Yes I have given homeless men money, but then instead I started buying them food.  You know some people do not want food!!!  Anyway I agree with your comments above.  One never knows where life will lead them.  My daughter's husband just underwent  brain surgery and they are on the verge of losing their home.  To think at one time they were alluent with wonderful business and wonderful home in very nice upper class neighborhood.  Just one catastrophic accident and they are two steps away from being homeless.  So, yes I would definitely give money to homeless or "bums" as you call them.  I have great compassion for people in general and especially broken people in our society.  You just don't know what happened in their life to make them this way.  Did they lose their family?  Did they lose a job or their home through foreclosure?  Considering the way our economy is going, I think we will see many more people like this.  Will you call them bums just because they have no jobs or no homes because of our economy???  Thanks to Bush's wonderful economic policy, I am sure we will have a new society of homeless everywhere. 

I always give a buck to the bum that tells me they want a beer and not give me the BS lie that they are a hungry vet looking for food. be honest!!!!

 Ya I don't have a problem with giving a bum the change in my pocket or even a dollar or two from time to time. Homelessness and Alcoholism is a son of a bitch and I think most also suffer from some type of mental illness. Most will probably die on the streets, some of them from Alcohol withdraw. Its sad that the united states sends billions of our money to aid suffering people in other countries and basically turn it's back on the suffering in this country. Giving or buying food for the homeless is a great thing to do.

 gube, I totally agree w/ you. We have more than enough folks here, American citizens who have hit the skids due to circumstances going against them, who need help. Charity begins at home.

Once, back east, when I was building my house, I hired a homeless family to do construction cleanup and "watchdog" the place for construction thieves. They were living in their van, a mom and dad and three little kids, and they parked their van on site during the three months' or so that construction went on. I couldn't pay them much, but I did what I could, buying diapers and baby food, etc., in addition to what we paid them. The happy ending came when the house was finished and the dad had so proved himself to the contractor that he was offered a job.

Yes, being in a position where I have needed a drink, I have bought one for someone who needed it as well. For some people, it is all they have, and maybe the kindness of a stranger will give them a bit of hope.

 Here's what I do, and it works. If a bum/panhandler approaches you, or calls you was you walk out of a store, before they have a chance to say anything, you ask them if you can borrow a dollar or if they can spare some change. They get this funny look on their face and say "no". That shuts them down right away. Try it.

Or, I tell them I only use a credit card and ask them if they accept American Express...

 "He who closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself cry out and not be heard" from Proverbs 21.  There are also many proverbs warning of the dangers of sloth and drunkenness and there is the Lords warning "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." Matt 7  Giving alms in the proper spirit to do good ,but not enable self destructive behavior is indeed tricky.

 I use OBs tactic sometimes on the ones I know are going to waste it or really don't need it and it works. The look on their faces can be priceless . Some live in apartments near the beach and are just filthy people by choice.  I buy lunch  or breakfast at a 7-11 sometimes for a couple of homeless young people. I know they're drunks or druggies but I see them everyday so I don't mind the $4-$5 dollars for a dog and some milk.  Don't give cash very often.

Sounds like some kinda commie liberal, Buffoo.  Guy probably hung around with illegal aliens too.

 Best sign I have seen,"NEED MONEY FOR ALCOHOL RESEARCH".

 Well Random the Lord did say he came to save the sinners; not the righteous.  About illegal immigrants; I saw a quote in Time magazine from Hillary Clinton saying that to pass a bill that would make it illegal to aid illegal aliens would be "illegalizing Jesus."

If I have a couple bucks on me, I will give it, no big deal. Now to the lady around town (bakersfield) who uses her deafness as a way to get money. I refuse to give it to her.  This woman actually drives a newer Ford Ranger ( i think) and drops homeless looking people off and then she does the same thing, asking for money. I never believed my sister until I seen it before. They all went to McDonalds on F St, parked her car and split in defferent directions.

 I was coming home from an FTX (still in uniform) and stopped at a Taco Bell in Kettleman City off I-5 and I saw this guy with a Marine boonie cap own with a "Howeless Vet" sign. I offered to take him to lunch with me and he declined. I always wondered if that guy truly was a vet (or homeless).

 We were getting in the car once and a guy came up asking for money.  Grandson slappd his pockets and told the guy he didn't have any cash..just plastic.  As we were driving away grandson said "next thing ya know they'll be carrying around those portable credit card sliders"...lol.

I know most people want to help those who are down and out but folks, panhandling is big business.

Here's your How To for the day.  http://www.wikihow.com/Panh...

I use to give some of them my lunch I'd bring to work, some were thankful others not, working as a garbage man you'd run across them sleeping in the alleys..sometimes I'd give them money just to make their day(and mine)It is sad that a rich country like ours even has homeless people while we send BIG DOLLARS overseas! 

 It is sad that a rich country like ours even has homeless people while we send BIG DOLLARS overseas! 

Hence the reason that this country is no longer rich. We send the best of everything we have (including our military troops) overseas to help everyone but our own, while American citizens are foundering everywhere. The middle class has disappeared, and the gap between rich and poor Americans widens everyday. But by all means, we MUST help all those down-trodden everybody-elses in every other country. It is the only humanitarian thing to do! (gag....)

 There have always, throughout history, been homeless people and beggers.  ALWAYS.  No one listens to people who work with them or are around them when they tell you that most of them are where they want to be because they don't want structure.  They don't want people telling them what to do, when to eat, what to eat, what NOT to drink.  And mercy..don't tell them to work.  My grandfather was one of them back in the 40's and very early 50's and it was by choice.  He had no mental defect (other than being a grouchy old coot) he just didn't want to work when he could drink with panhandled money and sleep where he chose for free.

Reality isn't pretty.  But if it makes folks feel good about themselves to go around wringing their hands and cursing those of us who have worked all our lives and resent it when people try to shame us into giving our lifelong hard earned money to bums, beggers, and alcoholics then go for it.  I know you'll feel better in the morning for having done your best to house and feed the homeless while the rest of us expect people to take responsibility for their lives.

 As long as the internet gives lessons on how to beg and panhandle (see link above) , then you'll find my sympathy in the dictionary..right between.......

 Actually, Nancy, I agree w/ you too. I am not a fan of life-long welfare. However, I know what it is like to hit a bad patch and *temporarily* rely on assistance. I also know there are a lot of those who do this for a living. This is the reason I would rather give them a job or food or baby supplies than hand them cash. As for handing out spare change, I must admit, I've been known to do so when I was feeling really unlucky, hoping an act of charity would change my luck. Superstitious and dumb, I know, but we can all use a little good karma occasionally.

Would you give a buck or two so a drunk could get a drink.

Yes, if he or she tells the truth; none of this, "Hey man, I'm a Korean War veteran, and I haven't had anything to eat for 55 years" nonsense. Or, "Man, my wife's pregnant, can you spare some change for the bus?" Like, huh? So he can get out of town before the baby's born?