Oh good heavens no! :eek:

 

Affirms my long-held belief that rm is a smart lady.

Gave my umbrella to a homeless man, who was pushing another homeless man in a wheelchair down Market St in Louisville today. They were trying to take refuge under a tree, but it wasn't much protection. Didn't have any cash, they asked for nothing, but were grateful for the bumbershoot.

Rockmom is simply the best of the best!

Rockmom is simply the best of the best!

 

Agree !!!! Rockmom/TB@G in 2020 !!!! You would get my vote.

Agree !!!! Rockmom/TB@G in 2020 !!!! You would get my vote.

That would guarantee the first canine as a cabinet member

@Beechwoodfan somewhat touched on my main reason I pass on giving money anymore. My biggest fear is drugs. I would hate to find out I gave money to a panhandler that used it to buy drugs and overdosed. The thought of playing a part in the death of someone because they used money I gave them to buy the drugs that killed them is something that would haunt me.

@Beechwoodfan somewhat touched on my main reason I pass on giving money anymore. My biggest fear is drugs. I would hate to find out I gave money to a panhandler that used it to buy drugs and overdosed. The thought of playing a part in the death of someone because they used money I gave them to buy the drugs that killed them is something that would haunt me.

 

Same here. Most of the ones I have come across are regulars on the panhandling circuit and they do bum in order to fund their drug habits. I can't in good conscience enable drug addiction.

There's a little old African-American man, probably now well into his late 70's that has somewhat of an undernourished James Brown look to him, who has for years stood at the end of bridges either in Newport, Covington, or Cincinnati, or walking the streets of said cities, sharply dressed in a dark blue suit, white shirt, and tie, hustling around waving his hanky excitedly to draw attention that he's in the middle of some sort of an emergency or crisis, and needs $20 immediately.

 

Years ago there was always an older lady with him as well, but eventually he was running the show all by himself.

 

In recent years I've wondered whatever became of him, and two weeks ago there he was again on Vine St. in OTR working the very same shtick.

 

I have to hand it to him though for standing out as quite the one-of-a-kind distinct character with a lot of snazzy pizazz, but WOW dude $20?

 

I'm assuming that his approach has on occasion landed him some bucks from those who've never seen him before, hence him still doing it, but considering that he's been performing this act in the area for years, I have to believe that there's also countless others like myself who recognize him as the old sharp dressed hanky man in urgent need for a $20.

Edited August 1, 20179 yr by B-Ball-fan

There's an little old African-American man, probably now well into his late 70's that has somewhat of an undernourished James Brown look to him, who has for years stood at the end of bridges either in Newport, Covington, or Cincinnati, or walking the streets of said cities, sharply dressed in a dark blue suit, white shirt, and tie, hustling around waving his hanky excitedly to draw attention that he's in the middle of some sort of an emergency or crisis, and needs $20 immediately.

 

Years ago there was always an older lady with him as well, but eventually he was running the show all by himself.

 

In recent years I've wondered whatever became of him, and two weeks ago there he was again on Vine St. in OTR working the very same shtick.

 

I have to hand it to him though for standing out as quite the one-of-a-kind distinct character with a lot of snazzy pizazz, but WOW dude $20?

 

I'm assuming that his approach has on occasion landed him some bucks from those who've never seen him before, hence him still doing it, but considering that he's been performing this act in the area for years, I have to believe that there's also countless others like myself who recognize him as the old sharp dressed hanky man in an urgent need for $20.

 

Maybe Mr Brown didn't really die after all. Apparently, there are still sightings ,every now and then, of Elvis in a Burger King somewhere.

 

If I ever see Rick James getting his superfreak on somewhere and spinning a sob tale, I think I might hand him a 20 . Maybe all these guys are bumming in a parallel universe and we occasionally get to play along.

When I worked at The Brown, there was a middle aged gentleman who always asked for money and cigarettes in the alley, which is where employees took breaks. A lot of us obliged him. He wasn't an addict or alcoholic. He had a family who tried hard to get him help. But he had mental issues and he would not take his meds. He would leave any facility they had him committed to. He wasn't harmful, he wasn't mean, he just asked politely. He simply couldnt function within societal norms. He wouldn't have had meals if we didn't help. I learned a lot about homelessness and the many reasons for it by meeting men and women like him.

