May 26, 2011. The Panhandler

He shows up at the same spot every day

rain, sun, snow

heat or cold.

 

He stays on his feet

sometimes 10 hours at a time.

 

He never complains

never calls out sick.

 

And still

at least once an hour

someone

calls him lazy.

 

Comments

[Fred]

I have a hard time deciding if your focus on this topic is nostalgia or a full-on fetish...

[Charlie]

Well, right now Philly's city council is in the process of discussing a bill that would, in essence, criminalize poverty by giving the police the power to ticket and/or arrest panhandlers. The problems with such an idea are many. It won't address the real problems of poverty, mental illness, and addiction; it's unenforceable; it ties up police resources and crowds jails; and the homeless can't pay fines but they can lose eligibility for certain services if they have a criminal record, etc.

I've contacted the author of the bill directly urging his reconsideration and have signed a petition encouraging city council members to defeat the bill.

So yeh, I'm a bit involved with the topic. But you didn't really care, did you?

[trainwatcher]

In a nation that so many insist is "Christian," it's astounding how that faith's most essential teaching (caring for the "least of these") is subject to such derision. As in, there must be something wrong with you if you waste your time on "worthless" people.

Nostalgia? Yes, for that very human quality called empathy. I'm old enough to remember when it was not just okay, but admirable.

Fetish? No more so than the compulsive accumulation of dollars and "things" at all costs, as though that makes one "worth" more than the have-nots.

Sad. Keep fighting the good fight, Charlie. Hope you win.

[Charlie]

Thx Bob. The people I really admire are the volunteers who recently went into the streets to conduct a census of the homeless here in Center City Philly, helping to identify those in need of immediate aid. Out there at 4 a.m., in the rain, trying to help. My hat is off to them.

[Bonnie]

You are very talented. :-)

[Charlie]

Thanks, Bonnie.