63 replies to this topic

[Steve Heard]

Just as in any issue, there is rarely a catch-all that explains the condition.  We are talking about people.  We have so many variables.  Physical health, mental health, education, support or lack of, criminal history, Chemical Dependncy, and past experiences, that form how we are at any one given time. I don't wish an uncomfortable life for anyone but I will refuse to contribute to addiction satisfaction for anyone.  I can't protect folks from their own decisions but I can protect myself. 

Yes, I judge the situation and decide who I will give a hand out to.  I'm sure I have been had as well.  I will always give food or buy food if asked.  Cash?  I gree with you.  My donations can make a difference, or they can be drank up, snorted up, or smoked up. 

We are a community and we get to decide what we want to tollerate.  I don't want someone yelling and screaming at me and scaring my kids. If I am a business I don't want that either.  I don't want a drunk, wandering the street.  I'd rather not risk me or someone else, running them over. 

I like when the rules are enforced in this community.  I like when citizens do the enforcing.  Ask the kids to stop skateboarding where it is posted, call the police on a drunk, ask stinky people to leave your buisness if they are causing you to loose paying customers.  Report illegal vendors who take away business from the Lease paying ones.  We can DO many things to make this community what we want.

If you have a soup kitchen, you will feed folks that cannot provide for themselves.  Some will be short timers but you will have those that are not.  This is the exact same problem with taking folks into your own home.  It is hard to make them leave if they don't want to. Tennant/Landlord laws lean toward protecting the Tenants.  So we protect our families from being stepped on, unsure who will take an unintended advantage of our hear felt offerings and who will not.

I was talking to a homeless guy recently. He mentioned that many of the homeless have burned all of their bridges, so family will not help them, and they are thrust upon society.

[cybertrano]

In the 80's when homeless was still a rarity, I gave to all homeless who asked for money. That was in Florida. As time goes and there are more homeless people, I became more selective in giving. I only give to much older people who look like they can no longer work or look sick. Folks in their 50s or 60s and above. I will not give to the young abled body homeless. Can't help but touch my heart when I see homeless people at their ages. It makes you think how lucky we are in Folsom.

I work near downtown Sac., and I definitely see more homeless people. I look out my cubicle window and see them pass by every day. Since last year I started to see homeless women of different ages.

As a crazy wacko conservative, I got my soft heart from my father. I just hope that no more homeless will come to Folsom.

Steve:

I agree with you 100% about giving cash to panhandlers.  (While going to school at Berkeley and working in San Francisco, I had to contend with more than my fair share of street people.)  At the same time, however, I agree with Cyber in that we cannot ignore the homeless.

A safer and wiser way to spend pocketchange (or more) on the homeless is to write a check to a reputable organization.  The Powerhouse here in town was happy to accept my donation.  Thus far, I am impressed that the shelter has strict rules for its guests.  I hope they continue to operate responsibly.

[folsomBlondie]

Another thing is that I don't give money to homeless in Folsom, only elsewhere. I definitely don't want to encourage more to come to Folsom.

[whome_209]

Another thing is that I don't give money to homeless in Folsom, only elsewhere.    I definitely don't want to encourage more to come to Folsom.

Way to go