Guy asking for money on Berkeley 7th

Subject: Man asking for money

I'm sure he just does it because it's fun. I mean, that's what I do when I'm bored. Don't you?

armchair_warrior wrote: from what i read many years back. these guys make more money than the average guy.

That's gotta be one of the more annoying urban myths. There may be a small handful of uber-successful panhandlers in NYC, but I highly doubt that most make more than a handful of dollars per day. To suggest otherwise is ludicrous and even slightly offensive.

Although, this guy is somewhat suspect - I don't know him at all, so all of this is pure conejcture and speculation, but I'm almost 100% positive he's not homeless - once when I was going to citibank to use the ATM, he was opening the door for people and a young kid (about 10 or 12 yrs old) came up to him and said "she wants you at home - NOW". I've also seen the guy drinkning what looked like cappucinos from Ozzies. I think he's just someone with low-income who is looking to get some spending money.

I went to elementary school in Park Slope and that guy has been there since then (early 1980s), at least. He's a neighborhood staple.

I occasionally give him money, but I have bought him some pizza and that seemed to make him happy.

I've never seen him bothering anybody and I know all too well that it doesn't take much these days to end up in a bad financial or living situation.

doesnt matter what he is homeless or not. i hear tons of diffrent stories from these type of guys. once i was walking my ex to a store. guy came up to us, telling us that he just lost his job. few hrs later he came to us again and told us that he a diffrent story. I told him like dude you told me this few hrs ago. he just laugh and walk away. and than we saw him again later that night buying brooze from store. same simillar story with some guy claiming he doesnt have money to ride the train home. me and my ex barely had money to buy food that day. later on saw the guy eating out in the area buying food and we gave him our last few bucks. anyway after so many times like that. i just stop giving alot of jerk offs pretending to be poor or had no money.

As with all panhandlers, whatever personal guilt or jag you get off by giving away your hard-earned money ... it only encourages them.

There are a number of "homeless" "panhandlers" on 7th who are very sweet and very polite, often playing on the local demographic guilt and speaking to the kids in strollers with kind words. Since my kid was a baby I've told him they are what they truly are, not some modern euphemism but bums, hobos, derelicts and deadbeats. I have zero respect for those who won't even pick up a shovel to earn some money (as I did starting at age 12).

Particularly within the political context of today with all the pressure on illegals, I have a greater respect for those who are willing to put their backs and sweat into earning an honest wage rather than pushing a frankly insultingly dishonest handout with a shuffle, eye roll and toothy smile.

I walked through Park Slope today on a day off and saw a number of people using jackhammers, hauling debris, toting wheel barrows, planting shrubs, hauling 5-gallon buckets of cement, etc. (all jobs I did at some point).

I nod and smile to these people.

I sneer at those with but an empty palm extended with a grin.

Only give to these people if you seek to devalue your own labors.

kensingtonmom wrote: Even the empty words "compassionate conservative"?

Agreed that the concept is empty spin.

My political leanings are very liberal, realistic and especially pragmatic (this is why I support a practical approach to life in hard work and thought). However, liberal thought doesn't mean accepting everything off the grid nor does it mean automatically accepting the lowest common denominator. This opposite line of supported thinking is one of the contributing reasons to why Dems can't win elections now.

And, I do not suffer fools nor those who seek to make a fool of me or my children.

Holy crap, what a topic!

If you want to give, give. If you don't, don't.

Making huge generalizations about who these people are and what their situation is is absurd!

Of course some are scammers, but some are not.

If you want to give something to somebody but don't know if they're in serious need - buy a meal, or bring your leftovers from dinner out (since god knows the portions are large enough).

On a slightly different note, I always wondered how that guy got claim to that turf in the first place. I mean, he's been there for literally decades, without any notable intruders or competition that I've ever seen, and that is some prime panhandling real estate. Normally I'd guess that he kicked someone's ass to claim turf rights, but that guy really doesn't strike me as that ass kicking type--more likely he'd be on the losing end. So why hasn't anyone ever challenged him? Is the homeless community so oblivious to the goldmine that is 7th and Berkeley? That guy has literally lived his lifetime on the generosity of the PS community. Hey, he may be lazy but he is smart.

"I've given food before, occasionally with a positive reaction, but more often with a negative confrontation. This truly parses the honest minority from the more common hucksters."

I wouldn't want to eat someone else's leftovers either, eeew.

sterling2000 wrote: [quote=Drano]All I can say is that a hobo and a bum are two different things.

Good point. As a longtime fan of Woody Guthrie, I should have made a finer point there.

:-)

Well, my grandfather went out of his way to make that point to me when I was a kid - I don't know exactly how that conversation started but obviously I remembered the important stuff...

Pretty sure the panhandler is out there just trying to supplement his income after having bought his first co-op in PS back in the Reagan 80's.

Hey - those maintenace fees are damn high!