Opinion Talk

By David McCarty

June 22, 2005 06:49 AM | Link to this

A lot of the panhandling is a means to buy beer, wine or liquor. A large per-cent of panhandlers have addidtion problems. The city could baned the sale of package liquor within an area of lets say maybe two miles from Peachtree ST. If panhandlers have to walk two miles to get there drink, they will move to an area that is more convenient.

By Patrick

June 22, 2005 08:30 AM | Link to this

There is only one solution to the problem - people need to quit giving them money. What incentive do they have when they make more money panhandling than they could at a minimum wage job.

By RS

June 22, 2005 08:41 AM | Link to this

When I was a kid, panhandlers & loiterers were chased away by police, even taken to jail if they were rowdy. Why not reinstate that? And people should stop giving these bums money & food! That is only enabling them; most buy drugs & booze with any money they get; keep giving the lazy slime handouts & they keep expecting it…want to help these slackers? Why not give them the employment section of a newspaper???

By Claire

June 22, 2005 08:46 AM | Link to this

Simple…instead of making it illegal to panhandle, make it illegal to give money to the panhandlers. Do you honestly think the panhandlers are going to abide by any “no panhandling” laws? But the law abiding citizens who would give money will. Once the money dries up, the panhandling stops. (Same principle as the “don’t feed the animals” rule).

By BigDaddy

June 22, 2005 09:25 AM | Link to this

The problem with the homeless is not, as Cynthia Tucker would have us believe, one of lack of intown affordable housing. These people are not returning to their cardboard box in Hunt Plaza after a hard day’s work and saying to themselves, “Shucks, if I only made a dollar more an hour, I could finally afford that fifth floor walk-up in the Flatiron Building.” We are talking predominantly about men, first of all, who have serious mental problems, and/or are addicted to drugs, and/or are alcohol dependent.

So how should they be dealt with? For one, stop coddling them. I am an MBA student at GSU and I also live in Virginia-Highlands, and so I come into constant contact with these very aggressive and pushy bums. They act this way because we have permitted them to. Hunt Plaza downtown could be a beautiful urban oasis, if only you could look past the urban campers sleeping off the booze they bummed off some empathetic fool, as well as run the gauntlet of beggars yelling at you if you refuse to give them money.

As taxpayers, we are paying for the upkeep of Hunt Plaza and every other public space in this city. Why must we tolerate this kind of behavior? Let us please stop coddling these addicts and their irresponsible decisions and behavior. If they are mentally ill, get them off the streets and into institutions. If they are drug addicts, get them off the streets and into treatment centers.

It’s true that Atlanta has an image problem due to the number of homeless we have allowed to litter the downtown streets. Perhaps mayor Shirley should end the Brand Atlanta task force and dedicate those funds to clearing out the urban outdoorsmen.

By Nina

June 22, 2005 09:31 AM | Link to this

Panhandling - Ban it completely. It is a ridiculous discussion. Why and How could anyone argue FOR panhandling? This practice makes downtown dangerous and frightening for visitors and residents alike. Most of the panhandlers do not NEED the money it is their job and they make very good money by terrorizing their victims and we walk down the street.

By Benin Dakar

June 22, 2005 09:52 AM | Link to this

I try not to frequent areas where I will become a target for panhandlers

Two weeks ago, I was in the MLK historic district and decided to get a fish sandwich from one of the few businesses that are left on Auburn Avenue. As soon as I got out of my car, I was approached by people begging for spare change.

An aggressive woman followed me into restaurant and was insistent that I help her. I told her that I did not give money out, but I would buy her a meal and a drink.

I bought her a chicken meal and a strawberry soda. After she received her order, she continued to wait for me and ask for change. Even though I purchased her meal, she still was uncompromising and unsatisfied.

The next week when I was in the area and hungry, I decided to leave the area to get a sandwich. I just did not want to be accosted again by the homeless.

The real loser is the business owner who is losing customers like me. I bet that there are others like me who have decided that to frequent the local Auburn Avenue businesses is too unsafe because of beggars.

I am sympathetic to the plight of the homeless, but nevertheless I resent being looked at as “piggy bank� for Atlanta’s beggars.

By Rena P

June 22, 2005 10:00 AM | Link to this

I don’t really have a problem with people asking for money and food. If I have it to give I give it to them. If I don’t, I just tell them I don’t have it. I prefer they walk up to me on the street and ask for money instead of breaking into my home or holding a gun to my head to take my car.

MOST of the people begging are homeless people with mental problems. You hear alk of others that make a good living begging but I think those are rare cases. And if they figure out a way to make good money doing it, then let them go ahead and do it. I have had been ripped off far more by legitimate insurance companies, etc than any beggar on the streets of Atlanta asking for a dollar.

I think it’s too bad that people aren’t more tolerant of the situation. We should be working on making the world a more compassionate place, rather than working on kicking theses people down when most of them are at their lowest points in their lives.

By rob

June 22, 2005 10:22 AM | Link to this

Homeless problem? Hey, City of Atlanta, Sandy Springs just treated you like a homeless problem, how does it feel?

By Clyde Hogg

June 22, 2005 10:26 AM | Link to this

Lock panhandlers up. Thirty days in jail used to be the penalty for vagrancy. It should still apply. That way, they could do some actual WORK for the city, by cleaning the streets. Who knows, for many, it could turn into a full-time job.

By Mark

June 22, 2005 10:27 AM | Link to this

That’s very simple. Make panhandling illegal and arrest the ones that do it. When the homeless realize it will not be tolerated in the city, they will go elsewhere.

If that doesn’t work, give them a bath and a McDonald’s application.

By Brian Curtis

June 22, 2005 10:29 AM | Link to this

Gee, I don’t know… how about GIVING THEM HOMES? Sheesh.

Low-cost housing, shelters, and assistance cost practically nothing next to the punitive “solutions” you so often hear proposed: more police, more prisons, etc.

There are even those who claim, with a straight face, not only that “homeless people deserve what they get—it’s survival of the fittest!”, but also that (incredibly) “homeless people don’t WANT shelter and help.” Yeah. Right. I guess any inane statement is accepted if it justifies feeling smug and superior, as though homelessness is something that could never happen to me or you.

Checked your medical costs lately? You’re one crisis away from being on the streets yourself, pal, so you might want to rethink the assumption that it’s “not your problem.”

By Shirley Null

June 22, 2005 11:01 AM | Link to this

God’s instructions to us is to feed His sheep. The problem most of us have is determining which sheep really need feeding and which are abusing the system. Ideally we should be able to determine the need and supply that need in ways other than panhandling. If people can document their need, then they should be helped. Otherwise, they need to get off the street. Although I wish America could help feed all the hungry,I also believe that first the Americans should be taken care of.

By Henry Dillon

June 22, 2005 12:29 PM | Link to this

I have owned a condo at the Healey Building in Downtown for the past three years and the homeless population detracts from the experience. What most people don’t realize is that most of these guys are “regulars”. These guys have no respect for themselves or others. I cannot tell you how many times I have walked out of my building to step in a puddle of urine. Also, many of the “homelessâ€? take it upon themselves to be “tour guides” for visitors to make people think they are working for the handouts. This needs to stop. The Downtown Ambassadors do an adequate job of directing tourists. Most people want a hassle free experience without some smelly guy with bad breath in their faces. We really need to stop the political correctness and ban panhandling throughout the whole city.

By Chris

June 22, 2005 01:16 PM | Link to this

Issue pith helmets (aka safari hats) to the panhandlers and enlist them in the Ambassador Force. Put them in tee-shirts with local street maps printed on them so tourists can figure out where to go. Also let them sell Cokes and peanuts like the vendors at the stadium. Require baths, haircuts, deodorant, and breath mints to earn one of these positions, and pay them to be our friendly helpers. Let each homeless advocate (or Democrat) take one into his home. Spruce them up and get them working for us, or they will destroy the city!

By DB

June 22, 2005 01:26 PM | Link to this

Just put signs all over the place that are similar to National Parks. Instead of signs that say, “Don’t feed the animals!” have signs that read, “Don’t give money to panhandlers!” And have an explanation as to why. The only reason there are panhandlers is because there are people that give them money. Eventually they’ll quit and go to another city or actually try to earn money. You don’t feed animals because that makes them unable to get food in the wild, and they starve themselves. Giving money to panhandlers is much the same. It makes them keep doing the simple task of putting on a sad face and extending the arm for money. Or they come up with some sob story as to why they’re out there. Most the time you’re just giving them money to further abuse themselves with drugs and alcohol. Being homeless is tough, but too many in this country are professionals at taking as much as possible from those that work for a living. Helping people is great, but help those that are willing to help themselves. Give them a hamburger instead of money.

By Patrick Busko

June 22, 2005 02:47 PM | Link to this

I wish everyone, including the AJC, would quit using the terms “homeless” and “panhandler” interchangeably.

Homelessness is a state of being, a social problem that needs social programs as a fix. Panhandling is an act perpetuated by a person against another person and has a totally different fix.

