Political Memes

"you also do that" implies the above isn't actually a myth.

Seriously though, there are at least three groups of homeless with some overlap:

• people who had a hard time, lost everything, but if given opportunity they will use it to recover
• addicts, for whom the addiction drive them to homelessness, they need to go to rehab, before they can be helped (seems like this meme refers to them)
• mentally ill, who don't have family, or family doesn't care about them. They need medical attention. Those are the hardest especially since most don't want to be helped

I wish, some of it gets squandered on rent.

No, I spend that money on sweets and soda, which will kill me much faster than alcohol and drugs would

I spent most of my money on booze, fdm printing, and video games. The rest of it I wasted.

At this point, professional panhandlers are a much worse stigma. There aren’t many, but you can bet the panhandlers in the best spots, the most outgoing ones, are the pros.

Actually, I’ve found that I don’t even have a choice about whether to trust that someone is truly in need, since I almost never carry cash

But yeah, I mostly gave up when a guy asked for $5 for food at McDonalds and I got him food from McDonalds, and he tossed it on the ground and vandalized my car. It turns out he was one of the most notorious professional panhandlers in my city, and most definitely NOT in need. I decided I can’t tell or I’m a sucker, but it’s probably more effective to help organizations who do this every day

My father gave money to a panhandler when I was a young adult (when I had almost no money to spare). I asked if it bothered him how the money might be spent. His words: "If he needs a bottle to get through the night, who am I to judge?"

That had a profound effect on me. I don't give money to everyone who asks. But I give a hell of a lot more because of that statement. My father was a teetotaler, fwiw.

"If they're just gonna drink, smoke, snort, or inject shit, then why should I give them the same money I was gonna use to drink, smoke, snort and inject shit? I'll just buy the drinks, smokes, coke and heroin and we can do them together."

Therefore...

...YOU are homeless!

I don’t. So, I should stop giving money to homeless? I am confused.