Homeless "People"

[Wallstreet]

I don’t mind if I get put on Mr. Wallstreet’s ignore list, as I have probably given his posts too much of my attention already.

My experience with those who have such strongly held opinions and who so aggressively and crassly dismiss all other points of view is that they often fall into one of the following categories:
1. Do not have the mental acuity and emotional intelligence to imagine even for a moment the myriad of reasons that may have led to someone being homeless.
2. Do not have the ability to appreciate, consider, ponder, or remotely fathom another point of view.
3. Find comfort in a “black and white” or “0 or 1” view of the world in which if you are not with me you are against me.

Do I believe that every homeless person has been hard done by, is an innocent victim of a cruel and harsh world and deserve all of the help we, the more fortunate, can give them… no. But I also do not believe that the “sweep them of the streets” solution is particularly realistic except in the simplistic fantasy world that some seem to inhabit.

So while I wish I could enjoy the simple comfort of Wallstreet’s belief system, I will continue to lead my life of quiet desperation as I struggle to try in my own small acts to make the world which I live in a slightly better place. If this means that on occasion I give some small change, or a Tim Horton’s gift card, to a homeless person, I can live with that.

So by all means Mr. Wallstreet please ignore me.

P.S. Wallstreet – your use of the term “mental retardation” reminds me of the good old days of Insane Asylums and Sanatoriums. A more simple, but not exactly better, world.

devguy, I'm not going to put you on ignore because you actually have sense and good reasoning. I only put morons and fools on my ignore list. my entire beef is not really with what made the person homeless, its the fact they beg for money.

everyone has their own view on how they feel about homeless, and mine is simple; i feel and am for giving $ to the blind, crippled, mentally ill, etc. i am against providing money to crackheads, alcoholics, etc

now the above is all opinion but this is a fact; there is no reason, no reason at all for anyone in a country like canada and especially in a city like toronto to be begging for money.
Why can't they go on welfare? Why can't they get a fucking job? Why can't they go to a homeless shelter and they will be given food,clothes,water? Why can't they become a caretaker? Why can't they clean feces and urine out of toilets? Why can't they go to bay street and offer to shine people's shoes? Why can't they stand outside a grocery store like no frills and offer to take the grocery cart back to the store for the customer? i am sure the customer will be willing to let them have the 25 cents. The reason is because they are lazy parasites that have come to the realization that your typical civilian FOOL is willing to hand you out $ for free while your sitting on your ass so why not do it?
There are no excuses, there is work on every corner of toronto available. if you walk into china town and go to 3-5 stores i guarantee you they will hire you on the spot, it will most likely be less than minimum wage but its better then sticking your hand out begging for money.

and dont come with that horseshit about 'oh but mr poor homeless the great doesnt have ID or a sin. GET OFF YOUR ASS AND GO REGISTER FOR ONE. go to a local public swimming pool, take a shower, go to a value village and put on some clean clothes, walk into a bank and open an account to get your welfare checks from.

there is no arguments, debates, reversals, side streets to the above. it is fact and principle and can not be argued. simple as that.

 

[CapitalGuy]

I was in Edmonton for business when the street performers' festival there was on, earlier this summer. They block off a section of downtown for the week. People with a variety of skills, some amazing (circus school types, musicians), some awful, but they were all working their asses off for a few dollars from whomever bothered to walk up and drop a loonie or a fiver into their hats at the end of their show. It can't be a very lucrative living. I walk around the corner from where all these artists are working, and some 20 year old is begging for spare change. I have to admit, the 20 year old can fuck off.

