It's your money, you can spend it how you want. I don't qualify my gifts. If I give you something, it's yours. "But I didn't get you anything!" That's okay. That's what makes it a gift. "But they might spend it on drugs!" That's their choice. I make my own choices. "I promise not to sell this when I'm done with it. I'll give it away." If you can get money for it, good.
Taking care of my own life and my own stuff is enough work for me, without second-guessing everyone else's choices. Philip www.biketinker.com On Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 12:12:56 PM UTC-8, Skenry wrote: > > I would think that if times and money are as tight as is usually > offered in writing, I'd go ahead and keep the money. Pay the staff > more if you will, or lower prices but don't just give it away to the > homeless. > > Money can be spent on drugs and booze. > Things can be sold to buy drugs and booze. > They are homeless for a reason and I choose to not reward those > reasons. Though I'd gladly chip in to buy them some one-way bus > tickets out of town. It really cold here in Ohio and that's probably > the most humane thing to do. > > > > > > On Wed, Jan 13, 2016 at 2:58 PM, Philip Williamson > <philip.w...@gmail.com <javascript:>> wrote: > > I think "give directly." The only trouble I see is that the people most > in > > need might be the ones who keep most out of sight. Maybe give one person > two > > coats, and ask them to pass one on to someone they know? If they don't, > > that's fine, but I think helping someone help someone else might make > them > > feel good. It would me. > > > > I just try to treat people with respect, and I don't expect them to > "turn > > their lives around," kick their addictions, or engage with the system. > > > > Philip > > www.biketinker.com > > > > > > On Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 7:56:36 AM UTC-8, Patrick Moore wrote: > >> > >> We (RIV) have a charity fund every year, doled out whether we’re doing > OK > >> or not. > >> > >> It's admirable that they give when they can, not only when it's easy. > >> > >> The question whether to give directly or through a "qualified" > >> intermediary is being debated here in Albuquerque about panhandlers who > beg > >> at traffic intersections. I am happy to give a bit of cash to these > people, > >> preferring to be a sucker instead of a cynic. The city though has > started a > >> law to ban such panhandling (either still being debated or, if on the > books, > >> ignored) and a program to accept such donations in a fund for the > beggars. > >> But one wants to give to a person, not a bureaucracy. > >> > >> But I understand the dilemma. Years ago I gave $20 to such a person > with a > >> sign saying "Stranded, looking for work," and asked my boss to give the > man > >> work. Boss tracked him down to a motel, offered him work, but the man > was > >> too comfortable with the results of his panhandling and closed the door > on > >> boss. > >> > >> My own worry is less the crazy and unstable as such, as it is the > >> alcoholic or drug addict: $10 or a $100 sweater might just go to > something > >> that will make their situation worse, not better. If I could be sure > that > >> the recipient would use the gift for food or warmth, I'd give much more > >> readily. > >> > >> But, beyond all the practical questions (which obviously determine the > >> particulars of giving), there is compassion, the principal Buddhist > virtue > >> and one wonderfully illustrated in the Islamic hadith of the prostitute > whom > >> God forgave because she took pity on a thirsty dog and gave it a drink; > or > >> the wonderful lines (paraphrased) from the story of the excommunicated > >> Manfred in the Purgatorio: "The Divine Mercy has arms so wide/It takes > to > >> Itself everything that turns to it." In this respect, giving benefits > the > >> giver as much as the recipient. > >> > >> > >> > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send > an > > email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com <javascript:>. > > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com > <javascript:>. > > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. > > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
