Two weeks ago some of you might recall me putting up a post about the Panhandlers union and we all had a little laugh with it and I still think its stupid but hey, we live in a free society and they have the right to do this which I whole heartedly support their right to do this.
I still think it’s stupid.
Actually, they read my post and got back to me with an email.
They presented their plight and I sympathise with them but as I said to them in an email, I still disagree with their stand and they should be looking towards finding a permanent shelter to live in instead of under an overpass.
I think it’s fair to say we both agree to disagree on this but what we do have in common is that something has to be done to make life better for the homeless.
The mayor of this city came up with an idea, (the last one he had got him arrested and charged by the police two months ago).
In order to keep the panhandlers/beggars from begging for money in the market, the city put in six parking meters and the take would go to the homeless.
This way the panhandlers won’t be hassling the tourists for money and embarrassing city in the eyes of the tourists.
It sounds fair enough to me.
So for a couple of months the beggars layed off and the meters cha-chinged their way collecting money for them but when the time came to pass the money to the panhandlers some city official said no because they would only use it to buy drugs?
Huh, WTF so what?
What business is it of the city’s what they are going to do with the money?
A deal is a deal.
They would have done what they chose to do with the money they begged off of other people so what is the difference now with what they did with this money, it’s theirs so give it to them.
A deal was put in place to stop the panhandling in the Market and the city now refuses to pay up.
This only shows the arrogance and stupidity of some of these pencil pushers who sit behind a fucken desk daydreaming that they are smart and know better.
Everyone on the street knows that a deal, is a deal.
There are no contracts, no lawyers, nothing on file to prove you made that deal but the words that spilled out of your mouth and into the ears of the intended.
On the street life is different.
On the street breaking a deal can sometimes lead to someone either being hurt or maybe killed.
People who live on the street are in a daily battle to survive, they are not out there to save up money to go to Cuba.
A holiday to them is a month in the city jail.
Your word is what keeps you alive and sometimes even that is not enough.
The cops and courts stand by the deals that are offered because if they didn’t, don’t ever EVER expect to be trusted again and not to forget the repercussions, there always are.
You don’t fuck with people who don’t have anything to loose and for only $500, what are you, fucken totally brain dead?
As a tax payer ($5000 a year in property tax alone) I would drag that idiot out of his fucken office at city hall and kick his ass all around the fucken fountain for the afternoon for representing my interests then embarrassing me and the other citizens by reneging on a deal made in our name then making us look like liars.
If one of us did something like this when I was on the street, a serious beating or knifing would have ensued resulting in a lengthy hospital stay if not worse.
Where your word means life or death expect to pay the price it costs if you fuck up because fucking up can be expensive to someone, more than money could buy.
I fired off an email to the city with my opinion for what it was worth and I used my real name.
I wonder if I have any outstanding warrants from the 80s hmmmm
Maybe the panhandlers can break open a couple of parking meters to bail me out if I do. HA HA HA
Have a nice day
Walker
Manila, Philippines January 2015
9 years ago
Posts
13 comments:
Good for taking a stand. I bet they will be breaking into the parking meters for sure now anyway to get their $$$ I hate promise-breakers!
Walker: A friend told me that Minnesota once had a cool system where if you saw a homeless person, you handed them a cardboard with a Quarter in it (back when pay phones were still around) and the card listed a shelter and a cab company. The shelter paid the cab company for bringing the homeless person in. They'd get a medical check up,shower, and hair cut with an assigned cot with treatment for alcohol or drugs...whatever. But if they stayed in the program they were placed in jobs. Never knew what happened to that program? But it sounded good!
Patti: I believe we have to look at t he whole picutre to find the problems plaging society to find its cure.
If you can't understand what the other side is saying then you shouldn't judge.
One of the worse habits we have is jumping to conclutions before we get all the facts.
I see them getting ripped off so I got to point it out
MICHAEL MANNING: That sounds like a great system but what happens when it gets overwelmed?
Its the problem with so many ideas that fail.
Its because of lack of funds and over abuse.
Politicians. Few honorable ones! Here they finally admitted that someone screwed up when they shoved all the mentally ill people out into society and started closing clinics, selling the land... while many of the former patients ended up in Vancouver's eastside, or worse, on the street. Now they'll reopen some buildings at a clinic that hasn't been sold of yet; then they'll start readmitting some of the sickest people.
I'm glad you voiced your opinion. Living in Seattle, we have the original SKID ROW and a huge homeless population. It's hard to know who "deserves" to be given money and who's just taking advantage of a liberal system in our fair city. BUT... you don't take away their source of money to then steal it.
Stay on them Walker!
Here in Cincinnati I've actually been told some of the richest people in the state are the ones standing on the corners begging for money. I do feel for the beggars but hell, I can just barely feed myself. With the cost of living going up all the time & not getting raises to compensate, times aren't getting any easier for any of us. Still, broke, I will always keep my promises. How can the politicians live with themselves? Stealing from the poor is just pitiful.
If the panhandlers kept up their side of the bargain, then the city should keep their word. Like you said, if they had continued begging they would have spent the money on whatever they wanted anyway. A deal, is indeed, a deal.
I always feel so sorry for the homeless especially during the dead of winter. Can you imagine anything worse than being cold and hungry and probably sick and having to sleep out on the streets?
nachtwache: Politicians just hope by cutting services the problems wil go away but they dont they only get worse
Anonymous Boxer: We have to make ourselves be heard when there is wrong being done especially by those who represent us.
Lindy: I know what you mean. I barely make i t through and how are we supposed to help by giving to people who probably end up with more to spend than you.
They need help in getting affordable housing and from there what ever is needed for them to keep going.
Gypsy: I don't have to imagine I spent five years vitually without a home.
I believe when you make a deal with someone you keep it.
Its the honourable thing to do
What a great idea Walker easy to operate and even update (Just add a meter or two when needed, WTF happens to the parking meter money now anyway??)
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