How do you think of the beggers in the street?
By dinohe
@dinohe (92)
July 16, 2008 3:47am CST
In the street,we often see some beggers begging money from walkers.Many of them are old and poor people,some are disabled.But some are young people,who have the healthy body.Maybe some just want to cheat money from you.It is difficult for us to judge whether they are really poor or not.Then in this situation,what would you do,give them money or go away?
12 responses
@MizukiZHR (611)
• China
16 Jul 08
Yes,I will give some money,but only to the old and children.I won't give money to a young man without any disability.I think they only want get money without hard work.And I also have heard that some beggers even become rich men.I am very angry because them use our compassion to make money.
1 person likes this
@dextornap (333)
• India
25 Jul 08
I feel bad for them. But i get angry when they don't try any thing to improve their living. why they are doing that. Even their children are also continuing in same occupation. They don't want to go school evn though free educations are giving to poor children. May be their parent are not allow them to go home. They are strong enough to do phisical works to earn money. But still they like begging. What mentality they have?
@worldwidewadi (277)
• Singapore
26 Jul 08
I felt similarly like dextornap. Every Friday after our Muslim congregational prayers, I will see a group of beggars outside the mosque. And its the same faces I see every week. They are middle-aged women who could still work and earn a living. Yet it appears that they can't find a job or something. But wait, can't find a job for years? That's gotta be ridiculous! Initially when I saw them I'd pity them and gave some alms. After a while I simply refused to do so because they are so dependent on our money and never make the effort to break free from the cycle of poverty. And they will bring along their little children while they beg. And that is not good. The children will grow accustomed to begging and will never learn to be independent. The poverty cycle will just continue. Their mentality sickens me. A teacher of mine told me a story of a beggar he met. Apparently the beggar is poor otherwise he wouldn't beg right? But the beggar owns a mobile phone! Now it sickens me further when they fail to realize his or her priorities on what to spend with their money received...
@Xdrowninghavocx (3117)
• United States
26 Jul 08
It's upsetting to me. I often wonder how they got to that point. I'll give money if I have some extra left over in my pocket. This one time I saw a child with dog looking for money and some food in New York City. That was rough. I was in middle school on a class trip at the time. After I saw that I didn't care about the trip, I just wanted to go back and talk with the kid.
@dreamssri (1796)
• India
26 Jul 08
yeah,its pretty difficult to judge whether they are really poor or not...but when i see a handicapped,i'll surely give them money...
Goodday,
Sri
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
16 Jul 08
Hi dinohe,
In most cases, I will offer biscuits or candies whatever I have in my purse...But, for the blind, I will drop a coin in their cup..
What discouraged me also for doing this all the time is that, I have learned that some family members or any syndicate are using these people to earn..And they are not really the one who is enjoying the money, they will just get part of it..
This is a very rampant case in our Country which made the government encouraged people not to help them..
So, I guess it's better to give them food so they can eat it rather than money..
Like last time, I've seen a man who has a very huge cut in his leg, it was bloody and you can really see that it's not treated..He was lying in the street and screaming and people who are passing him will really cover their nose due to the smell of the wounds..
I know it was done purposely with some Family members and I hate the idea, why not bringing the man in the hospital and approach any people who can help them, he was like tortured!
@zeroflashx2 (2491)
• Philippines
16 Jul 08
If I have some spare, I won't hesitate to give as well. It is difficult to some times know whether they are telling the truth or not, of if someone else is using them go beg on the streets. Nevertheless, we still try to give as much as we can. Especially young children. I do prefer though if they have something for sale like cloth for cleaning or some other stuff. I find them really hard working.
I agree with Mizuki though. I just can't find myself giving something to men who are begging on the streets. Although we can't really blame them since work isn't easy to get especially in this country. But at least they should try. There are quite a lot of jobs they can do. Hopefully, the government can see this instead of giving them money/food, give them livelihood as well. Take care!
@mich_23 (120)
• Philippines
20 Jul 08
It's very disheartening if I see people begging in the streets especially those who are disabled and who dont have the capability anymore to work for a living.
I feel bad though about people begging but we can see physically that they can still earn a living when you look at them physically without begging. I don't usually give money to street children but I do give them food. The same also for old people, sometimes they are guarded by syndicates who just take advantage of them and earn comissions when they let these poor childred beg in the streets for money. This is a sad reality of life.
@just12blog (257)
• Malaysia
17 Jul 08
Hi dinohe, due to so many news being reported from newspaper and TV, i don't think i will give money to any of the beggers. Sometimes i did feel bad on doing that but i have no choice because i'm protecting myself from being cheated by them. I have received email that attached with series of the photo taken on begger's daily life. During day time, they pretend themselves as disabled people, by evening (where not much people pass by the street), they start to keep safe their money and go home. Then, they bath themseves and drive a luxury car to hotel for their dinner. Just because of this gang of fake begger, our society became less concern to each other. It's sad but this is the truth.
@kidjuwee (611)
• Philippines
20 Jul 08
I don't like to give money to street people , when I was younger I pity them because they look so poor. But I just hate the feeling when you don't give money and they will curse you and tap at your cars window or sometimes hit it. I just hate it. It is like they are forcing you to give them. And I had an experience that we gave our food to a street kid and the kid just threw it away in front of us. What a shame.
@ShellyB (5241)
• United States
16 Jul 08
I usually give if I have the money and I have a feeling I am doing the right thing.
Other than following my heart, I have no clue if people are telling me lies or the truth, what I do knoe, is if they are lying, it is them that have to live with the lie, if they are telling the truth, at least I was able to help someone.