 

I do volunteer and I do donate to causes that offer support services to the homeless. But I will give a little money when I have it to someone who asks.

When I worked at The Brown, there was a middle aged gentleman who always asked for money and cigarettes in the alley, which is where employees took breaks. A lot of us obliged him. He wasn't an addict or alcoholic. He had a family who tried hard to get him help. But he had mental issues and he would not take his meds. He would leave any facility they had him committed to. He wasn't harmful, he wasn't mean, he just asked politely. He simply couldnt function within societal norms. He wouldn't have had meals if we didn't help. I learned a lot about homelessness and the many reasons for it by meeting men and women like him.

 

I do volunteer and I do donate to causes that offer support services to the homeless. But I will give a little money when I have it to someone who asks.

 

If I knew the guy was mentally ill and knew him well enough to be sure he was using it for food, that would be the one exception I would make.

My hot take is 50% of the people, who say they don't due to " suspected drug use" just uses that as a reason to make the homeless invisible.

 

There's a stark contrast between a homeless person and a junkie.

My hot take is 50% of the people, who say they don't due to " suspected drug use" just uses that as a reason to make the homeless invisible.

 

There's a stark contrast between a homeless person and a junkie.

 

The chronically homeless are often the public face of the issue, however, they make up only 15% of the entire homeless population on a given day.

Nearly 48,000 or 8.5% of all homeless persons are veterans.

On a given night, nearly 20% of the homeless population had serious mental illness or conditions related to chronic substance abuse.

 

It isn't as clear cut as you seem to make it, you can't always tell a junkie or an alcoholic at a glance. They're not invisible, most just need help. Sometimes though, money is the wrong help and only does them more harm, possibly even kills them.

There's a little old African-American man, probably now well into his late 70's that has somewhat of an undernourished James Brown look to him, who has for years stood at the end of bridges either in Newport, Covington, or Cincinnati, or walking the streets of said cities, sharply dressed in a dark blue suit, white shirt, and tie, hustling around waving his hanky excitedly to draw attention that he's in the middle of some sort of an emergency or crisis, and needs $20 immediately.

 

Years ago there was always an older lady with him as well, but eventually he was running the show all by himself.

 

In recent years I've wondered whatever became of him, and two weeks ago there he was again on Vine St. in OTR working the very same shtick.

 

I have to hand it to him though for standing out as quite the one-of-a-kind distinct character with a lot of snazzy pizazz, but WOW dude $20?

 

I'm assuming that his approach has on occasion landed him some bucks from those who've never seen him before, hence him still doing it, but considering that he's been performing this act in the area for years, I have to believe that there's also countless others like myself who recognize him as the old sharp dressed hanky man in urgent need for a $20.

 

I got approached by this guy! He claimed his bus full of kids from Alabama broke down and he needed gas money, yet we were standing in front of Newport on the Levee with no bus in sight.

I got approached by this guy! He claimed his bus full of kids from Alabama broke down and he needed gas money, yet we were standing in front of Newport on the Levee with no bus in sight.

 

That's a hoot.

 

Do you recall if he waved you down with a hanky? That's the award winning part of his act that always cracked me up, and made me think that he deserved a part in a movie or something. :lol2:

Segment on LEX18 this week:

 

LEX 18 Crew Follows Panhandlers - LEX18.com | Continuous News and StormTracker Weather

 

Even before seeing this I never give to the roadside panhandlers. Main reason is that it seems like a hazard and distraction to drivers.

 

Also, a few years ago was approached in mall parking lot by young man saying he needed money to fix a tire on his way to Georgetown College. So tossed him a few dollars. Next week I was with the wife walking into mall and same guy. I refused, she got mad and gave a few dollars. I was not in confrontational mode so let it happen. Then after he was gone told her it was a scam. So track record for this activity is not good in my experience.