Originally Posted by miharris (Post 2009776)

I never do, instead I donate to well run charities that make sure the money is used to actually help people in need, and not for booze and drugs.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2009938)

It's time to repeat the story of my college days. I was living in Boston, in a studio at the foot of Beacon Hill (the uber-wealthy section of the city, where the governor's mansion is located). School (Emerson College) was down the street a few blocks, and I walked or took the T everywhere. I had two part-time jobs, plus I was a busker. A street musician. Subway performer - not a beggar, not poor - but accepted by the "underground culture" of Harvard Square, Cambridge MA. Most of them were homeless, but there were a few folks who shared apartments, one guy lived with his parents, and a few had their own places because they had good jobs or their parents paid for it.

At the end of one particular day, some of the homeless people invited me to THEIR home - the cemetery two blocks away. I went, and they shared the food they had bought with what they'd acquired through panhandling, and we passed around a couple quarts of Miller (blech but it's the thought that counts), and I slept in a beat up sleeping bag next to a wino who had his own blanket and pillow. We were up past midnight talking about life, experiences. A couple of the folks were drug addicts and one was having an unpleasant experience with drugs that night, but they gave him his space and he zoned out without incident.

I can't say I'd ever want to be homeless, and I'm not sure I'd want to make a vacation out of sleeping in graveyards. But it opened my eyes to the experience, and gave me some empathy I hadn't had prior to that.

Perhaps because I actually DID "walk in their shoes" for a day, I'm able to be a little less judgmental about the concept of homelessness. For those "christians" who choose to judge - remember your catechism or bible lessons or whatever you folks get when you're kids.

Does this make me naive? Nope. In fact, it makes me a little more experienced and "enlightened" than you. It gives me the "street cred" that you apparently lack. I know when I see an addict, and I can tell when someone actually needs money to survive and is down on his luck, and when someone is doing just fine and is trying to scam me out of my money.

As for the guy eating the McDonald's burger - I actually watched an Sonic Employee hand out bags of food to each of the three people with signs - one at the Walmart driveway corner, one near the Dollar store, and one at the driveway across the street where McDonald's is. Seems minimum wage employees are more generous than wealthy old people. Not surprised. A little disgusted, but not surprised.

Originally Posted by jdulej (Post 2009958)

Not sure what you mean by "statistically speaking" but in terms of a percentage of income or of net worth, the 1%ers give about as close to nothing as you can get and still say you are doing something. I remember Walmart bragging about giving 200-ish million dollars to charity. Then someone pointed out that that was like 1/10th of 1% of their income for that year. Sure, 200 mil is nice, it's not buying their way into the promised land.

Originally Posted by Opengineer150 (Post 2009961)

Originally Posted by jimjamuser (Post 2010153)

Oh, h*ll yes! That IS JUST WHAT America NEEDS - more division into WARING camps. I guess that Jan 6th was not VIOLENT enough for some people. Russia likes to split counties (even tried it in France) into chaotic warring groups - that is their secret weapon, and it is cheaper than missiles and nuclear subs. Can you say, Robert Kagen, sure you can, and he deserves a national security medal for his bravery!
.......Californication or Floridavacation....left of center or right of center. Ask yourself which state has more EMPATHY towards its citizens? Which would vote for or allow a despot to institute military law in it. Which state, in general, would treat homeless people better. If you have working-age relatives, and A.I. and robotics make for 30% UNEMPLOYMENT, which state will provide better unemployment benefits for those you LOVE? AND I can answer those questions this way - it is NOT Florida!!!!!!
.....Let's take insurance and compare Florida with one of those commy-pinko Euro-countries like Finland. You-ALL know how hard it is to fight the Insurance Companies to pay out ANY money for ANYTHING - be it hospital bills, car accidents, storm damage, hurricanes, etc. In Florida, the Insurance Companies RULE your Doctor with an IRON fist. Not so in Finland where it is UNDERSTOOD that the Doctors take precedence over INSURANCE LOBBYISTS. Ask, where do the citizens have greater healthcare that is guaranteed? The answer again is NOT AT ALL in Florida.
.......So a person in Florida can laugh and knock California (like Finland) and laugh about homelessness. But, let that same Floridaman lose their RETIREMENT or wages and become EVICTED - and watch how they look envious at California, and soon after they pack that one suitcase and start hitchhiking WEST to the friendly, welcoming, empathetic arms of California. It could be a NEW carpetbagger ERA MOVING west!

Originally Posted by jdulej (Post 2009934)

Wow, a sensible post. What a shock on this forum. I would add to those jailed the American drug families (Oxycontin anyone!) who are currently getting a slap on the wrist