The city is taking incredible steps to deal with homelessness. If you want to get down to it, homelessness is a health and wellness issue and should be Fulton Co.’s responsibility. The Mayor, however, has realized homelessness cannot be ignored any longer and is doing great things to help the homeless with help from the City and the private sector. Atlanta cannot reasonably be accused of being cruel to the homeless after looking at the programs this administration has undertaken.

That said, now we need to deal with panhandling. It is true that some panhandlers are homeless, but certainly not all of them. I lived Downtown for 3 years and saw many of these “down and out” people daily. Many are hustlers, plain and simple. Their stories are fabricated to help them prey on the tourists and visitors Downtown. Its hard to believe these stories when you see the same people over and over again in new clothes and shoes every day. For those who are homeless and are in need you have to ask yourself is giving fifty cents to them really doing anyone any good? These people need the services Atlanta has stepped up to the plate to provide. They don’t need spare change that will be spent on who knows what. They need help to get their life back in order.

It is in no one’s best interest to have Downtown’s streets overrun with panhandlers. It definitely hurts business. We have seen this in the decline in the convention business and also in business moves like King and Spalding heading to Midtown. More importantly, panhandling does nothing to help those who are truly in need.

By smithy

June 22, 2005 03:07 PM | Link to this

Begging and panhandling should be illegal everywhere. There are facilities available for the homeless to find shelter and food, and there is no excuse for them to confront hard working people to try to get some of their money. If they choose not to utilize the facilities that are there for them, that is a personal choice and a personal problem, and I don’t feel inclined to give away the money I’ve worked hard for to someone who chooses not to do anything productive with thier life.

By RMcConnell

June 22, 2005 04:03 PM | Link to this

Panhandlers often uses ruses and try to intimidate the people they are approaching. A man used to regularly drive to my neighborhood in Buckhead in his cadillac and say that his family had been burned out of their home. I would refer him to St. Vincent De Paul and call my elderly neighbors to warn them. He was large and looked angry. When I took Marta it was a regular occurrence. There is a terribly disabled man who is dropped off downtown in his wheelchair and left in the hot sun by his family. He can not really communicate him self. Homeless bums come and take money out of his cup. One told me one time that he was the man’s son. I can’t believe this is allowed to go on. This man should be in a home and not used this way. He used to be in front of Macy’s everyday. There is nothing good about panhandling. I would cringe when I was downtown and saw the bums approach obvious tourists and out of towners. I don’t mind volunteering at shelters etc. but you have to realize some of these people have done this for years. If Anne Beatty and others would actually do something to help them she would be out of a job so I guess trying a different approach to help them is out of the question. It might work.

By HG

June 22, 2005 04:32 PM | Link to this

The hotels in San Francisco have cards at their front desks that say in essence, “please do not give money to panhanders because it only brings more of them”. At the very least, the City should encourage the downtown hotels to post similar signs and notices.

By Josh

June 22, 2005 05:58 PM | Link to this

Panhandlers are scammers just like televangelists, used car salesman, and gold digging women. The only difference is they do not smell as nice, talk as eloquently, or look as pretty. I wont elaborate on my solution because it would be too drastic for the liberal biased AJC. Most of my stuff never even makes it to the postings but let’s just say that lazy scammers, like scum, will always follow the path of least resistance…make that path the one out of town or into a job.

By Brenda Jones Lewis

June 22, 2005 06:34 PM | Link to this

Panhandling is symptomatic of a greater problem in our society - the economy. However, ordinances regarding panhandling, if in existence, should be enforced. Why not establish a network of employers willing to give them the opportunity to work, as opposed to beg.
It would also be great to involve churches in creating plans of action for getting panhandlers off the street and into circumstances that offer them the opportunity to recapture their dignity.

By IGHR

June 22, 2005 06:49 PM | Link to this

If you want to solve the panhandling problem you have to work from both ends of the problem. Make it illegal for people to give to panhandlers and put up signs all over Downtown and other parts of the city that clearly state it is illegal to do so. Also do what New York City did in the 1990’s and make panhandling a quality of life issue and ban it within the city limits and put up signs all around the city and especially in areas where it is the biggest problem clearly telling that it is illegal to do so.

If the city does not deal with panhandling soon it will lose badly needed convention business, their visitors and the revenue that comes along with it. No one wants to be accosted and harassed for money every time they go outside or simply walk down the street. The biggest problem is that panhandlers have become ever more aggressive and bolder in wanting money because the law has refused to check the situation and stop from getting out of hand. Panhandlers often harass and get in peoples faces without fear of any punishment or action from the law.

Unchecked panhandling also leads to other crimes such as purse snatching strong-armed robbery, muggings, assaults and rapes. Most criminals and some panhandlers figure if they can get into peoples faces without interference from the law then they can easily do other acts without worry of consequence or punishment. Non-enforcement of smaller acts like aggressive panhandling and loitering makes a fertile breeding ground for the commission of more serious and violent crimes.

If visitors and conventioneers fear for their well being and safety when an overzealous panhandler wigs out or goes nuts with a crazy look in their eyes because he or she couldn’t get a few dollars after repeatedly being harassed and accosted and followed for money all day, what makes you think that they’ll want to return to or recommend Atlanta to friends and family so that they come and experience the same?

By BigDaddy

June 22, 2005 09:07 PM | Link to this

Brian Curtis, are you a hemopheliac? How many bandages do you go through a day while trying to staunch the flow of blood from your bleeding heart? Eat a steak son, it’ll help…

Anyway, so you would rather “give” homes to the “homeless”? And you think that would cost less than hiring additional police and building additional prisons. Okay. But since no one has suggested that we hire additional police and build more prisons to address this issue, I don’t see what relevancy you are adding to the question. Perhaps you could cite a few studies to back up your absurdity, oh sorry, I meant assertion.

And Brian Curtis, if you’d like to know what is driving up the cost of healthcare, just let me know; I’d be happy to illuminate you on what could be done to reduce healthcare costs (I’m a healthcare executive as well as being an MBA/Masters in Healthcare Administration student).

By Scooter

June 23, 2005 08:15 AM | Link to this

While I am an agnostic I do enjoy the people who envoke the bible to say that we should “give” to the homeless. Doesn’t the “good book” also say that there will always be the poor and if they don’t work they don’t eat.

First we have to define give, we should give them the self respect and abilities to provide for themselves. Not give them a buck because it instantly makes us feel good about ourselves. Then we leave feeling good and the panhandler goes right back to being poor after they buy their first “double duece”. Before anybody starts, I want to say that when at the GSU dorms I went out and lived with the homeless for a weekend.

Wasn’t it Abe Lincoln that said; you can’t ruly help the poor by doing for them what they should be doing for themselves… or something like that.

By steve

June 23, 2005 08:40 AM | Link to this

The fact is that homelessness was a rare problem until Ronald Reagan became president. He ended Federal programs that helped the homeless and then promised us that faith-based groups would solve the problem. Unfortunately, faith based groups are spending their money on mega-churches, TV air time and lobbying government for more power instead of helping the poor. Anyone who has visited almost any American Downtown knows that faith-based groups are failures. They proudly throw the poor into the streets and parks where they live in abandoned buildings and beg for food. Our homeless shelters and soup kitchens are nothing to be proud of. Racist homeless advocates think people of color can’t get off drugs or hold down a job and therefore need to live on the streets. America could end homelessness in a few years but we care more about tax cuts for the wealthy.

By Brian Curtis

June 23, 2005 08:46 AM | Link to this

Wow. I had no idea that Atlanta was home to so many non-Christians. After all, no Christian could ever offer suggestions such as “make panhandling illegal,” “lock ‘em up,” “pity the poor business owners,” or (incredibly) “Don’t Feed the Animals.”

Truly, we are a wholly secular realm. And all this time I thought I was living in the Bible Belt. Huh.

By DS

June 23, 2005 09:06 AM | Link to this

The City already has agressive panhandling laws on the books - the police just don’t enforce them. Even if there’s a ban on begging in the “tourist triangle,” I don’t think Atlanta cops think it’s a priority to arrest beggars just for asking for change. The reality is, Atlanta has thousands of homeless, and there’s no solution other than to just accept it.

By Eirik

June 23, 2005 09:15 AM | Link to this

People don’t realize how much money some of these people make panhandling and begging. I’ve heard stories of some people on the West Coast that make 40k a year and more. They have no incentive to do anything else. It should be illlegal. Anybody ever try and walk down Market Street in San Francisco? You literally have to step over the bums…there are two or three on EVERY block. Why? Because San Francisco won’t handle the situation. Atlanta’s downtown will never attract people until the panhandlers are directed elsewhere.

By AllaboutME

June 23, 2005 09:25 AM | Link to this

…send them to Iraq…hey nobody will care if they are blown up by suicide bombers PLUS they will be out of our nicely maintained manicured parks we are so proud of…Instead of bombing we just load them into cargo planes and drop them off to Tikrit or downtown Bagdad and let the Iraqis deal with them….God Bless America and God Bless our War…while they are gone we can put walls around our parks to keep out the rif-raff like them folks on welfare…..