 

[Ladyraven]

devguy, I'm not going to put you on ignore because you actually have sense and good reasoning. I only put morons and fools on my ignore list. my entire beef is not really with what made the person homeless, its the fact they beg for money.

everyone has their own view on how they feel about homeless, and mine is simple; i feel and am for giving $ to the blind, crippled, mentally ill, etc. i am against providing money to crackheads, alcoholics, etc

now the above is all opinion but this is a fact; there is no reason, no reason at all for anyone in a country like canada and especially in a city like toronto to be begging for money.
Why can't they go on welfare? Why can't they get a fucking job? Why can't they go to a homeless shelter and they will be given food,clothes,water? Why can't they become a caretaker? Why can't they clean feces and urine out of toilets? Why can't they go to bay street and offer to shine people's shoes? Why can't they stand outside a grocery store like no frills and offer to take the grocery cart back to the store for the customer? i am sure the customer will be willing to let them have the 25 cents. The reason is because they are lazy parasites that have come to the realization that your typical civilian FOOL is willing to hand you out $ for free while your sitting on your ass so why not do it?
There are no excuses, there is work on every corner of toronto available. if you walk into china town and go to 3-5 stores i guarantee you they will hire you on the spot, it will most likely be less than minimum wage but its better then sticking your hand out begging for money.

and dont come with that horseshit about 'oh but mr poor homeless the great doesnt have ID or a sin. GET OFF YOUR ASS AND GO REGISTER FOR ONE. go to a local public swimming pool, take a shower, go to a value village and put on some clean clothes, walk into a bank and open an account to get your welfare checks from.

there is no arguments, debates, reversals, side streets to the above. it is fact and principle and can not be argued. simple as that.

so if you are all knowing and we can not possiblity have a different veiw because well your right no matter what why even start this rediculous thread?

 

[FatOne]

Yes, please just leave me alone. Did you hear that, you Sick Kids canvassers who line every block in the core? Also, please stop trying to convert me to a Mormon (Yes, I said Mormon, not moron).

.

I don't mean to sound like a queer or something, but Mormons are easy take care of.
Just say
You two can just fuck right off, take that book of Mormons and shove it so far up your rightous asses that you choke, you soul solisting pig fuckers.
I am... Sancho.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFUW6htvUss

Mormons are worse, at least homeless people don't go door to door... yet.

 

[GPIDEAL]

Public washrooms? I've never seen one in Toronto. I remember reading about a new one on Queen's Quay, but it made the newspaper because it's one of a kind and an unknown thing in this city. It also costs money to use.
You can't go into restaurants to use theirs if you look like you need to wash up either.

There are some under Nathan Philip's Square (no, not the landing of a stairwell), but that is one complaint against this city being world class - we don't have many public washrooms which are very scarce.

 

[GPIDEAL]

These type of threads always reminds me of former Maple Leaf great, Harvey "Busher" Jackson. During his retirement years it was rumoured that he was seen outside old Maple Leaf Garden begging for spare change.

He probably made more money doing that than what Ballard might have paid him.

 

[Rockslinger]

He probably made more money doing that than what Ballard might have paid him.

Actually, Busher played under the Smythes who were probably cheaper than Ballard, if that is possible. No, I never saw Busher played in real time (I'm not that old).

 

[Rockslinger]

I think we are all suffering from "compassion fatigue". Now everybody is criticizing us because we gave so much to Haiti and so little to Pakistan. The last time I looked, there weren't a bunch of Haitians running around planning to blow up the Parliament Buildings and behead our beloved Prime Minister.

 

[GPIDEAL]

Actually, Busher played under the Smythes who were probably cheaper than Ballard, if that is possible. No, I never saw Busher played in real time (I'm not that old).

Good point, but I meant that Ballard could've hired him to be an usher like he did with many of his old friends. Ever hear the story about Stan Obodiac?

 

[OddSox]

So, is Ballard really haunting the Gardens to this day?

