This is why I avoid panhandlers and many of the "homeless" in Chicago (Franklin: club, safe)

[1AngryTaxPayer]

A good friend of mine was walking home from dinner and his brother stopped off at his house and then went the 3 blocks more to his house but didn't make it as he got rolled by 2 transients. Guy woke up in the hospital missing teeth and tubes stuck out his mouth and privates so he could urinate.

They caught these bastages as one yank off still had his wallet. It's amazing how many aggressive homeless we have in San Diego.

[jessiegirl_98]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

A good friend of mine was walking home from dinner and his brother stopped off at his house and then went the 3 blocks more to his house but didn't make it as he got rolled by 2 transients. Guy woke up in the hospital missing teeth and tubes stuck out his mouth and privates so he could urinate.

They caught these bastages as one yank off still had his wallet. It's amazing how many aggressive homeless we have in San Diego.

One of my friends was walking home in the Gold Coast and got jumped by 2 frat boys who didn't like the looks of him. He had to have major plastic surgery to replace missing teeth and to correct his jaw, which was shattered.....

The point of this is that just because one "transient" ( or a few) committed a violent crime doesn't mean that the whole group is violent.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by jessiegirl_98

One of my friends was walking home in the Gold Coast and got jumped by 2 frat boys who didn't like the looks of him. He had to have major plastic surgery to replace missing teeth and to correct his jaw, which was shattered.....

The point of this is that just because one "transient" ( or a few) committed a violent crime doesn't mean that the whole group is violent.

Of course it doesn't. I was suprised that any were. I originally came from the sticks of CO where there were no transients. To see so many and so many violent ones was really amazing to me. It is a different picture than the ones they paint on Father Joe's website.

[mel2000]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Well, you're just wrong about this. Chicago does have more shelter beds in place than actually get used on any given night. No, we don't have the proper safety nets in place to help people avoid homelessness in the FIRST PLACE, but once they are homeless, there are beds and food available that exceed demand. Many avoid these shelters, however, because of the various rules they would have to follow to stay there--rules that are perfectly reasonable.

There is a difference between providing shelter and providing shelter beds. There are several shelter bed facilities strewn about bad Chicago neighborhoods that are difficult for the homeless to get to since the city does not provide free transportation to the indigent. The men's shelters are usually open from 7 pm to 6 am, after which the sleepers are thrown back out onto the street. Probably not a comfortable way to get through the day in January. I don't know if those facilities serve food or not. but if they do it's likely one meal a day.

[Huckleberry3911948]

too often what starts out as a simple request for spare change turns into a robbery,
too often what starts out as a simple robbery to which the victim is fully cooperative turns into an assault and even murder.
the homeless are the good guys right. why doesn't it feel that way.

[tb4000]

Like I said, if you look like a natural born sucker, they'll come up to you. You have to at least MAKE like you're from the city and see hundreds of them every day. I walk past several every day on my way to my office and they know damn well that I won't be giving them anything, we just do our respective head nods and go our separate paths.

[Costa Rica Chica]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

too often what starts out as a simple request for spare change turns into a robbery,
too often what starts out as a simple robbery to which the victim is fully cooperative turns into an assault and even murder.
the homeless are the good guys right. why doesn't it feel that way.

How often do these things really happen? As far as I know, this is the first story in a long time where a homeless person actually attacked someone. I could see a robbery-gone-bad turning into potential violence, but how many robberies are actually instigated by homeless people?

Homeless "guys" aren't necessarily good guys or bad guys, they're just people, and I feel sorry for anyone who has to beg for money. If they are pushy or mildly aggressive, just remember where they are sleeping when you are tucked into bed at night. If they are violent or aggrssive, that's another issue and they shouldn't be on the streets, but in jail or an institution.

[Huckleberry3911948]

Originally Posted by Costa Rica Chica

How often do these things really happen? As far as I know, this is the first story in a long time where a homeless person actually attacked someone. I could see a robbery-gone-bad turning into potential violence, but how many robberies are actually instigated by homeless people?

Homeless "guys" aren't necessarily good guys or bad guys, they're just people, and I feel sorry for anyone who has to beg for money. If they are pushy or mildly aggressive, just remember where they are sleeping when you are tucked into bed at night. If they are violent or aggrssive, that's another issue and they shouldn't be on the streets, but in jail or an institution.

do bad things happen on the streets? not if you are one of the beautiful people. my friend gloria says, huck, when you got money every place is mardi gras.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Well, not all homeless people are panhandlers. But most panhandlers are rude and pushy. At least in Chicago.

Right.

...and of course not all panhandlers are homeless.

In fact I think probably over half of people that ask for money are not homeless.


On another side of another coin these two were living in a shelter at night and being lazy non-working drug abusers by day. Career criminals from the info I can gather.

[Indi9]

I think it comes down to being very careful how we speak to homeless people, esp., as some have said here, if we understand that many are desperate and mentally ill. Not trying to blame the victim here. A crime is a crime. But why do anything that might trigger someone who might turn out to be dangerous? Why make rude comments to anyone at all? Even when I can't or choose not to give money or assistance to homeless people or panhandlers, I make sure I am kind, calm, and respectful. I does help the situation. I wasn't always like this. I remember when I was a student at Syracuse Univ.. A homeless guy approached me while I was walking from one building to another with a group of classmates. The guy was extremely aggressive. He was demanding that I give him money, which at that time in my life was ridiculous. Being a student, I was broke half the time anyway, barely making ends meet. I snapped at the guy, as in "Look, buddy. I don't have any freakin' money my own self!" He looked shocked. So did everyone within earshot. It was a bad moment that suddenly became funny. But it could have been worse, since the homeless people in Syracuse were becoming more and more aggressive. I never lost it like that again. Times are hard. Is it too much trouble to be kind?