By John Thomas

June 23, 2005 09:57 AM | Link to this

I don’t understand why we have to countenance the aggressive homeless. The homeless who really don’t want to be homeless are attempting to do something better, like finding a job and staying clean and sober. The rest are people who have chosen their lifestyle as a result of drugs or drinking. Since they don’t pay taxes and they cause us to spend extra money to deal with the problems they cause, I say we lock them up as vagrants and put them to work. You know ol’ George W says that the Mexican workers are the only ones that will do some jobs that no one else wants - well what about making the homeless do those jobs? Maybe we can circumvent the whole immigration issue by putting the homeless to work.

By Christopher Weed

June 23, 2005 12:16 PM | Link to this

Everytime I go downtown or Midtown and even Buckhead I am harrassed for “spare” change and a cigarette. Panhandling laws should be enforced and strenghened. Why should I be bothered because I work hard for the little money I make. Why can’t these people get a job and earn their own living? The reason is simple, we (the public) give them what they want. If out of we stop giving them everything, they will not have a choice but to get up off their butts and make a decent living. If they commit a crime, which 9 out of 10 do, they should go to prison or a work camp, not sit around in a county jail. This city needs to do something and quit worring about being labled a racist city by enforcing laws!

By Victoria

June 23, 2005 12:24 PM | Link to this

I would like to share my recent run-in with a homeless person: My boyfriend and I were in our car in the Fairlie-Poplar district, pulled over to the curb with the windows up but the sunroof open. A bum came up asking for money through the open roof (read: agressive) and, against my better judgment, I gave him what change I had in my wallet (over $1).

My boyfriend handed him the change by cracking the window. When he totaled the amount, he began cursing and threatening us with racial slurs, eventually saying “How ‘bout I blow your brains out with a 9 mm? Then you’d have to give me more money.”

We decided to file a police report, yet the cop acted as though we were the perpetrators. He began lecturing us on how the guy was probably mentally ill. How dare us not be sensitive?

I can’t imagine that visitors would put their families through such terror more than once. This problem must be addressed before the city ever expects a flourishing business/residential downtown. Why bother with revitalization efforts when no one can walk safely through downtown without fearing for their safety?

By Randy

June 23, 2005 01:49 PM | Link to this

I keep remembering the old adage about teaching a man to fish… I have no problem with someone who needs a hand because of a temporary run of bad luck, but I resent people who make a living this way. When I worked downtown, I saw panhandlers staking out their territory daily and that broke me of compassion. Put money into training programs that feed people but

By The Bum Handler

June 23, 2005 02:44 PM | Link to this

Turn a firehose on them and wash them into a transfer truck that is waiting to take them to an awaiting cargo ship that will set sail for Daffur, in Sudan. There they will be required to take up arms and fight to the death.

By Lyrazel

June 24, 2005 08:38 AM | Link to this

IF 10 Million illegal imigrants can find adequate housing and jobs in the USA, Atlanta and its surrounding counties why is it these panhandlers who are exclusively American cant? Could this statistic be saying: yes there are jobs, tomato onion and cucumber picking jobs, warehouse packing jobs, canning food jobs—ugly jobs these Americans do not want. The more you think about how many illegals come to America—and go work daily—and send money home—maybe we do coddle too much. We degrade illegals for coming in and taking jobs but accept this shiftless behavior from our own citizens because they are opressed by society.

Doing something about it? Sure, we could load them up after their first offense and drive them to onion, tomato and cucumber fields and let them earn a living the hard way. We wont because our social morality is stuck with pity our poor so we build massive shelters to keep these American-born unfortunates in areas where there are no jobs, no hope of jobs beyond panhandling and drug dealing. Build a shelter in Valdosta next time, let them work for their keep.

By laurent

June 24, 2005 08:40 AM | Link to this

the police is already spending a lot of its time and resources dealing with the people living on the streets. those mentally ill panhandlers get arrested and sent to jail on a regular basis. fulton county jail is way over capacity and they get released pretty quickly to make room for people who have commited more serious crimes and are more of a danger to the community. and they go back to the same street corner.

this is all a waste of the police’s time and resources. arresting them does not achieve anything. the jail is not big enough to keep all of them there all the time so some of them will always be out there panhandling, until you fund an institution to deal with them on a long term basis, bring those who can be re-inserted into the society back in shape and give humane care to those who are too mentally ill to live by themselves.

By Erin

June 24, 2005 08:42 AM | Link to this

My personal policy is never to give money to anyone in the street. No one, period.

If you really want to help, send a check to the charities that help lift the homeless out of poverty. That way, the people who genuinely need help will get it; and you’re protected from the scammers.

By nona

June 24, 2005 09:43 AM | Link to this

Panhandling is easily subdued by the public. Just ignore them, and like teeth, they will go away.

By David Jones

June 24, 2005 09:44 AM | Link to this

Panhandling is destructive. Panhandling creates a dependence on others and is a hard cycle to break. Worse, panhandling often feeds an addiction.

Giving spare change to panhandlers often prolongs their problems and enables their undesirable behavior. We can’t know what people need by looking at them. Someone asking for spare change may need food, housing, a recovery program or health care. To address the problem we need to know the individual. There are many local agencies, such as Atlanta Union Mission, who work with the homeless to address their problems and help them leave the streets.

While there is no easy answer, there are ways of giving that help move people towards stability. Never give cash. Speak to them with respect. If you want to give to the individual, consider buying food or coffee and refer them to a local agency, but take precautions for your own safety. Encourage the person to get help through a local agency. Support local agencies by being a volunteer or make a monetary contribution to a homeless agency. Then you will truly be giving a hand up, not a hand out.

By Shannon

June 24, 2005 09:45 AM | Link to this

Why not provide a system of tokens for people who frequent downtown? I would never open my purse to give a panhandler money (and some of them are very agressive), but I would love to be able to give them a token or certificate that could be redeemed at a local shelter or restaurant for actual food or shelter. That way, if they truly were hungry or needed shelter we could get them food.

By Keith

June 24, 2005 10:24 AM | Link to this

If one feels threatened you have the legal right to protect yourself. Carry a gun and do what is necessary when threatened. As for blame for the homeless, look to the Supreme Court. Their rulings emptied the mental wards at state hospitals. The rest are mostly voluntarily homeless, although they would accept a free place to stay courtesy of the taxpayer. Beats working in their view.

By kimberly

June 24, 2005 10:45 AM | Link to this

Give ‘em a dollar! You don’t really need that Twix bar you were going to get from the vending machine this afternoon, do you?

By cah

June 24, 2005 11:08 AM | Link to this

I live downtown , and I have begun to cringe at the thought of going out for a walk because I know I will be accosted for something.

By Fed Up

June 24, 2005 11:47 AM | Link to this

I propose an interesting way to respond when asked for spare change. When approached by one of these “poor souls” hand them a card or slip of paper with the location of a local shelter or food kitchen. I know there are some out there. I know it seems rather sarcastic, but I know I would personally feel better about this than handing out my hard earned money. You can’t say you didn’t try to help them.

By KS

June 24, 2005 12:04 PM | Link to this

I have not encountered these “aggressive� and hostile homeless people. They may ask for spare change, but they do back off if you tell them no. I am a female student attending Georgia State and I run downtown at various times, several days a week. I have never has a single incident, whereas when I was running in East Cobb several years ago I had a man expose himself to me. Downtown Atlanta is not disgusting nor is it dangerous. It has potential to increase its tourism and actually join the ranks of a real city. Are tourists coming to Atlanta to see the Big Chicken? I think not.

By RWH

June 24, 2005 12:21 PM | Link to this

Atlanta inner city has been a mega of people coming and going. There are sadden times when we see people begging for this or that; unlike those who continue to called us who are on the (no-called list) because its just hard times! People need to make a buck to support themselves and often times, their family. Panhandling within our cities tells us many things about our government. Just like the dirty streets needs cleaning, people find ways to support themselves on those same dirty street and panhandling is harmless…so many are doing it; poor, middle class, rich, super-rich because its easy to do and to many people want to do the right thing, that is, give to those who are in need. You can try restricting panhandling; but people move into a different area and start over again. Our jobless reate is now 5%, the highest I have seen it! Preventing panhandling is hard to do; it is companies opening jobs for those who need to work; and by doing so, the companies can see a change in the way they have to do business with the public. The public continue to give, and the panhandlers continue to take in any manner they know how.

