Exploratory Paper Rough Draft Bryan MurrUWRT 1102

Should you give homeless people money? This is a question that is asked

commonly among groups who want to help the homeless. It is most often asked in

environments such as churches or organizations that attempt to help those in need.

The reason some are tentative with their giving money is because of the fear of the

misuse of that money. Many people within these environments (churches and

homeless organizations) are willing to give to these people, but they do not want

their money to be used in a way that could harm that person (i.e drugs).

There are many different perspectives on the issue of giving homeless men

money. First, there is the view that you should never give homeless people money,

because they will always misuse this money, or because they do not deserve the

money. The next group says you should always give the homeless money when you

have the opportunity, because it would be selfish if you do not. Then, there are

others who say that you should give money sometimes, and other times you should

not. The above viewpoints come from many types of people. These groups can

include businessmen, government officials, average men, “good” people, “bad”

people, and many more. These groups of people all have their different reasons for

believing how they do, and many are stubborn with their views. However, many of

these people could be convinced if they were properly persuaded.

Businessmen, government workers, “common folk” and even some people in

churches and “help for the homeless” organizations will generally take the first view

listed (never give). There are many reasons for not giving away money to a

homeless man who you do not know. Scott Keyes says “I had heard that some people

beg for a living and make big bucks — $80,000 a year in some cases,” (Keyes) and

Paul Cantor states that “I've seen New Yorkers purposely avoid contact with

panhandlers because they were either afraid or just didn't know how to interact

with them. After all, it's far easier to stare down at your smartphone than it is to deal

with an uncomfortable reality” (Paul). This group does not want to give money

because they either do not think that the homeless deserve it (like Keyes said), or

simply want to avoid an awkward situation (like Paul said). Also, many they believe

that giving away money for nothing will cause them to linger in big cities and will

create a bad image for the city, and others believe that they will misuse the money.

This does not mean that they hate these people; it simply means that they do not

want to give away money for no reason. Some of these people even strive to help

build shelters and want to get them off of the street.

The second group (those who say you should always give) commonly

consists of people within the church community, or those who feel great compassion

for the homeless. A study was done in the San Francisco Bay area, and it was found

that a majority of homeless people in this area makes less than $25 a day. This is a

statistic that greatly impacts the “second group’s” thought process. While this

statistic may not be true in every homeless community across the world, it is true in

this area as well as many others. The group that says “always give” feels great

compassion for these people and wants to give money in order to change their lives

for the better (Keyes). Others such as James Antle give for other reasons. In James

Antle’s article “Why I give Money to Homeless People”, he states “Every panhandler

I help could be a scam artist. But each one I pass by could be Jesus.” For this reason,

he chooses to give money to the homeless as often as possible. He feels very

strongly that he needs to help these people because of his religious beliefs. This

group of people (like James Antle) feel that it is their duty to help the homeless no

matter what the circumstances are (Antle).

The final group that I will observe in this paper is that which says you should

give money to the homeless sometimes, and other times you should not. This group

believes that sometimes you should give money to the homeless if you believe that

they will use it properly. “In other cases, the assistance could be counterproductive

or even foolish”, says Antle. “Many will use any cash they get to buy drugs or booze.

Others may lie about their circumstances”. (Antle) This group requires a lot of

discernment. It can be very tricky to identify whom the right person is to give

money to. The simple answer that this group often uses is to give away food or

clothes rather than money in order to be sure that the funds are used to meet the

needs of the homeless.

In conclusion, there are three main answers to the question “should you give

homeless people money?” The first being never give, second, always give, and lastly,

sometimes give. There are many reasons to not give money to the homeless. I

identify mostly with the group that says you should give sometimes. I do not think it

is wise to go around giving random homeless people on the street all of my money

because I do not have the money to do that, and it could be misused. However, I do

feel compassion for the homeless, and I feel morally and spiritually responsible for

these people to some degree.

Works Cited

Antle, James. "Why I Give Money to Homeless People." Why I Give Money to Homeless People. N.p., 19 Aug. 2014. Web. 08 Feb. 2015.

Cantor, Paul. "I Need a Dollar: Should You Give to New York's Homeless?" Gawker. N.p., 28 July 2014. Web. 08 Feb. 2015.

Keyes, Scottt. "Everything You Think You Know About Panhandlers Is Wrong." ThinkProgress RSS. N.p., 30 Oct. 2013. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.

Wickersham, Scott. "9 Investigates: Growing Homeless Problem in Charlotte." Wsoctv.com. Wsoctv, 8 Nov. 2013. Web. 8 Feb. 2015.