<sf> wrote:

> On Sun, 27 Jul 2008 11:08:12 -0400, blake murphy
> > wrote:
>
> >On Sat, 26 Jul 2008 22:45:22 -0700, sf wrote:
> >
> >>On Sat, 26 Jul 2008 23:46:21 GMT, Orlando Enrique Fiol
> > wrote:
> >>
> >>>sf wrote:
> >>>>And armed guards to protect them. There's a reason why decent
> >>>>groceries and other retail businesses are not near public housing
> >>>>projects.
> >>>
> >>>See my other post. When people need or want things they can't afford,
> >>>they often resort to theft. Grocery stores would have to be subsidized
> >>>so that their merchandise was consistently affordable or even free to
> >>>the poorest people in greatest need.
> >>>
> >>People in America are not that poor. Drugs are at the root of the
> >>problem, not poverty. Drug dealers don't barter, they deal in cold
> >>cash. People steal to get money to buy drugs. If they receive
> >>welfare, their priority is drugs not food. Even so, stealing food
> >>isn't a necessity here in America. All they need to do is show up at
> >>a soup kitchen and they are fed. There is NO valid excuse to steal
> >>food in this day and age.
> >
> >again, your soup kitchens are so well-founded or -stocked they never
> >turn anyone away? everyone eats until they're full? where do you
> >live?
> >
> Hell, there are people on the streets giving sandwiches to people who
> won't go to a soup kitchen here.


There are a number of homeless here in my Chicago 'hood. Years ago I'd buy
food for some of these "hungry" people, I stopped that when the last several
I bought for laughed at me and threw the grub in the trash can...sorry, I'm
not giving you cash so you can feed your booze or crack or lottery ticket
habit.

There's a number of street people that will simply refuse to get help. A
number of my pals are in social services, they've attempted to steer some of
these souls into rehab programs, etc. They've all refused. These
particular street people are mostly ***, a coupla blocks away there is a
huge *** social service agency which could give them all kinds of help with
rehab, benefits, job training, finding an apartment, etc. (there is also a
huge Salvation Army facility nearby). They'd rather stand on the street and
beg and so bother passerby or engage in petty crime for their income
stream...

It's awfully tough to have a bleeding heart when one encounters this every
day. I used to volunteer with social service agencies too (I won't go into
my endless stories), but it was largely a wasted effort; I can only do so
much, I've not the energy to light a fire under someone who makes no attempt
to help themselves.. One only has so much patience...


:-|


--
Best
Greg