Homeless shouldn't be happening (Homelessness and street begging)

Name: Podlett

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Product:	Homelessness and street begging
Date:	22/01/07 (186 review reads)
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You walk past people everyday in the streets that you don't know from Adam, you don’t know their name, what they do for a living even if they have a home. Can you out your hand up and admit that you have refused to give money to a homeless person on the street? I know I can. It's not always because we are too busy, or to rude or that we *can't see them*.

I have given money to homeless people a number of times, and on many occasions I have seen them walk into an off license straight after and buy alcohol or cigarettes. I personally don't do it any more. A friend of mine was recently walking to work when a young girl asked her for a few quid to...buy some crystal meth (one of the most highly addictive drugs) it's as bad as heroin. She told my friend that she isn’t going to lie but she "needs a hit".

My friend gave her the money and thought to herself, *If I don't then how else will she get the money? Theft? Prostitution? The young girl said thank you to which my friend replied "I am helping you to kill yourself, don't thank me." She came in to work feeling very bad but felt that she also did some good by helping her to avoid breaking the law in order to get her fix.

I gave £2 to a homeless guy outside a pub on a Friday night. He walked back into the pub once I sat down, and tried to buy a bottle of beer. In a way it annoyed me because he could have bought some food but alcohol is also good for numbing pain or other problems he may have had. He couldn't have put it away for his *dream home*. What’s a measly £2 going to achieve? Nothing.

People shout at homeless people in the street to *GET A JOB* How can you get a job when you have no address to call your own? Some people would rather be homeless than be in a hostel, they're not the best of places. What if they got a job? They have to find somewhere to live first. Maybe they can't afford the rent that is always sky high in most places. It's a vicious circle.

I remember when I was younger my mum went into a shop and bought a pint of milk and a sandwich and left it on a park bench for a sleeping homeless man. That was the best decision rather than money. Life isn't easy for these people and they are on the streets for many different reasons. Women in abusive relationships, kids who are from broken homes, drug addicts who have been kicked out.

It's a massive problem in the UK especially in London where I live. Not so much in greater London, but Central London's pavements are draped with bodies of sleeping or most of the time, out of it people.

We have been warned off giving money to homeless people as you are helping them to kill themselves. But what are they going to do? If you don't give them money they'll get it from somewhere else.

There needs to be more shelters and hostels helping these people. What do our taxes go on? Benefits for Osama Bin London’s contacts in the UK. (This is a fact and had been published recently).

It should go towards helping people in need. Next time I see a homeless person I'm going to do what my mum done, get them food. It's helping them in the right way. Not a way that will help them along with slowly killing themselves.

Summary: Help don't ignore.