By Angie

June 24, 2005 02:00 PM | Link to this

I just want to say that my boss hired a homeless man about a year ago-trying to help the guy out. The employees felt bad for the guy and each of us tried to help him out. But after awhile of his being unappreciative and “expecting” the help and free this and that everyone eventually stopped helping. As soon as he got paid he walked to the smoke shop and bought 3-4 cartons of cigarettes. He got a local church to put him up at a motel. He never took a bath or showed any interest in his hygiene. Come to find out he’s lived this way for over 20 YEARS!!! He could tell me which churches would help and which would not help the homeless. He had a great chance with his job and blew it by sleeping in cars and refusing to do his job. He also spent a good deal of money on the lottery!!! Every day he would sit in my office and call the prayer line and always say the same thing…”just praying to win that lottery”… Folks restaurant acrtoss the street gave him free lunches. He expected people to provide for him and has done this for 20 YEARS! He is now suing the company because he claims he was hurt on the job. (Even though I heard him tell the prayer line he fell in the back of a truck full of Mexicans who gave him a ride to work that morning!) I know each case is different. But guys like this have made me think twice about the handouts I used to give all the time. My 2 cents worth…Angie P.S. After giving him every chance my boss finally had to let him go. Staying on the phone all day, sleeping in cars, smoking in customers vehicles,etc….

By Rodney

June 24, 2005 02:41 PM | Link to this

Brian Curtis, why do you bother? Nothing you say has any credibility as you love to overstate and exagerate EVERYTHING. You have the misguided notion that to be a Christian one has to beg to be walked upon and give all his/her money to the homeless and anyone else that asks. I won’t get into a discussion about what being a true Christian is (you wouldn’t be able to understand it anyway), but it is not just lying down and begging to be abused.

Right is right and wrong is wrong. As a Christian I am GLAD to offer assistance to those wanting to improve themselves (along with a few words about God’s grace). However, the people we’re talking about on here are those who don’t want assistance and would turn down a job if you offered it to them. They spit on mercy. Therefore, instead of trying to force mercy and God’s grace on someone that just wants cash to continue their current lifestyle, I (and others) spend our efforts and money helping many others who just need a little nudge to get started and are ready to truly contribute to society.

Brian, condemn yourself for your opinions if you want to. But don’t condemn others for theirs. “Judge not…”

By JediPrincess

June 24, 2005 04:12 PM | Link to this

I*’d have to say bull to Victoria’s Bum experience in Farlie Poplar. Yes they are aggressive, but in living in the Fairlie-Poplar area and owning a dog AND a convertible I’d have to say that I’ve never seen that. It does desensitise you to their plight to see the same guys in the same spot for years, but realize that that’s what they’ve CHOSEN for themselves. It’s way too easy to give up rather than to work a steady job.

By Gene Duckett

June 24, 2005 04:35 PM | Link to this

What was that saying about “do unto others” and “entertaining angels unawares?”

By Steve Fortuna

June 24, 2005 05:12 PM | Link to this

For half the cost of the SDI boondoggle, or the cost of imprisoning 2.1 million non-violent offenders, we could feed, clothe and job train every unemployed or homeless person in the USA. Of course, the ability of anyone to GET a job in this area of corporate subsidized outsourcing is another matter. Societal cruelty, fear and shortsightedness costs taxpayers $68,200,000,000 and $260 Billion This is IN ADDITION to the $300 Bn spent so far on Iraq. No wonder AllAboutMe and others are so taciturn…their children’s prospects of prosperity are being dramatically eroded by the deficit spending and corporate downsizing induced by fear and paranoia. When your grown kids are unemployed and living at home, remember your carping about domestic spending while we went into debt spending trillions on machines that kill. If the Jesus you invoke wrote our budget, would he spend on nuclear weapons and bombs? Pax Vobiscum

By Hunter

June 24, 2005 05:16 PM | Link to this

Maybe City Council should activate to demand free airline tickets (since they control the airport), and send each panhandler and homeless person to San Francisco, where they can recieve a PAY check for being homeless!…instantly, the problem is solved!

By IGHR

June 24, 2005 08:00 PM | Link to this

Whatever the personal problem of the panhandler is whether it is addiction or mental illness is very unfortunate, but you can’t just have people out on the streets loitering and terrorizing visitors, tourists and residents. If you let panhandling carry on unabaited it will, as it has done for years in Atlanta and other large cities, attract violent criminals who rape, rob, steal and kill.

No matter how you propose to deal with the problem, the City has got to get these people off the streets whether it be in some sort of shelter, institution or (forced) work program. Otherwise, working people will not want to come into the city whether it be to party or shop or for convention if they fear for their safety, it’s that plain and simple.

By Mark Turner

June 24, 2005 09:28 PM | Link to this

Shoot everyone with their hands out.OK, not really, but this IS one problem that if we ignore, it will go away. Never, ever give anyone of them anything, and this problem will deisappear. Not only that, but most will decide to support themselves when other options run out.

By Ron Robinson

June 25, 2005 02:40 AM | Link to this

If we lived in a perfect world, the best solution would be to assist in finding employment and a decent place to live, however we don’t, therefore they must be stopped as these are some of the people who make it hard for a homeless person to find employment. Most police officers do not want to waste their time on them; but it is past time they be arrested and given a term, picking up trash, etc.; they are hurting business owners as they will come up to you when pumping gas, at a restaurant, etc., plus it makes it easier for someone who wants to rob you to act like a panhandler, or act like they are talking on a pay phone while casing someone out to rob.

By AC

June 25, 2005 10:10 AM | Link to this

A homeless person that I’ve known personally is a man that I knew when he was a professional with a good job, a home and a family. However, for reasons unknown to me, he developed first a mental illness and then an addiction. He could no longer cope with day to day life and chose to adopt a homeless life downtown. He didn’t need affordable housing or a job… he had all those if he wanted them. He needed help with a mental illness that he could not bring himself to deal with. My point is that if we want to solve the problem we must understand the problem. It’s a problem with many faces, each different. The true solution will be just as varied. Jail may deter some. Housing may help others. Training still others. Some may welcome help. Others will refuse it. Simple answers will not wish this problem away. It will take a coordinated conscientious one on one effort without which it will always come back.

By E. Ball

June 25, 2005 10:43 AM | Link to this

Why is this even an issue? Someone walks up and ask you for money , you reply yes or no. See ya! The most silly thing I’ve seen yet is that these “panhandlers” are going to be fined (LOL) , or offered free room and board (jail). Isn’t there anything more important going on than this???

By Brison

June 25, 2005 11:06 AM | Link to this

Panhandlers and the homeless are two different problems. (1.)Not all panhandlers are homeless. (2.) Panhandlers are intimidating and often aggressive. (3.) Businesses lose money because citizens dread pulling up to an intersection or trying to enter a business or their condo for fear of being accosted

Councilwoman Mary Norwood developed a successful program 2 years ago providing daily work for the homeless to earn a paycheck.

There are many honest alternatives to panhandling, however, it requires “work”, not just sitting on your largest muscle threatening people to give you money. Panhandling, like any “shake downâ€? operation has its darker side and is disadvantageous to our society.

By J Jenkins

June 25, 2005 12:12 PM | Link to this

Panhandling?? Do like they did in Memphis….Make Panhandling Licenses mandatory. Thereafter, anyone who begs for money on the streets of Atlanta will have to show his license to anyone he solicits before getting any money. The city of Atlanta would make money off the license. People who give money to unlicensed panhandlers would also be prosecuted for Illegal Altruism. You’d be surprised at how much these professional panhandlers make. And that’s just what panhandling is to many of these people….a Profession. So make them buy licenses, permits, tax numbers, insurance, etc. just like all the rest of us who earn our livings in a more practical way…..except for politicians and prostitutes, who fall into the same category as panhandlers.

By E. Jemison

June 25, 2005 01:05 PM | Link to this

I’d rather have people panhandling and getting money than people stealing from me in order to get money.

You don’t HAVE to give a panhandler your money.

By K. White

June 25, 2005 02:42 PM | Link to this

Here is one possible solution to the panhandling problem- forget about fines, etc for the panhandlers- let’s have a city ordinance that fines people who give money to the panhandlers. Have police obtain video evidence to convict panhandlers, and give them community service acting as “bait”,-panhandling under police supervision- and anyone who gives them money get’s a ticket for $10.00. problem solved.

By Jackie

June 25, 2005 09:01 PM | Link to this

JUST SAY NO!!!!

By mike

June 25, 2005 09:40 PM | Link to this

send them to france

By Michael Saunders

June 25, 2005 09:53 PM | Link to this

Any ordinance against panhandling would violate the First Amendment, as best I can judge. If such a measure were passed into law, I’m sure it would be fought. At the same time, panhandling is a terrible nuisance. I think the best way to fight it is to openly encourage people not to give to panhandlers. People have the right to choose what to do with their money, but I think a little encouragement in the right direction would help guide them. Such encouragement would also be as defensible under the First Amendment as a panhandler’s right to beg.

By bob w.

June 26, 2005 08:16 AM | Link to this

Why not use the barracks at some of the military installations line Fort Gillem that are going to be closed to provide housing for the homeless? Give them free marta passes and allow them freedom to come and go as they please. All they have to do is help keep the place clean and help preparing meals. Classes could be provided to help those interested in getting jobs. Separate barracks could be set up for families and singles. This would put current facilities to good use and probably get some panhandlers off the streets. Let some of the downtown missiions use the facilities to prepare meals and sleeping quarters. it’s got to be better than living under a bridge.

