The bums didn't lose

[Abideist]

I've noticed more lately that the bums where I live are showing up to "work" with more and more friends, and in addition to the larger numbers of 'homeless', I find that they all seem to be in great spirits, and in constant communication with each other.

I've also noticed that come sundown, they all disappear from the busy intersections that I drive, and perhaps go to a shelter. However, the shelters where I live do not allow pets, and most of the time the bums seem to have pooches with them, who look healthy enough.

When I'm delivering something in my vehicle, that I pay the gas on, I expect I'll make a 5 to 10 percent tip for my efforts, since the world hasn't yet figured out that delivery drivers are basically waiters on wheels who have to pay for the gas to get to the destination as well. So I kn0w by the end of the day I might just have enough money to pay for gas tomorrow.

When i pull up to a stop light and see dudes handing over money to these bums it really pisses me off.  Most panhandlers make on average 60 dollars a day and sometimes up to 200 dolalrs a day. That's WAY above minimum wage, and they are doing nothing. They have signs like, I love you, I'm starving, blah blah blah. 
Well I have bills too asshole, and chances are you fucking live in a nicer house than I do, which is just a two bedroom duplex that I share.

Then I see the panhandlers who as for money in need of help that are women, they say they have kids and whatever but they look like they had those kids 20 years ago, then you see the scum of our city give a hand signal for a blow job from his work van, and she whistles to her pimp from across the street, and all the sudden the "help me, poor mother" sign is gone and she's racing to the abondoned parking lot for her real job.

Now don't get me wrong, prostitution is the worlds oldest "profession" and I think it's great under the right circumstances, but when you're also getting bills for nothing just standing the fuck there, it's bullshit.

Bottom line, the bums arn't just bums these days, they are just taking advantage of the weak minded, religious, and youthful generous people of our country and playing the part of keeping us handing out to ust yet another financial institution that steals money unnecessarily. They are no different than the charity organizations that pick and choose, or the government that taxes and bends the rules.


Why should I work for minimum wage when I could just be a bum?  I'd make more money...That shouldn't be so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krg5r6n0kr4

this is just one example. But I can't abide these assholes anymore.

[martin]

[Boston Rockbury]

as a fellow dude I hope you will take it in the right spirit when i say "put the piece away man".

the world will always find new ways to piss us off. We can help eachother not get uptight about it right?

Breathe out man!

[Dirty Hippie]

Hey Koog-meister! Like you, I am a delivery driver. Sammiches. I also see a ton of dudes at the intersections in my area.

I dunno, man. Hanging out on the side of the road hoping for charity seems like a real bummer to me. It's hot, it's windy, and I don't see too many people actually giving over anything.

I see the new guys out there. During the first few days they look so ashamed. They don't even make eye contact with the cars. They just hold their signs and look off into space, hoping someone will call them over for a buck. I cannot imagine what must have happened to get them out there. I can only assume things have gotten bad, then worse, then they are hungry, and then they are out there begging and desperate. It's a bummer, man.

I sorta lost where I was going with this. I sure am grateful for my job, though.

[Busmum]

i never give directly to the people on the street-- if they want my $, they need to look for it at the reputable organizations that i donate to... mainly because of assholes like in your video, koog-meister.

i've been working for nearly 2 years now at this place near a fwy on ramp, and there's a crew of 3 that's been working that corner (and the one just up from it) steady the entire time. i don't believe for one minute that these 3 couldn't find their way to a shelter, or social services, or any church-based place in this amount of time-- pasadena is rife with outreach services!

the thing is, people that are lucky enough to have a job (even if it's min. wage) feel lucky... and that in turn makes them feel guilty when they see the apparent have-nots.

panhandlers work for their money too, in a sense; but i didn't just fall off the turnip truck yesterday! my taxes already go to support the programs they are probably taking advantage of in one way or another. they don't need tax-free income from me.

of course, this issue is much more complex than what we have vented on... but this one guy that used to be a part of the aforementioned crew (when they were 4), was seen by several people at my work one weekend driving a lexus, and drinking starbucks-- obviously upper middle class, if not downright affluent.

makes you wonder! 

[A.B. Dude]

I don't think the problem is the bums. The problem is the people giving them money.

Now I'm all for public programs, having applied to (and been turned down) for food assistance--my state sucks, and sure, watching some unemployed asshole living off the system easily while I struggle to find money for groceries with two part-time jobs does make me feel very fucking un-Dude.

Handing out money to bums that stand on the corner with a cardboard sign is teaching them the concept of learned helplessness. The people giving them money indiscriminately are only making the problem worse. It's like having a "problem child"--the child is not bad, but the behavior is. The behavior is often bad because it's the only way the child knows how to get attention. Some positive reinforcement can go a long way.

Homeless shelters, job outreach and training centers, these are all great methods of empowering the downtrodden and helping them to become urban achievers.

But that's just, like, my opinion, man.

