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I heard this on the radio the other day (paraphrased):
'Say, mate, can you spare some change so I can get something to eat?'
Translation: 'I'm addicted to heroin and I need a fix.'
'Can you spare anything for a bus pass?'
Translation: 'I'm a drug dealer and I want to buy a bigger gun.'
The sad truth is that, when you give money to people on the street, it probably isn't being used the way they say it is so give your money to us instead blah blah blah.
Oh. Fuck. Off. I assume I don't need to explain why the second 'translation' is moronic, but I suspect a distressing number of people agree with the first part. Aside from the implication that all panhandlers are liars, why the fuck should it make a difference to me if someone's going to use the money I give hir for drugs? Frankly, if I was living on the street I'd probably want to be drunk or high all the time, and I certainly would prefer someone spend a night in relative comfort (doped up) rather than sick from needing a fix. Plus, if we're going the 'all panhandlers are CRIMINALS IN DISGUISE!!!!1!11! route, if the money a junkie gets panhandling means ze can get a fix without commiting some other crime eg mugging somebody, I consider that a fucking good trade. I mean, yes your charity is probably doing good work and, okay, if it comes down to it I'd prefer that the people I'm giving money to are in fact going to use it to buy food or whatever and not drugs, but honestly, why is the possibility that they might such a problem? And, frankly, when your charity resorts to transparent scare tactics in its adverts, it absolutely destroys your credibility. You're assuming moral superiority over the people you're trying to help; do I even need to explain why that's a problem? |
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