By russell

June 26, 2005 09:11 AM | Link to this

Soylent Green

Let them be part of the solution.

By miker

June 26, 2005 12:58 PM | Link to this

E. Jemison -

You miss the point. They are begging AND stealing anyway. We just need to criminalize the former as well as the latter.

By Russell Mondy

June 26, 2005 04:28 PM | Link to this

San Francisco “is” handling the problem and it would do Atlanta good to take heed. Despite the homeless problem, note also that San Francisco has “no” problem attracting people to it’s downtown which is probably the most vibrant in the country. Mayor Gavin Newsom has fought to implement his “Care Not Cash” initiative whereby money that once was given to homeless in general relief outlays is re-routed to programs that house, train and care for the homeless. Anti-panhandling rules are in place and are being enforced. The only way to handle a problem is to “solve” a problem. You can’t take something away (panhandling) without offering effective alternatives. Atlantans are always so flummoxed by the homeless. If you don’t want to give to someone, don’t. Don’t let that which makes you feel guilty and uncomfortable keep you from enjoying what used to be a great downtown. Care Not Cash, San Francisco

By jack williams

June 26, 2005 07:41 PM | Link to this

Have Mayor Shirley Franklin give Rudy Guilianni a call (fat chance!) and ask the next Republican governor (or senator) from New York how he managed it as the mayor of the “Big Apple.” In the old days they were arrested for vagrancy. The Supreme Court has since ruled that unconstitutional. Roy Barnes once promised south Georgia’s sheriffs help with their jail overcrowding problems. He offered to provide state money for county work farms (no kidding!) Why not put the King’s policy into action to lessen the vagrant/panhandling problem (at least until the ACLU steps in)? Alas, this would not be a long-term solution, I fear. Check with Rudy!

By Joseph M. Abad

June 26, 2005 08:55 PM | Link to this

Good Evening, I recommend collecting all the homeless, and placing them in a security housing area. Clean them up, haircut, fed them, fix their teeth, classes, if they need them. Give them a new set of clothing & shoes. A Photo ID, ten dollars, and release them. Keep doing it every time you find them homeless in the city. Just keep performing the same procedure over, and over. Let them know we won’t ever give up on them! Let our actions speak for themselves.

By Brian Curtis

June 26, 2005 10:40 PM | Link to this

Rodney: Really? I must’ve missed the parts of the Bible where Jesus listed exceptions to the “love they neighbor” rule. I didn’t know that Christians only have to help out good, qualified, hardworking poor people who meet the minimum standards of cleanliness and humility. How nice that you’re allowed to pick and choose! It sure makes it easier, doesn’t it?

Lyrazel: You’re overlooking the fact that the agriculture operations PREFER to hire illegals because they can underpay, overwork, and deny benefits when they’re dealing with noncitizens. The last thing they want is to hire U.S. citizens, who would have access to police and courts when they’re abused.

But then, our produce costs would go up, and we can’t have THAT, can we? Better to exploit the illegals and tell the homeless they’re “lazy and shiftless and deserve what happens to them.”

By jon

June 27, 2005 12:51 AM | Link to this

Don’t give them your money. Give them a Bible tract and offer to sit down Tell them about Jesus Christ. He is the Way The Truth and Life.Call on Him and He will change your life forever.Love your fellow man, we are his keeper.Talk to him and discover what can be done for him in order to raise him out of the gutter.

By Patrick

June 27, 2005 01:20 AM | Link to this

I simply ask them for change when I see them coming toward me. It works for me 99% of the time.

By steve

June 27, 2005 07:26 AM | Link to this

If a homeless person goes to a shelter and it is full, they may get a hotel room for the night. What should happen is the person who has been at the shelter the longest gets a hotel room for the night to make room for newcomers. Watch Atlanta’s “homeless” population shrink.

By BigDaddy

June 27, 2005 09:36 AM | Link to this

Brian Curtis, you’re confused (again). To love one’s neighbor does not mean opening up your bank account to them. Have you ever heard of the term “tough love?” Tough love is consistent with Christian values; whereas allowing yourself to be willfully victimized by scam artists and kowtowing to those who employ fear tactics, arguably are not Christian values.

By JB

June 27, 2005 01:54 PM | Link to this

I used to work on a beach service in Panama City Beach. We sold parasail rides, jet skis and sail boat rides. We were allowed to display signage not to exceed a certain size. WE ALSO were NOT allowed to VERBALLY SOLICIT business from beachgoers. So, what we’re saying is that the first amendment DOES NOT cover a legal business operation, but it DOES cover panhandlers.(?) umm, ok…i suppose(?)

Hey, when I was in New York, panhandlers would hold a sign and/or shake a cup of change. I saw plenty of people giving these folks money. However, they were not in the face of their fellow New Yorkers disrupting their business.

By Beverly

June 27, 2005 02:04 PM | Link to this

I suppose there may be some just plainly unfortunate beggars, but I cannot help but remember a man I encountered in Memphis a couple of years ago. He asked for money. I offered him ham sandwiches in the car. He didn’t really want food. He wanted money. I couldn’t read his mind, but I firmly believe that if I were HUNGRY, I would take food when someone offered it.

Maybe the answer would be to send someone downtown (police?)and tell them that they had to work cleaning up downtown….for food and shelter. No more sleeping on the streets. Want money? We’ve got a job for you. Clean those gutters you used to sleep in. Sweep the streets. Clean up the litter.

By Johnny

June 27, 2005 03:12 PM | Link to this

I think its a joke to institute a ban for panhandling. How is the convicted panhandler going to pay his fine? If he/she could afford a fine as high as $250, they wouldn’t be panhandling in the first place.

By Brian

June 27, 2005 04:31 PM | Link to this

I work in the proposed triangle area downtown and, yes, I am tired of the panhandlers. I lived downtown in the same triangle (a condo on Peachtree Street) and left because I could never take a walk without a panhandler following me.

I am sure they scare away tourists and conventions. Their poverty seems to be contagious - inadvertently affecting downtown business.

I agree with the idea of donating money to charity in lieu of to the panhandlers. Ultimately, you can just say no to them.

I see a lot of venom in some of these postings. If you choose not to give (as I normally do) then wish them God’s blessing. Most are, indeed, mentally ill or drug addicted. In fact, I read a statistic from some Homeless advocacy group that said that 25% of our homeless have served in the military. With our current war, where body armour is better than ever, far more soldiers are surviving injuries that would have been FATAL in Vietnam. More and more soldiers are going to be panhandling across the nation…

These poor souls in oft-grotesque form and manners are a reminder of our good fortune and a test of our capacity not to hate our fellow man.

Ban the panhandling if you will, but don’t wish harm on these poor people that are begging in an area frequented by a demographic representative of our nation’s wealthiest and most elite.

I am more in favor of posting signs discouraging giving to panhandlers than I am to banning it, honestly (Freedom of Speech issue).

When tourists are made aware it is a problem in the area (by the frequent signs) they will likely feel more validated in not giving. Less giving to panhandlers will mean they will be fewer in number. It is the tourists that encourage the problem of panhandling and “free lance tour guides,” not the residents/downtown workers that wisen up…

By kent eckman

June 27, 2005 09:01 PM | Link to this

I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Bolivia. I went to the city about once a month and gave some money to two different individuals; the same two, over a two and a half year period. They both needed it.

BubbaLove

By DLandry

June 27, 2005 10:19 PM | Link to this

These panhandlers are a blight on the city and they should be arrested on the spot! If Atlanta wants people to come down to Centenial Park to visit the new aquarium and stay visiting the other sights in the area they really need to get rid of these beggars quick. There should be an area around centenial park that is completely off limits to panhandling and those caught doing so should be arrested.

By randy

June 28, 2005 02:02 AM | Link to this

I have been homeless before.I didn’t have to be but a few years ago I was leaving a club in midtown where I had met this homeless guy.That night I decided to give him a place to live until he could get on his feet. I had played chess with him in the parking lot a few times.The conversations we had told me his IQ was high.I told the guy that I had a place he could live as long as he needed to get his life in order but to my surprize he said no.I asked him why? He said “freedom”.Well I had things go wrong in my life.I kept thinking about the answer I got from the homeless guy. I decided since I was down on my luck I’d give being homeless a try.I could not begin to explain the freedom he was talking about. I must say it changed my life completly.Most homeless believe it or not made the decision to there and don’t want to change. That is where the problem comes from. How does anyone make someone change to fit their idea of normal?I would think after loosing the drug war for 30 +- years we would understand that nobody can make people do anything. These laws will not help anymore than drug laws have on stopping drug use. People are not going to change until they want a change.There will never be a law that changes people.They must decide they want a different life then and only then will they.

By steve walsh

June 28, 2005 04:16 AM | Link to this

I travel for a living. Right now I’m in Europe. I don’t know what they do over here, but there are no bums. Someone should look into why that seems to be the case.

By T. R.

