You made it seem as though they can't do anything about it. And of course they're not enough, but just looking at the way things really are, do you think it will improve? Not likely.

Of course, the situation can improve... Think about all those people who can donate food or money and instead throw it away.

Well I don't see that happening because the food and shelter seem to get worse or just stay as bad as they already are.

And so how are they supposed to get the help they need? There will always be new homeless people even if you help the other homeless people get jobs...

No because they eat it inside and I'm sorry that you have been in that situation. I don't mean to make this all personal.

Neither do I. But I am just sharing my experiences because my experiences show a different thing than what most people think homeless life is all about..

It does get really cold in California. What, when you think of California, you just think of LA? As I said before, I've never been in Canada and I don't know how it's there. I'm just basing this on what I've seen. Don't get all worked up over this.

I'm not getting worked up over it.. What's the lowest temperature you get there in the winter? We had -40 celsius this year... and of course you can't stay out when there's a storm. Many homeless people even die because the shelters are full and can't let them in.