Photo-a-Day  (Friday, 22nd February, 2019)

It may not be a popular thing to say, but I don't understand how anyone can sit on a piece of cardboard doing nothing except look miserable and expect people to give of their hard earned money.

"And who is my neighbour?"

If I'm honest it doesn't seem right to take a photo of someone in this situation so close up,even if he's given permission. It seems to me a reminder to the days when people were put in the stocks......and yes it is a common sight.

Greater Manchester Police say '99 per cent' of beggars arrested are addicts

Homelessness has been eradicated in Finland by the simple logic of giving vagrants a home.
Finland ranks about 40 places behind the UK in terms of GDP so the scheme ought to be affordable here.
The question of course is a moral one.
Is this fair?

Yes Poet, I read the article about the homeless in Helsinki where there were many people living on the streets. A spokesman said giving them accommodation was cheaper than paying out on rehabilitation, health care etc.

One big benefit of the homeless being given a home is that they then have an address which is central to them getting back on their feet ie with an address they can get a job/benefits and if they have a job they can the start building their life again.
Whilst I agree and understand that some homeless are drug addicts some are a victim of circumstance. Its worth remembering that we are all only 3 pay days from being there ourselves. I remember a couple of years ago talking to a young woman on the streets of Milton Keynes and I asked her how she had come to this, she said she is still trying to work it out as a few months previously she had a flat, a job and a steady boyfriend then it all came crashing down on her.

I couldn't believe my ears a few nights ago. An ITV evening news reporter was interviewing a girl of around 30 sleeping rough in Manchester. She was asked, ''Do you ever manage any nights indoors ''? Her answer was, ''Yes, occasionally I get a night or two B&B, and sometimes I stay at my mums '' !!!!, enough said.

Poet , Indeed ! But Finland focuses its attention on itself . It hides in the background from the world stage . We poke our noses in everywhere , instead of focusing on our own .

A weeks ago I saw one bloke coming out of the new bus station with his dirty sleeping bag etc laughing and joking his mates,the next time I saw him he was sat outside down Wallgate looking pathetic.Most of these people are druggies.Be very careful who you give any money to.

About 50% are genuine destitute!
About 50% are professional beggars!

You will probably not be able to tell the difference. The latter group are trading upon that!

All of the 'Clean Sweeps' I have found, which have been done to establish who they are, seem to find the roughly equal proportions.

Whilst I generally do not give to beggars (I cant tell which group they are from) I nevertheless think we need to show some willingness to tackle destitution and homelessness.

Salving your conscience by claiming that you give to established charities is not the answer. Many are part of the problem, not part of the solution!

Yes, you will find high levels of drug and alcohol abuse in this group, though I suspect it would also be high in a well matched group of people who are not homeless.

Do you know that you would not turn to drink/drugs if you were coping with this experience? Many people do with far lesser provocation!

I remember many years ago, when mobile phones were just becoming popular and were very expensive, not many people had one. A gentleman, in London was walking along when he came upon one of these street beggars. His heart went out to him, so he reached into his pocket and pulled out some money, when the beggars mobile phone rang. The old gent put his money back in his pocket and he walked on.

The troble in the UK being its not a fair society, with 10% of the people owning 90% of the wealth.To put it bluntly the 10% dont give a stuff about the rest of you has long as you keep stum.

Check the tax, VAT rates in Finland and see why they can afford certain things.

Since the financial upheaval of 2008/2009, the polarisation between the super-rich and everyone else has increased dramatically every year!

In 2017, the richest 1% surpassed everyone else, attainig ownership of MORE than half of all the world's wealth.

ie Just 42 people own more than 3.7 Billion people.

I am NOT advocating equality, or even suggesting there is anything wrong with some people attaining great wealth. However this degree of wealth polarisation does appear to be undesirable. Such is the conclusion of the many analyses which I have been able to find.

You may reach the contrary conclusion. I have yet to see rational arguments, as opposed to ideology promoting the contrary view.

Lots of fake beggars.

Poet, you say "Is this fair" What are you talking of? Unfortunately I have been accosted on too many occasions to be sympathetic, Big scam a few years ago about this kind of thing , a newspaper followed a "beggar" after she had left her usual spot on a busy corner and she walked a short distance away and climbed into a "top end" car and then drove out to the suburbs to a large expensive home. Not so stupid hey.

No need to be like that today, they wouldn't be there if people stopped feeding them, get a wash and shave and go find a job like the rest of us. The Town looks awful lately with these folk.
Sorry but that's my opinion.

Ken , by fairness ,I meant fairness to the majority who must work for their home. Intervention would unquestionably work but is it morally acceptable to give summat for nowt. This is the moral question and in answering it we define ourselves.

Imagine if 'The Workhouse' existed today - would these homeless people be eligible? Would they be forced into them?
Many people in the past would have done anything to avoid admittance to those grim places. It makes me wonder.....what if?

this is not a homeless person its a fake beggars. how do i know this?? it's because he has no bag with him a homeless person will always his belongings with him