June 28, 2005 07:09 AM | Link to this

It had never previously occurred to me that I was doing a bad thing giving panhandlers money, but I will no longer do so. It just hadn’t dawned on me that I was simply perpetuating the problem.

I suggest a two-part approach. Once, a public awareness campaign teaching people why they should not ever give money to panhandlers.

Second, set up a charitable fund that people can donate to instead of giving their loose change directly to individuals. The monies donated to that fund should be specifically spent on the homeless shelters and soup kitchens.

With this solution, if you are approached and feel like you want to help, you now have another choice that really will help.

By MaiRose

June 28, 2005 08:03 AM | Link to this

I work downtown and downtown has a long way to go before homeless panhandling is its worst problem…ever been to San Francisco!

I give gladly to the homeless or anyone else who asks. That’s what I do as a Christian and I don’t really care what it is used for whether its food or drugs or whatever. I have faith, and God gave to me so that I could do for others. I also give to my church, the Union Mission, and my neighbors. I give both time and money. If I see someone walking down the street, I stop and ask if they need a ride. When my car has broken down, someone stopped for me.

It’s not about us and them…it’s about taking care of each other. If you don’t want to give, say no. Its no big deal unless you just feel guilty and then maybe try praying on it.

By Lyrazel

June 28, 2005 08:25 AM | Link to this

Brian—I was over-simplifying the matter. I work with homeless people who do not panhandle. Most are seriously trying hard to change their bad luck with work. Many struggle to get medications, to make sure their children continue school and diligently try get their lives back. These are not the people you would meet on the street—but they have to share shelters with the panhandlers.

Panhandlers are there to get fast cash. Most do not try to change their lives, do not want food, they want cash: for dope, for drink, cell-phones, sex, but hardly to keep their families sheltered and fed. Dont confuse the two.

Picking tomatos is working—stripping heads off shrimp is working. It aint glamorous and requires effort—but few skills. Yes, you might have to pay more for your tomatos if an American picks them—but illegals come into this country and find jobs, work long hours while these Americans dope-up drop out and beg change. Isnt it ludicrous to keep rewarding these addicts of laziness?

By Brian Curtis

June 28, 2005 08:26 AM | Link to this

From BigDaddy: “Brian Curtis, you’re confused (again). To love one’s neighbor does not mean opening up your bank account to them. Have you ever heard of the term “tough love”?”

Umm, actually, yes it does. Jesus never talked about ‘tough love’ in any way—but you could argue that he SHOWED tough love when he ordered every wealthy person he encountered to sell all they owned and give it to the poor.

You can pretend that there’s such a thing as “prosperity gospel” or that “Jesus favors the rich” all you want—it’s a free country. But you’ll have to face the consequences of your lies one day, and it’s fortunate that someone with infinite mercy and compassion (rather than me) will be doing the judging.

Wanna sum up the New Testament in three words? Take your pick: “Help the poor. Heal the sick. Feed the hungry.”

Show me the chapter and verse that say “Show tough love by forcing the poor to ‘stand up for themselves,’ without offering them aid, comfort, or work.”

By Fed Up

June 28, 2005 08:57 AM | Link to this

I’m sure no one will agree & that’s fine but I think that filth all deserve the death penalty

By Robert

June 28, 2005 08:59 AM | Link to this

Introduce the panhandlers to a new game called “Beat the Bum”. Name is self-explanatory and would end the panhandling problem.

By Michael

June 28, 2005 10:10 AM | Link to this

What to do about pan handlers? Hmmmm … let me see? What to do about people who need help? Well, one thing to do is consider fault/blame. The logic goes that since he/she are beggars because of the many bad choices that he/she made, then they are not worthy of help. So, we can blame those people — however, that won’t make the problem of them showing up go away. In fact, it makes it worse as those in need seek more drastic measures …

We could determine that we are really perpetuating their problems by giving them assistance. After all, we all know that when they get our $1 or $2, they immediately buy crack, drugs, sex, etc. with that gracious amount. So, we can assauge our guilt by thinking that to walk away and do nothing, is really helping those miserable addicts.

What about this: each of us choose one person to help: with more than $2, with more than our holier-than-thou words, with more than let’s put them in jail. What about that?

By RR

June 28, 2005 10:51 AM | Link to this

The city of Atlanta could offer them lodging and meals at one of thier vacant facilities. The Mayor could have them work on a daily job like cleaning up the park or being on a Hwy Work crew to pick up the trash on the side of the road. I can think of a 100 tasks that need attending in the City of Atlanta. Give them an “Hand-up” not a “Hand-Out”. Just throwing change at them does not help their problem it just enables thier bad habit. For the one’s that don’t except work, they will be the ones that except hunger pains and sleep deprevation. Make Pandhandling Illegal but give them a choice. Do that and see how fast they run.

By cathy g

June 28, 2005 11:17 AM | Link to this

I have had a ministry going for about 3 years now where I feed some of the homeless people I encounter around my office. At first I gave them half of my lunch, but then had the delima of it going bad or stale if I could not find someone to give it to. I would not, and do not give money, but the Bible says to feed the hungry, so my mother came up with the solution. I call it my “Suzie Sunshine Fund” after my nickname for my Mama. I give money, and collect donations from my church, which I then convert to McDonald’s coupons. This allows me to offer the coupons, which are only good for food purchases, and I direct them to the closest McDonalds for redemption. It is a way to give to the hungry, without feeding any of their bad habits.It has been very sucessfull so far, enabling me to fufill my Christian duty to this ministry, while not encouraging bad habits in the people I share them with.

By edge770

June 28, 2005 11:29 AM | Link to this

Re-establish re-enforce red-dog squad Establish tight ordinance on street preachers, beggers, miscreants and thieves. We need officers in riot gear to come out and clean house every couple of weeks. Compassion is not the answer.

By Ron

June 28, 2005 11:30 AM | Link to this

If the religious nutjobs who spend all their time hating and working to rid the world of loving gay couples would put their energy into what real Faith is about (helping the poor, sick, etc.) then some funds and extra programs to assist the homeless would blossom and society might actually come out better.

By john

June 28, 2005 12:47 PM | Link to this

The difference between rich and poor in America magnifies every day and with homelessness the telltail sign. God help the Countries to whom we are “exporting” Capitalistic Democracy.

By Bobb

June 28, 2005 12:49 PM | Link to this

They aren’t any more a nuisance than the people who stand in the middle of busy intersections collecting money for supposedly legitimate charities in buckets and boots. At least the bums have enough sense not to walk down the middle of a four lane road. A bum on the sidewalk I can avoid; a dumb a* in the turn lane is another matter.

By James

June 28, 2005 01:10 PM | Link to this

I recently took some visitng out of town friends downtown on a sunny Saturday afternoon. I wanted to show them the Atlanta Aquarium and a couple of other things in that general area. The four of us were barely out of my car before a very aggitated and fast talking young man of about thirty approached us wanting three dollars. The visitng couple could not believe whathappened nest. I told the guy to go away, that none of us were given any free money to give away, so we couldn’t help him. He called the four of us everything you could possibly call middle aged white people. We got back in the car to avoid a scene. He grabbed my car door handle and acted like he wanted in, luckily the door was locked. We drove away, which is exactly what suburban professional people are going to do in droves if this continues to happen. Do the bozo’s that sit on the city council think we are going to tolerate this and subject our families to this potential threat? Had that man entered my car, it would have been an attemped carjacking. The panhandler probably didn’t notice the NRA sticker on my vehicle. That’s a warning that the driver is probably legally packing heat and he was about a minute away from being history. The city of Atlanta better wake up and smell the coffee; there’s more to your job than renaming streets downtown after people.

By john

June 28, 2005 01:22 PM | Link to this

Homeless people force me to think how much of a discrepancy there is in America between rich and poor.The result is guilt. Maybe that is why so many people are so hostile towards this group.

By W.H.G.

June 28, 2005 02:34 PM | Link to this

If Atlanta were to replace its selfish, money grubbing religious leaders with real caring giving people, a lot of “problems” would be solved overnight. Atlanta’s churchs are little more than social clubs.

By Gregory Perrimon, Jr.

June 28, 2005 02:39 PM | Link to this

Panhandling is a major problem in the metro areas and downtown locations. Most of the homeless people choose that lifestyles and some really need help. I remember talking to a homeless person and he had good sense but made wrong decisions. We all need to learn from Jesus’ examples of how compassionate and caring to those who needed help. We are too busy worrying about our careers and future and failed to realized the importantance of why we are here: to do God’s works. We live in America and we are the riches nation but many die of hunger, thirst, and poverty. God created this world so every human being can live and have life. And guess what, God is not concern about our careers but what we did for Him and for the sake of others. We should be our brother’s keeper and understand that reviving life again is what will keep the human race stronger, as well exert gracefully and faithfully in God. Peace!.

By CB

June 28, 2005 02:40 PM | Link to this

Please get rid of the BUMS! Take them to Lake Lanier and drop them off. Get them out of the city.

