Will, I guess I was responding more to the idiocy that preceded your remarks (about Seattle's "homeless"). I suspect that our views on the subject are fairly closely aligned.
Permit an anecdotal tale:
Some years ago there was a young panhandler in the core of downtown Seattle; a good looking kid, always accompanied by his dog, who wore a neckerchief. He'd sit, with a hat in front of him, and a sign that read "Victim of Reagonomics". The hat usually contained more bills than change.
One day he saw my disgusted scowl. He responded with a friendly smirk and a shrug. I interpreted his response too mean that, hey, he was just skinning the stupid. Thereafter, we'd usually exchange a grin or a nod.
Nearby, a young girl also panhandled. Her eyes and face were just -- vacant. I thought she was one that truly needed help, and occasionally fell for her scam.
One night I overheard the two of them, sitting on the loading dock of one of the office buildings. They were getting high, and laughing about that day's take.
I'm sure there are unfortunates out there who should be helped. Many, perhaps most, are products of the '60's "revolutions". Unthinking charity and government programs intended to help have largely precluded reality from giving these bums a boot in the butt. |
