The question at hand is not if you should or should not give money to panhandlers, the important thing to ask is how much do you love America?
Panhandling allows for the transaction of money in the most impersonal way possible. There is no “Hello, how are you doing” or “How much does this cost?” There is “I want money,” which is followed by a “yes” or “no” answer, which is called communism. I refuse to endorse this kind of social injustice.
A man or woman begging on the streets of Eugene, more often than not for booze or cigs, can sometimes make more money in a day than a person operating a booth at the Saturday Market. I do not know how much money is panhandled in America everyday (my estimate is a shit-load) because this money is untracked. Therefore, it is also untaxed.
The socialist community that fuels the begging industry on our streets believes giving money to the hungry, or in most cases the thirsty, is helping those in need. Giving money to bums or homeless people, even if they really do need it, however, opens the door for others to exploit the opportunity to earn a living by begging. Just check out Elizabeth Johnson and Jason Pancoast of Ashland, self-titled “affluent beggars,” who make up to $800 a day to pay for their $243 a week hotel room and other living expenses (they also receive $500 a month in food stamps).
Without a real job, beggars do not earn a real income. Without a real income, these people do not pay income taxes that go toward homeless shelters and other programs to help the needy. Leave it to socialism to disrupt its own economic process with half-assed values.
Even worse than the scammers, bums and tweakers are the street kids who make money from people that simply don’t care about the short change in their pocket and don’t know how to respond to the societal-putrid street dwellers that have overrun this city’s downtown. Instead of giving into their demands, however, utilize the situation to have some fun. When asked “Hey man, do you have 22 cents?” stop and engage in a conversation with them. Pretend to take an interest in the outcast and give him an uneasy feeling of tolerance and acceptance. This will really grind his gears.
The fact is that when you give someone on the street money, you have no idea to what or to who your money is going to. It is irresponsible as an American citizen to make such sloppy decisions that over time damage our great nation’s economy. Instead of handing a bum the three dimes from under your couch cushion, go to 7-11, buy two tallboys of Mickey’s and join your fellow countryman for a refreshing drink. If you must fill that void in your philanthropic conscious without actually conversing with a begger, make a small sandwich in the morning and hand it to someone who you believe needs it most. This type of action is in the true American spirit.
Just like you shouldn’t feed the bears your popcorn at the zoo, please don’t spare your change to the panhandlers.
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