 

[Bif_Butkiss]

You can't just put all of these people into one group, homeless, beggars, whatever. There are so many social, psychological, medical and other issues behind most of the homeless. The government's absolute refusal, for the most part, to put in place some sort of system to help these people. I guess part of that refusal comes from a sense of futility in dealing with them. They can't all be helped the same way. Each of them and whatever issues they have in their life are as individual as you and I. They are not "cookie cutter" people, from the same mold. Thus no single program will help solve the homeless issue. At most these "programs" may just be a PR ploy by the government to make it look like it's trying to do something.
The few that I've had the opportunity to "meet" while volunteering for a Native group in down town TO have really opened up my eyes to their world. Nothing is as simple as it looks with them. If you really want to open your eyes and see the real world as it is too them. No, let me change that IF you want to see the REAL world, your's included, try volunteering for just a few hours at maybe a soup kitchen, food bank, or just take the time to talk to some of them, especially over the holidays. Don't worry their not contageous. I think some of you may just feel ashamed afterwards about how you feel towards them now.
And whoever posted that note about not giving your spare change to the homeless as it only furthers whatever addiction they MAY have I agree with that somewhat. If you really want to help, buy them a hot meal, maybe a coffee and sandwich, with the cold weather coming go through your drawers and closets at home, donate your old winter jackets that you don't use anymore, maybe hats and scarves, buy them a warm pair of socks. There are so many other ways that you can show that people still care about them.
If you try to somehow exclude them out of whatever fairytale life you live that may solve the issue for you but in the real world they are still there. Ignoring them is not the answer and before you ask I don't know what the answer is but I think just talking too them is a good start.

 

[MuffDiver]

There are a lot of good points here, but I must admit I am tired of the constant forceful invitations to my wallet. I am not rich, work hard and value my money. I fell on had times when the economy collapsed and found the "system" had enough rules built into to deny my coverage. Thankfully family helped me rebuild a tough situation to the point were I was doing 1,100 KM interview commutes and eventually landed a decent, but much lower paying gig in Toronto.

I am thankful to family but somewhat bitter, as I paid into support systems for 20 years and they denied me coverage based on loopholes. I was fortunate, but I can recognize how some people cannot get the help they need. Wallstreet should publish a how to guide, as getting a permanent address requires a lot of work, unless you have in province help to float you until you can stand on your own.

Just as an FYI, I was a skilled IT professional making 100K + who went the contract route as the "investment professionals" were fucking all the desperate people over for a cut of the shylock interest rates on high risk unsecured real estate loans and the dumbass mutual fund and pension fund advisors did not "understand" the AAA investment vehicule they were selling was a Lada.

Luckily for me help I handed out was paid back and I am again comfortable, but to paint all with the same brush as WallStreet is stupid. Scariest night of my life was sleeping in my car waiting for a cheque to be issued so I could go to Moneymart to cash it for enough gas to drive to a safe place in Quebec and then allow my car to be reposessed.

 

[GotGusto]

Maggots living inside a homeless man's nose
http://stileproject.com/video/1855/maggots-in-a-hobo-s-nose.html

More maggots eating a homeless man's rotting foot
http://stileproject.com/video/14636/rotting-foot-infected-with-maggots.html

Such a cruel world.

 

[zardoz]

There are a lot of good points here, but I must admit I am tired of the constant forceful invitations to my wallet. I am not rich, work hard and value my money. I fell on had times when the economy collapsed and found the "system" had enough rules built into to deny my coverage. Thankfully family helped me rebuild a tough situation to the point were I was doing 1,100 KM interview commutes and eventually landed a decent, but much lower paying gig in Toronto.

I am thankful to family but somewhat bitter, as I paid into support systems for 20 years and they denied me coverage based on loopholes. I was fortunate, but I can recognize how some people cannot get the help they need. Wallstreet should publish a how to guide, as getting a permanent address requires a lot of work, unless you have in province help to float you until you can stand on your own.

Just as an FYI, I was a skilled IT professional making 100K + who went the contract route as the "investment professionals" were fucking all the desperate people over for a cut of the shylock interest rates on high risk unsecured real estate loans and the dumbass mutual fund and pension fund advisors did not "understand" the AAA investment vehicule they were selling was a Lada.

Luckily for me help I handed out was paid back and I am again comfortable, but to paint all with the same brush as WallStreet is stupid. Scariest night of my life was sleeping in my car waiting for a cheque to be issued so I could go to Moneymart to cash it for enough gas to drive to a safe place in Quebec and then allow my car to be reposessed.

