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Devils'Advocate · 01-26-2008, 07:53 PM

I have never, ever, ever in my life given a dime to a homeless person. Cutting off that cash is the only means of forcing these people to get the help that they need. I give a lot of money to charities that provide food and shelter to homeless people and from what I hear from the people that work there, there are always beds available except on the nights when it is 40 below.

#1 problem - The mentally ill are usually so mentally ill they cannot recognize that they need help. So they don't seek it. And until they break the law, we can't touch them. It's so difficult - we see people every day that we KNOW need mental help and we are powerless to do anything.
#2 problem - Those addicted to drugs might as well be mentally ill. It's not that they don't want to get off the drugs.... it's that the physical and psychological addiction has completely taken over from the rational mind. Just like the mentally ill, they are not in control of their lives. The drugs are. And again, until they are caught breaking the law, we can't get them off the streets.

I used to try to help them out. For example, there was a guy in Halifax that used to always ask for change so he could get a sandwich because he was so hungry, so I would buy him a sandwich from time to time and he was very happy with that. So here in Ottawa there was a guy who asked for change so he could catch the bus. So I gave him a couple bus tickets. Later I found him down there yelling "10 bus tickets for $5! Anyone want 10 tickets for $5?" So now, I just give money to charity and give nothing, not even non-monetary items.

01-26-2008, 07:53 PM	#131
Devils'Advocate #1 Goaltender Join Date: Jul 2005 Exp:	I have never, ever, ever in my life given a dime to a homeless person. Cutting off that cash is the only means of forcing these people to get the help that they need. I give a lot of money to charities that provide food and shelter to homeless people and from what I hear from the people that work there, there are always beds available except on the nights when it is 40 below. #1 problem - The mentally ill are usually so mentally ill they cannot recognize that they need help. So they don't seek it. And until they break the law, we can't touch them. It's so difficult - we see people every day that we KNOW need mental help and we are powerless to do anything. #2 problem - Those addicted to drugs might as well be mentally ill. It's not that they don't want to get off the drugs.... it's that the physical and psychological addiction has completely taken over from the rational mind. Just like the mentally ill, they are not in control of their lives. The drugs are. And again, until they are caught breaking the law, we can't get them off the streets. I used to try to help them out. For example, there was a guy in Halifax that used to always ask for change so he could get a sandwich because he was so hungry, so I would buy him a sandwich from time to time and he was very happy with that. So here in Ottawa there was a guy who asked for change so he could catch the bus. So I gave him a couple bus tickets. Later I found him down there yelling "10 bus tickets for $5! Anyone want 10 tickets for $5?" So now, I just give money to charity and give nothing, not even non-monetary items.