Homeless guys... I feel bad for them.

[Mind Freak]

Well I shouldn't say homeless guy's just homeless people in general.
I was walking out of CVS and there was a homeless guy on the sidewalk and he says "what's up?" and i say "hey!" all nice and stuff because I'm nice and I say hey nice to everyone.

So I'm going to my mom's car because I want her to pay for something and then he asks me if I can help him and I looked at him a little more closely and he had a prosthetic (spelling) leg and it was on the ground. So I was like "omg I hope he doesn't ask me to put his leg on!" because I was already shocked that the leg was just sitting on the ground but I tried to hide it.

And then I had to go back in the store so I said "Sorry." and then he didn't say anything and he just looked at me and I felt bad because I couldn't really do anything for him because we were in a rush and he scared me. : (

So yeah... I dunno I always feel bad. : (
And um yeah, you shouldn't always help all like "homeless" people right? Isn't it like kind of dangerous sometimes? Like at night.

[Nixon]

umm...

Do your best you should have helped him
His leg was on the ground thats kinda of rude and was it dark your mom was there so how could he really hurt you?

[kaster]

yeah, if a guy's legs on the floor, they obviously can't reach it.. Maybe even picking it up handing it to him, helping him to sit somewhere would have been enough...

[Janvier]

I have quite a few homeless friends, I help them out as best as I can, a few coins or cigarettes, even just some of your time to get to know them and talk to them.
Some are a bit wierd but you have to get to know how to talk to them. Some are very intellingent and nice, some are crazy tho.

I've even invited a homeless friend to stay with me in my appartment, he stayed for about 6 months, it was so much fun, I helped him find a job and an appartment. Now he lives with his girlfiend and his baby

[riddlerno1]

i was thinking of homeless people the other week. I went to see a tv show and was in the audience and we were outside for like 4 hours but it was like -9 degrees out so blisteringly cold! By the end i was in pain from the cold and i was all wrapped up. It just made me feel bad for the hundreds of homeless people who have to endure that day in day out.

[Mind Freak]

His leg was right next to him. I asked him what he needed but he didn't say anything. I think I was just in shock that his leg wasn't connected I've never seen anything like that before.

[Tim]

It is quite sad...

Our town has one of the highest homeless people compared to amount of people in city in most of california...

In fact, it's now against Eureka's law to give money to a homeless person. $1000 fine.

But the city council finally passed a measure to get a new homeless shelter open. The famed Eureka Inn has been closed for years... someone from Pennsylvania bought it and wants to open it as a homeless shelter, but the city council won't let him, so one of our landmarks is now closed to the public...

[Peter]

Homeless people are frequently in the state they are in due to circumstances outside their control. A drug addiction (including alcohol) is not a choice, it is something that has been inflicted by a pusher (or another "friend"). Depression is not a choice, it is a physical ailment that makes it nearly impossible to lift yourself back out of the gutter. Mostly they need help. If I see a homeless person who is doing something (like selling copies of the "Big Issue"). I do not give money to those who just sit there waiting for charity; however I do try and recommend carrying vouchers of some sort (like a free meal) to give to those.
Remember they did not choose to be homeless any more than I chose to be gay.

[SlickyPants]

Huh. It kind of reminds me of the beggar in the 1977 film Jabberwocky that severed his foot (and eventually both of them) in order to increase business.

I do feel bad for those that have had life throw them a curve ball and knock them down and unable to bring themselves back up. It can happen to the best of us. But it really bothers me that there are some out there that make a pretty decent living off of being lazy and tugging at the heart-strings of others. On my way to school I would get asked for money at least 5 times. As a general rule I don't give money to individuals. I would rather donate time or money to a homeless shelter or rehab centre.

[beckyg]

It is hard to know what to do in that type of situation. If he really needed help with his leg than maybe you could have used your cell phone to call a police officer to help. I would never bend down (you would be in a vulnerable position) to help somebody like that especially if you were alone. If there were people around, it would be okay. Just try to use your head in situations like that. Observe the situation and decide if its safe or not before you react with your heart.

I do like Peter's idea of carrying "vouchers". We don't have those in the U.S. but maybe buying a few $5.00 gift certificates to McDonalds or something. I love that idea!

[Mickey]

I feel bad for the homeless,too. Especially,when it's so cold. I have bought coffee and doughnuts for some people before.I don't usually give money,but I will feed someone.
I love Becky's idea of food certificates. Also,I have donated coats and such to the local
food pantries.
In the situation you described,I agree that if it was safe to do,you could've helped. But it's hard to know sometimes what to do. Help,when you can,just don't give money. There are a lot of people who will only buy booze or drugs with it.

[Brandford]

Originally Posted by Janvier

I have quite a few homeless friends, I help them out as best as I can, a few coins or cigarettes, even just some of your time to get to know them and talk to them.
Some are a bit wierd but you have to get to know how to talk to them. Some are very intellingent and nice, some are crazy tho.

I've even invited a homeless friend to stay with me in my appartment, he stayed for about 6 months, it was so much fun, I helped him find a job and an appartment. Now he lives with his girlfiend and his baby

I am so glad there are still people out there who are will to do things like that. You are a True Angel

As for the Original Poster, I definantly would have helped him no matter how scared I was, I can't stand to think of someone or something in that condition and I hate when i can't help someone or something in that condition, it often makes me cry, like think about it, what if one day that man were to wake up and his leg were gone? what would he do? nothing because he is all alone and hes poor, all he can do right now is rely on what people do to help him to get himself back on his feet or foot.... so he can get his life back together

[Fiorino]

Poverty is so sad, I don't like to think about it alot.
But the other day, it was freezing out and there was
this homeless guy and I was like "It must be cold for
him", so I gave him some spare change. I think that
we should (at least) give blankets to the homeless,
winter is very cold and I know I'd appreciate it if
someone did that for me.

[Psychedelic Bookmarks]

The homeless situation is one of the most depressing things. I often give money to homeless people when I go into the nearest city. I know many of them will just spend it on drugs but at least that gives them a little happiness. Food and clothes is better obviously, as is buying a Big Issue. It makes me feel so impotent though, I wish I could do more.

[tehnathan]

I don't help anyone, and it's not to be heartless...

there are homeless shelters here (at least in the city i live in), so anyone who is living on the street is doing so by choice.
there are many places to get food, food banks, shelters etc so anyone who is starving is doing so by choice.

nobody can starve, nobody can live without a roof over their head, there are too many resources in place to keep that from happening. anyone who lives on the street, anyone who says they can't eat, that's a choice they've made. they can get help if they need it. even if they have no id, there are social agencies who can help them get it.

i was homeless myself, i lived in shelters, i know entirely what that's like. i had food to eat, i had a roof over my head, i never needed to panhandle.

they can get the help if the want it. they can ask. if pride gets in their way, that's their problem, they have to dieal with