What do you mean the system denied your coverage? Do you mean after you got laid off, you did not get severence or EI? How is that possible? Also, you were making 100k+, did you not have any savings?

 

[Yooser]

This is an ad I found on the wall of a laundramat. Good thing I have some "spare change" to wash my clothes. Or I would have missed it.

"Do you know if You will run out of money and become homeless before You Die ?
I can help make sure you don't !!!
I will only speak with with responsible people, who are concerned about not being a burden to their families.
Contact: xxxxxxxxxx@sunlife.com "

Note that this ad is aimed at persons that still have pocket change , and internet access !
And I thought this could only happen to lazy, drug addict types !
And guess what ! Nobody wants to rent to you if you have "no job".

 

[Huron]

I think we are all suffering from "compassion fatigue". Now everybody is criticizing us because we gave so much to Haiti and so little to Pakistan. The last time I looked, there weren't a bunch of Haitians running around planning to blow up the Parliament Buildings and behead our beloved Prime Minister.

I wasn't aware that all of Pakistan was to blame for that.

 

[681david]

As a full-time high school student over the age of 17, one is eligible for student welfare but it is not nearly enough to live on.
An 80+ year old man was kicked out onto the streets due to his failure to pay rent as a result of federal deductions of his health coverage.

If you are fortunate enough to live a life without worrying about basic necessities, then help those who are in need.
So you feel they'll spend your money on crack and whatnot, then don't give them money. Give them food or donate your money to city shelters, they're always in need of funds.

 

[HOF]

zrdoz stop posting in my threads you annoying troll. you are also on ignore i cant see any of your posts.

You can't control who posts on your threads. Read the terb rules.

Wallstreet, you appear to be ambitious, driven to be successful and I hope that you are or will be in your future, but charitable benevolence is part of being successful. Could you see yourself as a board member of the daily bread food bank? or something like that, maybe a big brother, volunteer coach, it's not always about money in many instances giving your time is more beneficial than money.

I have the charities that I donate to. Monthly, I donate non-perishable food goods to an organization 10-15$ can feed a family of 3 for 3/4 days. You can drop food donations off at any firehall anytime of the year.

Now, I never give $ to anyone sitting outside of Beer Store, LCBO or Bar. I did one time purchase a woman and her child a meal from a Mcdonalds, but no $ in her hand.

I don't disagree with your principle concept but the language and method of it is poisonous. I'll assume that you pay taxes. Do you realize that your taxes, my taxes and everyone elses go to sending numerous countries around the globe food, medical supplies, water, etc. Well, I think that we should cut back and eventually stop that practise until we have cleaned up our own back yard. However, that is not how politics work.

Welfare should be workfare (job training for whatever) I know a woman who did this and was hired by a school board and became management; she just needed a start.

There are many instances in life that you can't help anyone that doesn't want to help themselves. Another issue is immigration and refugees. Stop it now! Until we get our own messes fixed don't take anyone elses.

 

[swiss69]

Too many comments to go read them all.

Just help them if you can.

Otherwise, STFU.​

 

[footie]

Like I said, I don't care about their stories. If they decided to smoke crack or start drinking alcohol it is their own problem. I can't stand them asking me for $ everywhere I go, its disgusting. I really, honestly don't care about their back stories. They can go to homeless shelters and get food, clothing, and shelter there instead of begging everywhere for money.

So you don't care about their "back stories"? What if they are using drugs and alcohol in order to cope with past abuse during their childhood? You don't care about abused, traumatized or neglected kids? I can tell you that in many (if not most) of the cases you are referring to, that is largely the case.

We all care about the "poor child" who goes to school with no food, no winter coat, neglectful parents etc....and then suddenly, we stop caring. I find this troubling. We worry during their developmental years and impart empathy on their plight, and then when the years of neglect and poverty manifests itself in social or mental issues, we call them bums? They often have no tools to deal with a complex and largely uncaring world (as your attitude clearly illustrates), in large part due to a marginalized upbringing, through no fault of their own. At what age precisely do you stop caring, Wallstreet? Or, do you ever care at all? I'm not being glib, I really wonder.