Your attetitude towards beggars

[Skjaldemjøden]

A new law passed today in Denmark making the punishment for begging harsher. Homeless people now face 14 days in jail for panhandling. Homelessness has steeply risen in the past couple of years. The majority of people living in the streets are foreigners, but there are also many ethnic Danes in the big cities. Last year the first person ever, a Slovakian woman, was deported from the country for repeated begging.

I was wondering what the Aprecians think of beggars.



I've been taught from a young age always to give money to beggars. My great-grandfather was orphaned in WWI and was raised by his widowed grandmother in dire poverty. He started working at a printing press as a child. Clearly remembering his proud character I'm certain that he never resorted to begging, but he definitely knew something about being in need. And so he never refused a beggar, not even those who were obviously swindlers. When questioned by my grandmother once, he told her that anyone willing to lower themselves to the state of begging deserves help. This stuck with her, and she taught it to me. As a child whenever we saw a beggar in the street she would send me over with money. When I got my first job I started designating some of my salary to charity. As an adult I've never turned a beggar away. I often go out of my way to change money so I have something to give, and I keep coins in my car in case someone begs at a junction. I also often donate to charities online and in person (except for religious ones). I'm always discrete about it, but I've nonetheless been criticized by friends for having a bleeding heart. I don't mind admitting it under the anonymity of the internet, since it might make for an interesting discussion.

[Sekarotuinen]

I always give them money.

[Wilhelm O.]

Strongly against beggars, especially in the North, where welfare is definetly enough for people to get a bath and wear fresh clothes, because that's all you need to get a job. The disabled definetly get enough money not to beg. Only reason I can see why someone would be begging is if they are drug addicts, but then they don't deserve a penny.

[MinervaItalica]

I don't care as long as they stay away from historic centres and don't bother citizens, after all they are just victims of life BUT i don't have patience for this kind of people:

http://www.corriere.it/cronache/17_g...?refresh_ce-cp

[Odin]

Homeless bums normally get bused out in states like Utah.

[DarkPhoenix]

I don't see many of them here. Someone I know prefers to give them college applications over food or money when any are found.

[Melki]

I try to leave some coins from time to time. My sister is more generous than me. There's a Polish man often begging in front of a supermarket. My sister bought him a sandwich, a bottle of water and food for his dog .

[ÁGUIA]

I always think that I don't know the day of tomorrow, and I'm not free for being in the same exact place as they are now.

I tend to help, buying them something to eat when I can mostly. While younger I used to make the mistake of granting them some money, meaning I was just financing frequently or most of the times their vices (alcohol, drugs etc), contributing to the problem rather the solution.

[Ylla]

I prefer to buy them some water or food rather than give them money, you dont know if theyre going to spend it on drugs or alcohol. Its really sad seeing them.

My bf got a homeless man some food at the local fast food restaurant because he felt bad. The guy wasnt even grateful. Be careful who you help. I only like to help if they have young children.

[al-Bosni]

I give money whenever they ask. I can not be bothered to investigate them, if they are hungry, or if their child really has cancer, etc. If they spend that money on evil, I still had good intentions. Many of them come around my local mosque on Fridays, some with kids. They know how generous Muslims are so they take advantage of that, especially now that it is Ramadan.