Get a job
I’ve been wondering lately at the spread of beggers in town. The other day, while driving down 82nd Avenue, I discovered they’ve even spread out there. Found one begging at the Food 4 Less parking entrance near Powell. Another not far away, next to a fast food joint.
I’ve been noticing the beggers more since the Willamette Week wrote a piece on them a few weeks ago.
It’s a tough position to be in, seeing these people around. As a Christian, it’s incumbent on me to have compassion for, and to care for, the poor and unfortunate. As such, I donate money to various causes on a regular basis, focussing on those that provide for the needy and sick. I also give a ton of blood to the Red Cross (this was true even before The Missus started working there). But when I see these particular poor unfortunates, I feel very ambivalent towards them, and I scoff at the people who give them money.
I’m aware that there are people on the streets of Portland that are there because of tragedies in their life. I am also aware that there are people on the streets of Portland who are there because they make daily choices that keep them there, when they are able to pick themselves up and become productive, if they only made the right decisions and stuck by them.
The problem for me is that I can’t tell the difference. They all have identical signs. “Will work for food,” “Disabled veteran,” “Help feed my kids,” and my favorite, “Why lie? Need beer.”
While I don’t pretend to believe that none of these sign-holders are simply social parasites, I also don’t pretend to believe that just because they wrote it on a sign, it’s true.
I seriously don’t think we should be encouraging people to live an unhealthy life by putting cash in their hands, not knowing where it is going. Did you ever see the KATU story on beggers (it’s no longer in their archive)? In it, they followed some panhandlers as they received money, then took it to a local mini-mart, got some 40’s, and got blitzed down by I-405. One of them, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Randy”, lay there drunk, looking at the camera and announcing his pathetic life for all to see.
Multnomah County, and Portland in particular, have a crumbling but still formidable safety net designed to help these poor unfortunates meet their basic needs and recover their health. The trade-off, though, is that these people start to be monitored and have to do something for their freebies, as opposed to just sitting with their hands out and getting money the easy way. And that is what drives many of these folks away.
But the fact that they won’t take some responsibility shouldn’t cause us to throw up our hands and give in. I encourage you to help the poor, by donating to causes that directly assist them.
But, please, don’t add to the growing problem in our communities of people finding that it’s just as easy, and sometimes more profitable, to rely on a sad look, a sad sign, and kind peoples’ weakness by just taking a post and waiting for the money to start rolling in…
And, if you see a “Will work for food” sign, ask them to mow your lawn in exchange for a meal from Fred Meyers, and see what they say…
Catch ya later.
Related posts:
Did you know you can buy vouchers from Sisters of the Road, and give them out as free food? I believe they’re $1 or $1.25, and they get a full meal for each voucher. If they’re really homeless, they’ll be grateful. If they’re scamming, you’ll probably be able to figure it out from their reaction.
Thanks for the tip on the meal coupons, TJ. I’ve been thinking about carrying gift certificates for McDonalds or BK around in my wallet, but a local non-profit organization would probably be a better choice.
Here’s Sisters of the Road’s website:
http://www.sistersoftheroadcafe.org
“…ask them to mow your lawn in exchange for a meal from Fred Meyers, and see what they say…”
We did that, sort of. We had a guy who wanted to do some yard work for us…he was sometimes homeless, sometimes not. He did an okay job and we gave him money (instead of food). Soon he was coming around every Friday night wanting to do an hour of yard work so he could get paid (even though the yard didn’t need it) or ask us to spot him $20 so he could go out with his buddies. He would come knocking at our door at 11:30 at night. It was a bad scene.
Probably everyone in Sellwood has come across this guy at one time or another. He came around the other day and said he was homeless, and wanted to do some more yard work for money, but we just have to say no from now on. I like to help people but not when they’re going to take advantage of me.
I stumbled upon this website, and read the pieman’s comment on the homeless. My response is sir, how can you boast about your Christianity and harbor such contempt, and judge a stereotype? I, by no means, am a perfect Christian, but my Bible tells me judge not lest thou be judged. Sir, have you any clue how close the gross majority is to that very same situation? Also, if you were in their shoes, and didn’t know Christ as your provider, you too may turn to other forms of comfort. I am not saying that you should approve of how they spend the money they are given. Like, someone else mentioned, gift vouchers for meals, etc. is a wonderful idea. I know when we visited Portland, on Easter weekend the Lord really touched our hearts and deeply humbled us. Perhaps, you should ask God to soften you. These people are no different from you or me, sure some are just shiesters, but many are not, what about them? I met a young girl on Easter who was trying to get home to her mother. She was mentally ill and ran away from home. What about these?
I wonder, burdened, if you bothered to read my whole blog. I don’t believe I derided the whole class of people that are out there begging. I fully support those who support people in need. I simply point out that there are good ways to support them, and there are bad ways.
