Hand-outs don't enable people for self-suffiency. Those who are capable of self-sufficiency ought to be. I work in a psychiatrice emergency room at the county hospital in Minneapolis, MN. Many of the patients who come through here expect us to give them handouts--bus fare, food, money for cigarettes, etc. By giving them hand-outs we enable them to be bottom feeders, and don't restore them to a functional place within society. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for social welfare programs. But in my experience if the hand-out comes at no cost to the recipient, the recipient is less likely to take responsibility for his role within society.
Benjamin
