[DemolitionRed]

Its a damned if you do and damned if you don't dilemma.

Genuine homeless people are less likely to ask for money. The majority of them don't bother people. If I spot someone who looks genuinely homeless I've been known to approach them and ask if they are homeless. If they are then I ask if they are hungry and go and buy them a McDonalds meal or a kebab but I generally don't give small change to people who ask me for it.

I always pay for a big issue at least once a week but I don't take the magazine. What a horrible demeaning job that has to be.

[Christmas Dynasnow]

Originally Posted by DemolitionRed

Its a damned if you do and damned if you don't dilemma.

Genuine homeless people are less likely to ask for money. The majority of them don't bother people. If I spot someone who looks genuinely homeless I've been known to approach them and ask if they are homeless. If they are then I ask if they are hungry and go and buy them a McDonalds meal or a kebab but I generally don't give small change to people who ask me for it.

I always pay for a big issue at least once a week but I don't take the magazine. What a horrible demeaning job that has to be.

the whole point is you cant tell who is genuine

unless you have some sort of magic power?

and are you saying people selling the local newspaper have a demeaning job?

heaven knows what you must make of binmen

[DemolitionRed]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

the whole point is you cant tell who is genuine

unless you have some sort of magic power?

and are you saying people selling the local newspaper have a demeaning job?

heaven knows what you must make of binmen

People can only sell Big Issue if they can prove that they are homeless, sleeping rough. In temporary accommodation. In danger of losing a home, unemployed and facing financial crisis.
Selling big issues says you are one of these ^ things. Its a label that you've hit hard times.

I believe bin men are on good salaries. I don't see their job any different to any other blue collar worker. You clearly do.

I've spent quite a lot of time volunteering with a homeless shelter and I recognize quite a few old timers in my district. There's a woman up the road from us who wears all her clothes (I mean her entire wardrobe) at the same time because if she leaves them anywhere they get removed. She never begs. She never so much as looks you in the eye. She uses a shelter through the winter months but she prefers to be outdoors during the summer. When I look at people like her I know she's been ****ed by the system. She clearly has some sort of mental illness, though I doubt she's ever been diagnosed. There's a massive amount of mental illness amongst homeless people.