Those of you who live or work Downtown: You know the bum with the tumor below his ear lobe? Can’t remember which ear. Well, he was begging at Second and Peabody Place tonight. He engaged a sweet girl in conversation about midnight. She waved money around, then came into the Saucer. I thought she was looking to get change for a 20 to give to him, and I stopped her. “This guy has been panhandling Downtown for years,” I told her. “He knows what he’s doing. This is all part of his plan.”
“I know he’s addicted to crack cocaine,” she told me. “I’m not stupid. But I’m getting him something to eat.” Of course, there are a dozen locations Downtown – the mission, churches, other organizations – where he can get food to eat during the week. He should never have to go hungry. And as I’ve said, I’ve seen him in the area for at least 5 years. It’s not like he doesn’t know how to get food if he really wants it – without begging. And he’s a drug addict.
I admired this woman’s desire to help those in need – but this was not a person in need. If you’re reading this – he was *** USING *** you. You are not helping him by feeding him. You are not “helping the homeless” – you’re enabling. You are not “doing as Jesus would do” – not that I go to church that often, but as I understood it Jesus gave people the help they needed, not the help they wanted. Of course the bum didn’t turn down the free meal, but with his belly full that was one less thing he had to worry about – it freed him up to beg for money for crack.
If you really want to give out handouts on the street, you’d be far better giving socks, hygiene items, candy bars, etc., rather than restaurant meals. I came across a charity at Cooper-Young Fest that does an awesome job taking first steps to integrate the homeless – true homeless, not bums – back into society. I want to talk to the Executive Director to see how we can best help but I’ll be mentioning them soon.
I’ll step off my drunken soapbox now. The Rapscallions won first place in trivia, bringing our total to $145.