I don’t think that being a Christian requires me to be a fool. I remember one Christmas eve, while I was a law student and struggling to make ends meet, that some guy came to our coffee shop asking for money to get home. Of course, he promised re-payment. I never expected it, suspecting I might be getting fleeced, and I never got it.
I like the Sisters of the Road things. I’ve heard many stories from friends of mine who work downtown about how they tried to give these to beggers and were often rebuffed. Because many of these people are just looking for your money.
If you find someone that you legitimately believe needs your money, by all means give it. But, like I said before, be intelligent in how you give. You may be supporting someones bad habits, helping them supply money to a drug trade that destroys more people than just themselves, or encouraging them to live a life of sloth when God may desire more of them.
Don’t spend so much time being offended by the words a person writes that you don’t take the time to read it all, consider the message, and realize what is said…
Sir, you read a part of The Pieman’s post and judged it out of context. Also, sir, “shiester” is a prejudiced term for a Jewish lawyer. Perhaps I should judge you by that?
I work full time for my money and I am just a paycheck away from needing the services of a charity. Every time I see someone with a sign, I wonder if they make more money than I do.
I knew some did before I read the WW article (an uncommon thing to do, apparently) but they brought the issue to my attention again. It saddens me, for a variety of reasons.
Burdened/Annoyed (who are the same person):
I think it’s impossible that I read my own post out of context. Because I wrote it. And I’m not sure what you’re getting at w/ the whole “shiester” bit. I’m a lawyer, but I’m not Jewish, and either way I’m not sure what you’re getting at. You have managed to thoroughly confuse me with your last comment.
Ryan:
Having just bought a house and also having over $100k in student loans, I’m in the same place at you. If I lost my job, I’d be on the street in weeks (if I weren’t able to find one, which would require the same effort I expect of many of the people I criticized in my post). I often look at beggars and think about the fact that, given my debts far outweigh my assets, many of them are much richer on paper than I am. Especially the ones who are making a tax-free income and not doing anything in terms of being personally accountable in life (except maybe covering a regular shift on the corner…)
I am sorry if I offended anyone. I honestly didn’t know that the word I used meant what it does. I was very wrong in using it, and I admit that. I again apologize for offending anyone.
I did read your entire blog pieman. I guess I misinterpreted the tone. I guess we all have different burdens on our hearts. I totally agree, that the Lord wants us to use our common sense. You are so right! I don’t expect anyone to be a fool. Use good judgement. I know the Lord laid on my heart who I was supposed to help. I totally understand that many take advantage of others, I just will never view things the same after some of the sad scenes I witnessed. Such as youth digging through trash cans for food. Please please forgive me for offending you. However, the way you wrote that you are ambivalent towards these people and scoff at those who give them money sounds very hypercritical to me. I do realize now what you meant though. I do want to add that you have a beautiful city. I am from the St. Louis area and it is not even close to comparing to the beauty.
Pieman,
I am not the same person as the one who wrote the post signed annoyed. Different person entirely.
–burdened
burdened and/or annoyed:
strange that you’d have the same e-mail address…
I didn’t type that entry listed as annoyed. Someone else did it and used my email address. I had nothing to do with that. Why would I write something like that? I dunno…someone is messing with me I guess. Oh well. Have a great day!
You too.
scheisster is not specifically referring to Jewish laywers, to my knowledge. It comes from the German “scheissen” which is “to shit.” Not to be confused with “schiessen” which is “to shoot.”
Oops! A guy named pinhead411 left this comment, which I accidentally de-spammed when I was trying to approve it…
“When I see the people that are being discussed here I can’t help but wonder about their VICTIMS;
The trail of broken hearts of wives, children parents and friends who begged them to stop drinking or doing drugs; The employers who trusted them and invested time and money in them to then be rewarded with someone who deserted the job or worse yet stole from them.
These people need to be driven from the streets as they create nothing but an eyesore and a blight on our community.
Those who sincerely need mental help should be taken to the institutions that can assist them;
Those who sincerely WANT help getting off the street should be pointed toward the services they need;
But the rest (whom I suspect represent the majority)?
The drug users, alcoholics and just plain bums?
They do not deserve my money or sympathy but only my disgust and pity.
Those of us who work do NOT deserve to be subjected to them and their pathetic signs or panhandling on the sidewalks where decent people try to go about their lives.
Drive them out of the city and out of the state. Let them find a nice cesspool in another state where they can swim in their pointless disgusting lifestyle.”
Note:
Just because I approved that doesn’t mean I endorse it. I am not into forcing these people to leave Oregon. I am into doing what we can to try to coerce them into either becoming productive, or else finding help that doesn’t have them walking up to our cars (on the roadsides) or to our persons (on the streets) and aggressively pan-handling in a way that makes people feel insecure.
If we didn’t reward the pan-handling, the pan-handling wouldn’t be taking place.