By bob

June 28, 2005 02:54 PM | Link to this

Make it illegal. I was downtown recently and couldn’t go 20 ft. on the streets before being accosted by panhandlers. How long is it going to take for us to realize the effect panhandlers are having by making downtown very undesirable for all of us, including convention planners, sports event officials, and tourists who, like myself, avoid the area? It’s going to hurt those who are actually trying to make a living when we start losing hotels, restaurants, and tourism jobs because of panhandlers. I guess they’ll just add to the rolls of panhandlers.

By Jmaes

June 28, 2005 03:20 PM | Link to this

Regarding the comments of Joseph M Abad who stated that each time we come upon a homeless person we should give them shelter, fix their teeth and cut their hair. When that object fell from the sky and hit you on the head, was it a direct hit or was it a deflected hit? Who in the name of higher taxes is going to pay for all that? Not me, oh heck no, not me. I’ll let that be known loud and clear with my vote. I am still paying for my dental work from last year at 9.9 % interest. If we did something as utterly stupid as half of what you suggested, we’d have the homeless coming to Atlanta from all over the country. If you really want to save something that will in turn appreciate your help, go to the local animal shelter and save a homeless dog. These people are running a scam and it’s your ingrorance of this fact that is helping them exist. People should stand firm and tell thme loud and clear to go away, do not approach me; call the police on them. If they touch you, it’s battery and they will be arrested. We should stand firm on this or, simply take our money elsewhere. Money talks, loud and clear. Even the Atlanta City Council, who knows so very little, knows this fact.

By LCK

June 28, 2005 03:38 PM | Link to this

Unfortunately, many of the homeless are mentally ill or substance addicts. Until policy changes so that society can require mentally ill or addicted people to get help, we will continue to have the homeless with us. These do-gooders who advocate for the lifestyles of the homeless do them no favors. They need help, not a handout, and the help should come in the form of mandatory treatment for mental illness and substance abuse. With the proper intervention, many of these homeless could be productive citizens.

LCK

By rocky

June 28, 2005 03:41 PM | Link to this

Most homeless people are that way because of choices they’ve made in their lives. Why should I have to spend the money I work hard for on programs that won’t do any good anyway? I couldn’t care less about the gap between rich and poor people. Everyone has the same opportunities in this country and if you choose not to take advantage of them, you shouldn’t expect other members of society to bail you out. This is a capitalist society, not a socialist society, so stop your bleeding heart pity posts and move to Canada if that’s the kind of country you want to live in. Take all the homeless people with you and see how willing their socialist society is to support them.

By BigDaddy

June 28, 2005 04:28 PM | Link to this

Okay, Brian Curtis, congratulations on your mangling not only of my statement but also of Protestantism (are you familiar at all with the Protestant work ethic?).

True, Jesus never discussed tough love, but he also never got around to discussing how to handle drug addicts and scam artists. Perhaps He would say, like you, that we should build them housing at the expense of others, feed them, clothe them, do their lawn, take out their trash, deliver their dry cleaning, pay for their cell phones and cable and high-speed internet, etc. OR, perhaps He’d say that you should not enable their irresponsible decisions by giving them anything, thereby encouraging them to stand up for themselves, and not allowing them to wallow in a sinful existence of physical and spiritual degradation.

This is not to say that a hand up is not uncalled for from time to time. Anyone can fall down, and it is a measure of the morality of a society as to how a society responds to those situations. However, enabling indolence and addiction is immoral. It’s the old give a man a fish vs. teach a man to fish example. As this is a free country, we cannot force people to take fishing lessons; however, we can, as a society, refuse to help people who refuse to avail themselves of those fishing lessons.

At any rate, don’t you liberals believe in the separation of church and state? Why are you trying to pull a WWJD and introduce God and Jesus into a municipal matter? Jesus, don’t be such a hypocrite…

By BigDaddy

June 28, 2005 04:44 PM | Link to this

Fed Up - don’t you think that’s a little over the top?

Ron - you truly are the perfect picture of liberal tolerance.

john - please go sell pinko somewhere else; we’re all full here. People are not hostile towards bums because they are poor. If anything, people are too giving. But much of the hostility you see towards bums as posted on this board is due to the fact that the posters work hard for money to support themselves and their families, and the bums act as if they are entitled to a portion of those funds, even though they have done nothing in the earning. Yes, guilt is involved - the panhandlers employ guilt as a tool against their targets.

W.H.G, I agree with you, but I think that is only part of the solution. I think another part would be lower taxes, which would lead to increased economic development, which would mean more jobs, as well as more people having money to donate to charities to help these people. Government certainly hasn’t proven to be a very effective commander in the LBJ-begun War on Poverty.

By Michael

June 28, 2005 09:51 PM | Link to this

Nashville has an interesting way of handling this problem. Old parking meters are placed around the downtown area and visitors are encouraged to put money in the meter to be given out by the city rather than give to panhandlers. I recently spent several days in Nashville and, while I saw street musicians in abundance, not once was I panhandled.

By BigDaddy

June 29, 2005 07:41 AM | Link to this

I can’t believe I’m actually going to say this, but I agree almost entirely with Cynthia Tucker’s column this morning. Blech! I feel dirty - I have to take a shower now…

By RWH

June 29, 2005 08:31 AM | Link to this

Homelessness within our cities constantly on the rise. They seek to survive in any manner that they can; there are no easy way to stop panhandling; accepting handhouts; etc. Those who have and will give to them have created a “Bear-like” feeding, once you give, they return to continue the same; looking for handouts. Same as the people who constantly are panhandling. The cities can create panhandling stiff-fines and inforcement on panhandling. Unlike everything, you know panhandlers will find a way. The outlook of a city that see panhandling cause a negative affect on tourism, public and creates a stare for the general population. It sadden many of us to see human beings on the street panhandling and being homeless. You want to be kind and giving in some way; we can’t solve all of the problems we have, the world is not made that way. We need to see many of the things we see to make an effort to solve them. It could be anyone of us who panhandle to survive. Even if we don’t condone it!

By dread

June 29, 2005 08:48 AM | Link to this

I am amazed that people with a history of brazen racism and racial oppression that continues to this day are angry at the problems they themselves have caused. If your daddy’s daddy’s daddy had not wanted to be a racist slavemaster, black people would not have been brought to your precious country. But he was, and so are you. So deal with it however you choose, and may God judge you for your choice.

By Brian Curtis

June 29, 2005 09:06 AM | Link to this

Of course I believe in the separation of church and state! But as a liberal Christian, speaking as a private citizen, I encourage everyone to give all they can to do exactly what Jesus told us: Help the poor. Help the poor. Help the poor.

You can dance around it all you like, but if your first (indeed, ONLY) priority is not giving all you can to help the poor, you’re ignoring Jesus’s first and only commandment to his followers. The “poor people are sinful” line was a dead giveaway.

As for what the GOVERNMENT should do… well, that’s a separate question, isn’t it?

By Van

June 29, 2005 10:15 AM | Link to this

Call me a grumpy old man. Which homeless are we talking about? The ones that do not want to make something out of themselves or the ones that can’t?

Of the ones that can’t get off the streets, are they the end product of their own bad choices, or is there a physical or mental problem?

Now, which ones can be helped and which ones will not be helped. Kind of narrows it down a little.

By Rodney

June 29, 2005 10:26 AM | Link to this

I have read of a successful panhandling reduction effort in one city, I believe it was Kansas City, Missouri. The city government engaged in a public relations campaign to get both locals and visitors to stop giving money to panhandlers and to give instead to local charities and shelters. The hotel, tourism, hospitality, and convention businesses all participated in the effort, such as hotels running messages on their in-house television systems. According to the report I read, panhandlers disappeared from the streets. The ultimate fact is, if you don’t reward their behavior, they will stop it.

By Clayton

June 29, 2005 11:13 AM | Link to this

The majority of the homeless are able bodied and some talented. We need to change the laws that forces these people into a work for food program that provides healthcare benfits, a meager wage, and enough for a shared living space. Better they contribute to society & improving themselves than breaking into cars, assaulting people, panhandling, and otherwise sponging off of society.

For those truely disabled, the existing institutions should suffice.

By Bobb

June 29, 2005 12:51 PM | Link to this

Dread, a few questions for you.

• Are you implying that if there were no blacks in this country there wouldn’t be a panhandling problem? Isn’t this backhanded racism in itself?
• Why do you assume that all panhandlers are black? The last that approached me (in Va/Highlands) was white. Similarly, why do you assume that all people who see panhandling as a problem are white and racist? Check out Cynthia Tucker’s column today.
• All white’s grandfathers were slaveholders? Except for one great-grandfather, as far as I know the rest of my ancestors came to this country after slavery ended, but I really don’t know, and I’m not making any assumptions.
• It is God’s place to judge all of us, but you might want to re-read your post and see if you might be a little judgemental - and racist - yourself.

By James

June 29, 2005 12:53 PM | Link to this

Dread, all white people were not slave masters, learn your history before spewing forth such nonsense. Remember it was the white man that died to free you, white men that never owned slaves.