[Boston Rockbury]

I am a pretty judgemental person, so i know I can't preach about being non-judgemental but this thread throws up a whole bunch of very heavy judgements about other people. I know that when I extend an attitude of love and acceptance to other people and manage to get away from being critical that I feel better inside  -  a lot more free. When Walter talks about 'a world of pain', in a way that world of pain is the anger and resentment inside his own head.

Does the Dude resent people for being unemployed and living off the system?

There are a lot of ways to contribute and people in jobs may be putting in a lot of effort but that doesn't mean they are necessarily having a nett positive effect on mankind or the planet.

I come from a snobbish lower-middle class background, where I was taught to look down on people who were 'common' or didn't work, had drug problems etc'. I haven't totally lost that way of looking at people but it isn't something I'm proud of. More and more I want to see all people as my brothers and sisters.

[meekon5]

Actually isn't this rant more about your own dissatisfaction with your own life and living conditions?

When i pull up to a stop light and see dudes handing over money to these bums it really pisses me off.  Most panhandlers make on average 60 dollars a day and sometimes up to 200 dolalrs a day...

An interesting claim but where do you get the data from?

I'm willing to concied that some may earn that, but I find it hard to believe all of them do.

I can understand your frustration, though.

It is hard sometimes.

[BikerDude]

In general I suspect that being homeless is no picnic.

I usually roll down the window and yell "get a job sir!"
But I also do chuck whatever loose change I have laying round.
Over the years I've noticed that a good amount of my time I was about one or two really bad choices from going down the toilet. And I've typically had good jobs and made good money. But unless you are truly wealthy we mostly hang by a thread.
I just go by the adage "there but by the grace of god goes I".

[meekon5]

I have heard that we are only two paychecks away from homelessness at any one time.

I personally spent about a year living out of the back of a camper van in a pub car park.

But that seems like another lifetime now.

[Abideist]

I didn't put this into general comments...

It's under 'over the line', where a group of dudes are acting un-dudely.

Specifically the dudes that are living in homes, and still going out to the freeway and bumming because it makes more money than working at taco bell...And this is in Florida, land of the sunny beaches.

If you sit and watch them like I do, you see it's not just one or two guys giving them a few bucks, but dozens of people forking over large bills.

Meekon, YES, it is about me in some regards. I don't like making less money and doing more work, but I especially don't like when people who do less work than me, and make more money give that extra money to someone who did nothing for it.

These dudes don't even wash my window, they just stare at me.

Some say it's because they are truly in need...Well, maybe there are, but i'm talkin specifically in my locality. I believe i mentioned that before. Which is a sub-tropical climate.  They arn't freezing their ass off in the cold, and maybe you see shame in some of their eyes, but is it an act or legitimate?

And to the dudes, that are in serious need of help, I feel for that, because I lived in my jeep for two weeks and bumed couches for almost a year.  Asking to borrow money is a nightmare, and not being able to pay it back is the worst feeling ever. But there are too many factors with the bumming in this situation which I doubt could be understood if you didn't live here. So...

Fuck it.

Maybe I'm cold.

Maybe I'm not dudely anymore.


Fuck it.

[cckeiser]

Back in the 60s we called it "Spare-Changing". Many a Hippy made a very good living Spare-Changing back in the 60s.
Me...I washed dishes when I was on the road...well mostly anyway. Never spare-changed though. Never could bring myself to beg...just not in me I guess.

[meekon5]

Koog dude, we all loose it once in a while.

As most of you can testify who know me, or even have surfed this forum for a while, I do frequently.

I don't agree with this point of view but then your entitled to it as your own.

I have done some really shite jobs in the past, just to get by.

"How many jobs have you had Simon?"

It's a frequent question asked of me because I have been very flexible when I need to be.

Once you've picked other peoples dogends out of urinals whilst cleaning a pub in the morning only to go onto another job as a clerk in an off-license (liqueur store to you US Dudes), then to go on to work behind a bar in the evening, there's very little you wont do.

I understand your frustration.

I realised a long time ago that if I was to be able to afford my toys I would have to work for a living.

From my own experience I don't see any problem with what you did here, yes it appears a little un-dude, but it's better to have your Walter moment and get it out of your system than bottle it up and have some sort of breakdown (I've been there myself).

So if these Dudes are earning more than you for doing less you must be making a particular decision to be doing what you are doing.

It's good you feel safe enough to do this here mate.

Let it out, re-balance and re-dude.

[BikerDude]

ENOUGH OF THESE FAKE BUMS!
I SAY WE MUST REQUIRE A BUM CARD CLEARLY DISPLAYED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FOREHEAD!
DUCT TAPE IS ALLOWED BUT STAPLERS ARE AVAILABLE AT YOUR COUNTRY BUM REGISTRY.
POTENTIAL BUMS MUST PROVIDE 3 FORMS OF BUM IDENTIFICATION.

1.POTENT STANKIFICATION,
2.SOILED UNDERGARMENTS THAT MUST BE PEALED FROM THE BUMS BUMS,
3.AND A SHOPPING CART FILLED WITH RANDOM OBJECTS THAT MOST PEOPLE FIND PUZZLING.


Thank you and have a nice day.

[cckeiser]

Tattoo it on their foreheads!!