Homeless, Friendless, Souless? (Homelessness and street begging)

Name: pearlydewdrop

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Product:	Homelessness and street begging
Date:	05/06/08 (99 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: I dont think so

Disadvantages: Lack of food, shelter, love, regard, self-respect.

Homelessness, frankly, doesnt bear thinking about, and yet we have to address it and the social ills that lead to this unfortunate state of human decline. I am not a hard person by any stretch of the imagination, and I challenge anyone to not find the sight of a 'down and out' depressing and a sad indightment of our society. However, I dont believe that flippant 'handouts' of loose change help matters at all; I feel that all such gestures do is massage our consciences so that we are able to carry on our journey without pangs of regret that might spoil our day.


Paltry handouts to streetbeggars are not going to alleviate the long term problems that these individuals face, neither are they going to temporarily help them. Chucking change at the homeless, I think, actually dehumanises and humiliates them even more- although they may not be aware of it by this stage of deprivation. I know that by giving small change I could only ever be helping myself and my conscience- I would be self-congratulating myself on a 'moral triumph' in effect. In my view, the people who really make a difference to lives of the homeless and needy are the ones who voluntarily give up some time to walk the streets advising, counselling, and nourishing them. What an amazing person! The one who can spend time making a hot nourishing meal for a homeless chap, and still find time to speak to them like a human being.Surely the homeless are people with latent goodness and potential like the rest of us. Essentially those homeless individuals out there could be any one of us; any person who through grave mistakes of their own doing, or as victims of circumstance, have been dealt a terrible blow in life. I shudder to think that a simple error of judgment or a weak moment (maybe succumbing to drug addiction) can render us as helpless as the day we were born.


I wonder how it feels to be completely soul-destroyed and having to resort to street begging? How degrading. It must be awful to see people walking by blankly, ignoring you like a disgusting stain on humanity. Those people are seeing, breathing, thinking bodies, like us, and they deserve better than that. Some individuals arent willing to accept help, but does this absolve us from the responsibilty to aid those who desperately want assistance? I have a friend (well, ex-friend actually), who stunned me by saying "Well, most people on the streets have brought it on themselves". Oh my God, are you for real? You are one small step away from saying they DESERVE that pitiful existance. I think a person must be in serious denial, or else as unredemable morally as is humanly possible to practically wish that 'life' on people.


If it makes you feel better, give the homeless some change. At least you are acknowledging their existance I suppose. Buying them some lunch or a coffee is probably marginally better, because if they have a habit to feed, at least you arent contributing funds to worsen their lives. Food and drink is a staple, and giving this to your fellow man is an act of great kindness. If a beggar cant accept it as such, then perhaps they are in the grip of an awful, all consuming addiction. Food and drink, then becomes secondary to meeting that need for drugs and/or drink. Such people need professional help, and the lay person isnt able to alleviate the homeless persons suffering in this instance.


Maybe the homeless individual needs to have some sense of self worth and a small restoration of dignity for them to accept help and undergo rehabilitaion. Thats where talking to the street beggar like a human being worthy of your time is probably the starting point. Although, granted, people who wish to do this might want company. Its an unfortunate fact in todays world that we all need 'backup' should a person turn nasty or behave unpredicatbly.


So, homelessness is indeed a sad fact of society and probably always will be. That, I doubt will change. However I do think that we all need to change our approach to these people and try our best to see that they are humans that have lost their self respect- "there but by the grace of God go I" is something I often consider in this circumstance.

Summary: Just because they are homeless, they are still human beings. They have needs and a soul