By BigDaddy

June 29, 2005 12:55 PM | Link to this

Brian Curtis, there you go again putting words in my mouth. I never once said that poor people are sinners. What I said is that those who willingly degrade themselves in order to buy drugs or alcohol as well as those who have no intention of working to support themselves, but instead expect handouts from others to support their indolence are sinners. Even a liberal Christian would agree that those who abuse drugs and those who would prostitute themselves to support a drug habit are sinners.

And are you sure you’re caught up on your Bible reading? Jesus’s first and only commandment to his followers was to help the poor? Granted, it’s been a while since I’ve read the New Testament, but I seem to recall a whole lot more from Jesus than just help the poor. Love thy neighbor, turn the other cheek, and all that.

At any rate, no, my first and only responsibility is not helping the poor. My first responsibility is to my family. My second responsibility is to my employees. Somewhere down around the bottom of the list is my responsibility to the panhandling scam artists.

By Tim Dodson

June 29, 2005 01:56 PM | Link to this

How’s about let’s figure out how to help those people get off the streets as opposed to trying to run them out of town. We can spend the same effort to help them as we can to figure out how to get rid of them.

By Dee Denise

June 29, 2005 02:58 PM | Link to this

Give each panhandler a one dollar bill and thank GOD that you have a roof over your head, food in your frig, and a job to pay your bills. What ever happened to love thy neighbor as thyself and we are our brother’s keepers? Maybe the people who feel offended by panhandlers should go read their Bible again.

By Brian Curtis

June 29, 2005 03:00 PM | Link to this

Sorry, Tim, but that would be both sensible and compassionate. It wouldn’t indulge our anger and disgust at the least powerful members of our society, so it’s not an option.

By Still Fed Up

June 29, 2005 04:01 PM | Link to this

Big Daddy; I’m sure most would agree with you that my solution IS over-the-top but so is an instance of a small-statured woman (me) not being able to safely walk around the city & do her errands without being grabbed, touched & harassed by filth. It enrages me when people say they want to help them; what’s one thing they ever did to merit help? Sorry, harrassment, inappropriate touching, stealing, violence, assault, drug use/pushing & child molestation don’t count!

By Van

June 29, 2005 05:17 PM | Link to this

Dee Denise , as many people have said, and some did it very plainly, some folks can’t work and care for themselves, these folks need our help and that is why we have welfare.

Some of the homeless can work, but have decided, either by extremely bad choices, or no motivation, not to do a dang thing in life. These folks, deserve no assistance.

In the Christian religion, there are many biblical examples of how society helped those that could not help themselves, gleaming the fields for the widowed, etc. In a few places, it lays it down hard on “slackers”. Phrases like, if you do not work, you do not eat, come to mind.

Other religions may have a different slant on it, but I can only speak of my own faith.

On a personal side, I detest people that can work, but have decided not to and sponge off the working man. Charity, anytime, help to the lazy, never.

By steve

June 30, 2005 09:34 AM | Link to this

There is an inherent ambiguity in this subject that fuels a lot of rancor because a person’s opinion is a matter of perspective on a very complex issue. If a panhandler is truly poor then I think almost everyone would help in a way they see as appropriate. Unfortunately, people posing as panhandlers are very often scam artists, addicts or, sometimes, very dangerous people. Some people still give to these “panhandlers� but, in my opinion, helping the poor does not mean tolerating the behavior that created the problem in the first place. That is actually hurting the poor. There is not a lot of money going to help the poor and this kind of abuse makes a tough situation worse for the poor. The first step in improving this situation is to get rid of the terrible groups that run the city’s shelters and food kitchens. They are generally either divisive bleeding heart liberal groups or useless conservative faith based groups. Then we need to invite informed people to discuss cost effective systems that tailor help to the various needs of the poor, prevent abuse and make the city a place we are all proud of.

By Penny

June 30, 2005 10:47 AM | Link to this

One of the worst things about panhandlers are most of them are our elderly and veterans. The government won’t help them because they are paying out way too much money for the immigrants and sending money to foreign countries. It isn’t “Politically correct to help our own.”

By Van

June 30, 2005 11:01 AM | Link to this

Penny, Being a veteran or old does not entitle you to any benefits. Being retired military does.

While I am sure there are vets among the homeless, or bums as we used to call them, dropping out of society makes it harder to help the truly helpless.

I am also sure that some of the lazy bums out there will say anything to grab one of your dollars. - Hey, I’m a vet, help me. - Vet will work for food - Vet needs a beer.

By Mary Hixson

June 30, 2005 11:41 AM | Link to this

Behind every beggar is someone who is so estranged from society that he has no one to feed him. Why is he estranged? He’s a drunk? Crazy? Drug addict? Loser? Sick? Tired? What every beggar is, in my opinion, is stupid. Stupid for thinking that they might get a quarter from someone who contributes to the same world that nurtures the withholding of love that has caused this problem in the first place. At some time during the life of almost every estranged person on earth, someone who had love to give that person decided to withhold it. That’s why the mental hospitals are full and people are on Prozac and in prisons.

By Stephanie

June 30, 2005 12:54 PM | Link to this

I lived in Seattle where they have handled the homeless problem in a helpful way. The homeless are permitted to sell a newsletter called “Real Change,” which is published by a group that advocates and assists on behalf of the homeless. The homeless basically become “employees” of the group and rather than “panhandle,” passersby have the option to purchase something tangible from them that actually helps fund a useful program.

By Steve

June 30, 2005 02:45 PM | Link to this

I think one thing is being missed by many people, and possibly by the media. Having worked downtown for several years, I can state there is a huge difference between panhandlers and homeless people.

Homeless people do occasionally beg, but they tend to do so by holding up a sign and sitting or standing near a busy intersection. Tehy rarely move or follow others.

Panhandlers go much further. They actually approach people, rather than standing or sitting. They actively pursue and follow, many times trying to intimidate people into giving them money.

I do not pretend to even know what homeless people use the money they are given on, and I don’t think very many people here really do know, they just assume.

I never really minded seeing the homeless, or even giving them money from time to time. But I did mind the professional panhandlers out there, making quite a nice living judging by their clothing and accessories. Trying to intimidate people into giving you money should not be tolerated and those people should be arrested and thrown in jail. No ifs, ands or buts. It is very easy to tell the difference between an agreesive beggar and a non-aggressive.

By Nancy

June 30, 2005 02:46 PM | Link to this

I volunteered at a homeless shelter in NYC, back in the ‘80’s before the days of Mayor Gulianni, for TWO years and it cured me forever of any sympathy for 99.9% of the homeless.

I began my tenure full of wide-eyed optimism, sure that the “Power of One” could at least help those looking for help. It was soon evident that the people who came to the shelter, with the exception of one mother and her two children, were all suffering from addiction to drugs and alcohol and didn’t want help unless it was a handout. The mentally ill wouldn’t come at all.

The mother was fleeting an abusive marriage, and we did help her into a family shelter, but she was the only one IN TWO YEARS who came in willing and wanting to help herself. She said that had the shelter not been there, she would have gone to a nearby church. She also said she had family but didn’t want to go to them because she was embarrassed at the failure of her marriage. I’m pretty certain that had the shelter not been there, and had the church turned her away, she would have gotten over her embarrassment for the sake of her children.

The point is that the rest, thousands of them, were never helped because they refused to help themselves. Many was the time that in counseling, I heard them say, “I don’t want no stinking job; just give me some money and let me get out of here.” Try as we might, rarely was anyone interested in rehab or hospitalization and almost NEVER was anyone interested in information about how to get a job.

This ex-liberal still feels pitty but I no longer feel compasionate. They made a choice of how they wanted to live their lives and I will not support their drug dependency. Anyone who does is not only doing the homeless a disservice, they are doing it for the selfish reason that it makes the giver feel good. It does NOT help the homeless.

And to James - “Remember it was the white man that died to free you, white men that never owned slaves”, you’re kidding, right? Washington, Jefferson and almost all of the other founding fathers were slave owners. In addition, you forget Crispus Attucks, a black man, and the very first to die in battle during the Revolutionary War.

By Meredith

June 30, 2005 03:16 PM | Link to this

Van, Actually, being a retired veteran DOES entitle you to many benefits. Ever heard of a group called the Veteran’s Administration (VA)? After the Vietnam War, many veterans became homeless due to post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental issues that were not properly addressed by the military health care system. The government owes them some help, at least.

By Larry

June 30, 2005 04:20 PM | Link to this

In the words of Rare Earth, “Put my faith in the people - and the people let me down”! I can understand government officials not wanting to help the poor, doing so would not fatten their war chests or please the banks and developers that own their souls (especially ones who belong to the “faith and values” party). But for average people to echo the “sweep the homeless aside” mindset truly saddens me. I don’t have all the answers but please, people, turn America back into a caring society! Or else why not carry this current attitude to its logical conclusion and put all the poor people in gas chambers?