In the last couple of days I have been walking around in a Scottish city. It has been absolutely freezing and 'Beast from the East' has certainly made it's presence known. The buses stopped running, the schools were closed and we were on 'red alert', meaning that no one should go out unless it was absolutely essential.
Why then were all (OK probably a slight exaggeration) the homeless people still sitting on their bits of cardboard with their usual signs saying that they had fallen on hard times and needed to make enough money for a hostel for the night?!!
It has been absolutely freezing over the last few days and what I can't understand is why these people do not go to the shelters that have been set up for them. And then I thought........................ they have no money, they have no phones, they have no access to the internet so they have no knowledge that they could actually go somewhere warm for the night.
I have to admit; when I see homeless people sitting on the streets of a big city I usually just ignore them. I read an article, not that long ago, that a lot of the beggars in Scottish cities take the train in from places like Livingston everyday and then sit on the streets of Edinburgh and Glasgow..................... And make more than £1000 per week. That's one hell of a lot of money for just sitting around, even if it is cold?! And apparently they get more if they have a dog curled up beside them??!! #Imobviouslyinthewrongprofession
...................How many of you reading this RANT make that much money in a week???
The trouble is............................. how does one differienate between the ones who obviously know 'how to work it' and the ones who are in genuine need?
Yesterday, I actually spoke to two people who were begging. I told them of a church that had opened its doors to anyone who was spending a night on the streets. I told them where to go. It was less than a 10 min walk away. Apparently a lot of them won't go to these places because they have dogs. Not sure if the place I was suggesting accepted dogs or not, but the two people I spoke to didn't have dogs. Or should I say; they didn't have dogs when I spoke to them. I've since found out that a lot of these homeless/beggar people 'share' their dogs. Apparently, seeing an animal in need sends out very emotive messages.
I didn't give the two people I spoke to any money. When I told each of these two people where they could get shelter from 'Beast from the East'; both of them just grunted at me and pretty much ignored me.
I feel I've done my bit.............................
.........................But perhaps I'm missing the point here. I don't know??!!
Why would people, if they were genuinely homeless and cold and hungry with no money, not want to go to somewhere where they could be warm, have a bed and be fed??????????
No comments:
Post a Comment