Why I am a shoshalist

[icenine]

Originally Posted by Tom Joad

I gave some homeless looking Dude standing at an intersection where I had stopped a $5 Bill the other day. I'm under no illusions that it helped him any, just allayed my guilt momentarily.

That's basically what most charity giving amounts to.

An excuse to pat yourself on the back.

Like the local church having a bake sale and presenting some family with $186 to help towards their kid's $300,000 medical bills.

Big Fucken Deal.

That's why the government needs to have programs to help the unfortunate.

Yes......

It is just human nature you take care of yourself first. Every now and then I will give a dollar or so to someone who asks for it.

I think the OP's heart is in the right place but his definiton of that zozolism does not correspond with my idea of what that term means. I think of the governmental system of England and Germany when I think of zozalism, not some Reagan vison of the self-reliant Marlborough man who is nice to his friends, families and neighbors. Our very good government institutions help us be nice to people we will never meet .

Politicians may be bad, but our actual governnment is made up of decent people who try to make our lives better for the most part.

[BlueStreak]

When someone asks me for money, claiming to be hungry, I offer to buy them food instead of simply handing them cash.

You know the need is genuine when they accept and seem happy with the meal.

Unfortunately, around here, they usually demur.

Dae

[barbara]

If private individuals and charities had been effective in the first place, there would have been no reason to implement gov programs to assist the needy.

[barbara]

From icenine's earlier post;
Politicians may be bad, but our actual governnment is made up of decent people who try to make our lives better for the most part.


Thank you for making that clear.

[icenine]

I do not get the I am hungry excuse out here. Most have signs just saying out of work, etc. They stand by the freeway on ramps in Cali...I live in a sort of strip mall bedroom commuity type of universe. My town does not really have a "downtown". It does but it is sort of a tourist "Old Town" sort of fake "Wild West" boulevard if you know what I mean.
I only occasionally get hit up walking into a store.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by barbara

If private individuals and charities had been effective in the first place, there would have been no reason to implement gov programs to assist the needy.

Bullseye!

Notice my mention of "United Way" a few posts back. Wasn't that supposed to be the private, NGO answer to public assistance?

How'd it work out?

Dave

[icenine]

Originally Posted by barbara

From icenine's earlier post;
Politicians may be bad, but our actual governnment is made up of decent people who try to make our lives better for the most part.


Thank you for making that clear.

YW!

My whole experience in education when I was a history major was the general progressive trajectory of American democracy and government.
I really hate it when people tear down our institutions which are the envy of the world when you think about.

[Dondilion]

How about another family where some members look to suck and leech the kind ones.

A member is down on his luck so you take him in, feed him, find him a job.
He is making good money now, but he refuses to contribute to any bills...food,
electricity etc.

After the arrival of new grocery he is the first to dive into the fridge.

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by Dondilion

How about another family where some members look to suck and leech the kind ones.

A member is down on his luck so you take him in, feed him, find him a job.
He is making good money now, but he refuses to contribute to any bills...food,
electricity etc.

After the arrival of new grocery he is the first to dive into the fridge.

Time to show the deadbeat the door Don. You're not doing him or the rest of the family any favors.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by icenine

I do not get the I am hungry excuse out here. Most have signs just saying out of work, etc. They stand by the freeway on ramps in Cali...I live in a sort of strip mall bedroom commuity type of universe. My town does not really have a "downtown". It does but it is sort of a tourist "Old Town" sort of fake "Wild West" bulevard if you know what I mean.
I get only occasionally get hit up walking into a store.

We get those, but they also hang out outside convenience stores and fast food joints. Until the business owners call the cops, anyhow. But, still, they try.

We had a group of them that had broken into in a nearby empty and somewhat derelict strip mall and were squatting there. The owner of the property complained to the city and the cops chased them off. Some of them were later caught squatting in an empty house three doors down from me. A neighbor caught them and called the cops. This time they were arrested as drugs were found in their possession.

The thing of it is, they were all young people. I was out walking one night and saw one of the girls. She couldn't have been a day over 15. Truly sad.

Dave