To give or not to give.... That is the question.
On a trip to my local supermarket tday, I was in a good mood. For the first time in a long time it was warm - ish and the sun was shining. People were in short sleeved shirts and summer blouses. There was a feeling of optimism in the air, everyone wanted to welcome the spring.
I had a leisurely stroll around the store, I was content. I had purchased a couple of plants for my garden and as I left the store I had to walk past a woman, sat on the floor in the corner with two husky dogs. I had seen her partner and one dog before but now there were two of them with two , rather scruffy but reasonably well kept husky dogs. They had spread their sleeping bags around the floor and had made themselves at home in a corner.
I smiled 'hello' at the woman and she responded by asking for some money. 'I haven't got any change on me I'm sorry ' I lied.
Walking past I thought 'perhaps I could give her a pear, some satsumas- or... I could have given her the chuck steak I had just purchased ' for her dogs-
People are divided about giving to beggars in the streeta ren't they ? But if we give, what are we contributing to? Are we just feeding their drug/alcohol habits by giving them money? But what if we all gave a pound here and there, would they not be able to collect some savings in order to put a deposit on a roof over their heads.
I have seen loads of programs where people are scraped off the streets due to self abuse with drugs, get hospitalised, get clean and as soon as they leave hospital- go straight back on the drugs- It is a mental illness. If we give them a little money are we not just contributing to this self abuse, or are we helping? These people are scraps of humanity. No - child has ever grown up wanting to end up dirty sleeping rough and addicted to one drug or another and reviled by society do they?- These are someone s daughter or son. It is cold on the streets and the pavements are hard.
Our society has to shoulder some responsibility for these distraught people. They are not happy, they are damaged. But what is the answer, to give or not to give That is definitely the question
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Totally agree - it is a conundrum. I walked past a rough sleeper chap I hadn't seen before, sitting in a closed shop doorway in Fort William and not exactly asking but obviously (hat on the pavement) desiring money. I passed him by with the thoughts of 'well, he'll just spend it on cider or drugs' but my compassion twinged me and I thought 'well, I have do some change' turned, went back and dropped it in his hat saying 'get yourself a coffee' and he thanked me. But I still left him with the same thoughts you mentioned :what's the point, should I have done it,etc.
ReplyDeleteStill don't know the answer, though - is it a good thing to do or not? I we just exacerbating the problem, or are we helping another human being who shouldn't have to be in that position?
I remember, in the mid-sixties, being accosted in a central London street, by a beggar, who was, almost predictably, Glaswegian as am I. "Gonnae gie us five bob for a cuppa tea pal?" I know London is expensive, but even in the '60s, five bob was a lot for a tea! I told him that I wouldn't give him money but I'd buy him a meal. I took him into a nearby 'Wimpey' bar and sat him down in a table in the rear, went up to the counter and gave five shillings to the server asking her to give the guy what he wanted to eat and a hot drink. As I was walking out the door, I turned to wave him farewell. He was already at the counter haranguing the waitress to get the money back. Apparently his need for 'tea' had been superseded by a more pressing requirement.........
ReplyDeleteWell yes, thats the dilema, these people are cold dirty and lying about on the streets beging bcos they are addicted to alchoholand or other drugs, the 'lowest of the low' literally. Is it right that they are addicted - no- is it right they are rolling about on the floor in their own filth - no - what is our society doing to help these people- they are part of our society after all. So ok it may be self induced poverty but its because they are weak people- should we just walk on by, if we give them money aren't we compounding their issues?is it right that we ignore them ? I don't know.
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