Panhandlers: Is Honesty the Best Policy?
I've never been able to form an opinion on panhandlers. While on a very basic level I just can't embrace the practice of begging, from time to time I put myself in that person's shoes. I think, if things got as bad as that, if I had to beg on the street to get someone to give me a dollar, I would hope that someone would give it to me.
This weekend, I was near the intersection of New Jersey and New York Avenues NW queued up with the rest of the cars waiting to get on 395 when I saw an unusual panhandler. While this is a very hot intersection for panhandling or selling flowers, bottled water, and batteries, one panhandler's sign caught my eye. "Why Lie, I Need a Beer" was scrawled in black marker on his piece of cardboard. I rolled my eyes and kept going, but I saw some people giving the guy change.
Which got me to thinking. If I were on 18th Street and saw someone standing in front of Tryst with a sign that said, "I Really Need a Cup of Coffee," I think I'd be moved. While I can't understand needing a beer, I can relate to needing a cup of coffee, and I think I'd go in and buy the person a cup. But isn't it the same thing?
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8:08 pm
i've seen the same guy on that same corner. it's kinda nice to see the honesty, but i'm still never going to give anyone money for alcohol. if you want me to buy you a sandwich, ok. but nothing addictive (so i think i wouldn't buy anyone a cup of coffee either).
i was in line for the free ice cream at ben and jerry's last week (south of dupont circle) and there was a guy there strumming guitar for the people in line and asking to donate "to the united negro cheeseburger fund". now, i was in the line for free ice cream because i literally had no money. but if i had cash that day, i'd have helped that guy out. (ok, i had 12 cents, and i did give him that.)
10:31 am
i've seen those signs and i have yet to be moved. people have been using those signs forever in fells point, baltimore. they get a lot of play there since the area is home to a number of bars that beer hungry college kids frequent. they think it's funny and give the person some money. it's actually kind of sad when you think about it - receiving amusement from someone's addiction.
2:13 am
where does honesty begin?
or should I say fashion for awareness: What the fKuc?
…it occurred to me on my way to DC yesterday how at every major intersection there is a homeless man with a cardboard placard depicting him as a Vietnam Veteran in need of help…
Of course, all of us driving by these faceless broken people pass them without a glance, or perhaps we steal an uncomfortable sideway glance at our own reflection standing on the corner begging…
The question that really begs: what gives folks? What nation sends its children to war under its banner, and then abandons these very “heroes” to street corners to pander? What grotesque hypocrisy to even tolerate this concept as acceptable… Why are we silent in the face of our own injustice?
And amid this silence, what same lunacy compels us to send our children to yet another war? In the end will we give gratitude to these fresh victims of our apathetic complacency? Don’t cha wanna squirm in your own skin?
Want more dark humor? Read: Legende Vom Toten Soldaten, just for kicks — pardon the pun!
Folks, I was in Arizona and met a wonderful Navajo woman: she told me about bringing her son from Iraq with amputated legs, admitting him to Walter Reed. One day she found rats crawling on him. With tears welling in her eyes she asked “is this the gratitude for him having served?” I told her I was stationed at Walter Reed years back. The rest of the drive neither one of us spoke a word…
Don’t get me wrong…this is a great nation worth its growing pains, and there are times we do need to go to war…, but as we sit back to sip on that latte, remember, it comes at a price. So cut the bullshit and cheap words and enact policy that stands the test of honor. A nation is more than its government and is primarily comprised of its people…why the fKuc are we silent against our own hypocrisy?
-I.A.T.