Would you give beggars money or not?

[vaportrails]

/breaks into dance.

[packardbell]

a dollar means food to fulfill his growling stomach.

[packardbell]

True or False?

I heard through the grapevine that in China some homeless people, when in dire need of more money to survive, will cut off some of their own limbs in order to get more sympathy/more money from strangers--mainly tourists.

Is this a myth or true?

unfortunately this is very true.

mutilation of all sort unimagineable for your NA minds that you will not find searching the internet.

[xvizardx]

Nah!

I gave a beggar $10 before just to see him run to LCBO 5 minutes later.

They can all go F themselves.

[joeyjoejoe]

I would never give money especially if you have been around Yonge/Dundas for a long time like me.

The 2 types of beggars that annoy the hell out of me:

1) People who beg, but if you say no they will try to intimidate you into giving them money. This will sound racist, but it is primarily Naitive Indians. In the past 10+ years working in this area, I must have been confronted at least 20 times. All 20 times they backed down. These tactics might work on the average joe, but being a former bouncer, I don't intimidate easily.
2) The absolute worst are the teenagers with their designer clothes, jewelry, and headphones coming up to you begging for money. Why do kids today have no shame?

[Simaahoy]

no...

[danfromwaterloo]

It's my personal policy to never give money to homeless people.

I regularly donate to both the United Way and the Salvation Army, and I'm happy to ensure that these people have food and shelter provided to them, but if they were smart with money, would they really be on the streets? If you give a bum $5.00, do you really think he's going to buy a happy meal with it? Or is he going to go and buy $5.00 of meth.

Help them help themselves by donating to charities that work with these people to get off the streets. They don't need (or deserve) and handout. They need a hand up.

[Robb]

Never have, never will !

Begging on the streets should be illegal.

[CDNPatriot]

Here is the problem folks. Many suffer from addictions and also suffer from mental health issues. Their chances of walking into a entry level job and pulling themselves out is slim to none. Yet you have Mayor Lardship cutting back on these services they need. So rewind a bit... remember when homelessness was an epidemic in Toronto during the reign of Mayor Mel? How we had to do something about all these homeless people we were tripping over?

Unfortunately, the exteme right is in power. You might save on taxes but in the end you create social deficits that all have a cost. I remember when it was a concern that we were turning off Americans with all the homelessness in the city and driving out tourist dollars. Managing a city isn't about just simpleton strategies of cutting (and spending several billions on subways). It's about managing everything and planning and coordinating your way into a great city. Well time for me to run off to watch the Mayor Lardship and his brother Hog Ford do his weigh in.

[qaz393]

no

survival of the fitest

[Ottomaddox]

If I could tell at a glance which are needy, which are lazy and which are scammers, I would. I can't... so I don't.

[Agafaba]

Almost never do, but there have been a couple times where I have made an exception. If they have come up with a half decent story though I usually do give a little.

[carmaster]

I would give money, but they would probably use it for alcohol, smokes or drugs. It's better to give them food.

[Taffy1234]

It depends....If someone is really unable to work then surely I will but if someone is able to work then no way.

[Simaahoy]

If you give one begger money, you will have 12 others chasing you.