Posted on 12/31/2014 4:41:03 PM PST by dennisw
The reported rise in Swedes asking for money in other countries comes as the number of foreign beggars in Sweden continues to rise.
As hundreds of thousands of Swedes head for sunshine over the winter holidays, police in Australia have reported a rise in young Scandinavians posing as bogus beggars.
Sweden and Romania to discuss begging surge (17 Dec 14) Swedish teen caught stealing beggar's money (19 Jun 14) Stockholm launches 'beggar hotline' (13 Jun 14)
Swedish tourists are begging on the streets of Melbourne in order to help fund their trips during the holiday season, with the region’s police force, Melbourne City Council and the Salvation Army all raising concerns about the problem.
According to Australian newspaper The Herald Sun, one in three beggars are international tourists, with the majority coming from Sweden and Germany. Most are said to be men under the age of 30.
Australia has long been one of the most popular destinations for young Swedes seeking to improve their English and escape the harsh Scandinavian climate.
“Some of those international backpackers are operating on a very tight budget and so in their minds, they see it as OK to beg to try to raise additional funds,” Salvation Army Major Brendan Nottle told the newspaper.
The Australian Salvation Army has asked people living in Melbourne and elsewhere in Australia not to give money to any bogus beggars.
Begging is against the law in the Australian state of Victoria and Melbourne’s Lord Mayor told The Herald Sun that international backpackers risked arrest.
“Tourists may not be aware that begging is illegal in Victoria and it’s important that we communicate with them and put them in contact with the services they need.”
Speaking to Swedish news agency TT, Sweden’s Foreign Ministry said it had not heard of any Swedes begging in Australia.
It is not the first time that Swedes have been spotted begging abroad. In April this year, The Local Spain reported that there were dozens of homeless Swedes begging in tourist hotspots like Tenerife and Mallorca.
Just don’t bite my sister
It happens in the U.S. too. We have had smelly, dreadlock wearing, backpackers and climbers come to our church’s homeless people dinners.
Mynd you, møøse bites Kan be pretti nasti.
As for the beggars, I see a lot more bogan type Aussies begging in Melbourne than I do foreigners. And I am sick of being asked if I have a cigarette to share - people seem particularly shameless about that.
I’d actually have more sympathy for a young traveller who tried it - at least they had enough motivation to get off their backside and travel - and don’t have access to our welfare system which makes the local beggars even more inexcusable.
So who were really welcome? I always thought churches accepted everyone without question and without passing judgment........Have I been wrong all these years?
“Swedes Begging To Fund Australian Backpacking”
“Oh please, please let us fund your Australian backpacking!”
Oh, for goodness sakes! You’re the descendants of Vikings! Grab a battle axe and earn your money the old way.....by hacking up people.
And by burning down their villages and taking all their women.
“police in Australia have reported a rise in young Scandinavians posing as bogus beggars.:
So, they’re real beggars posing as bogus ones?
What’s their come-on line?
“Please don’t give me anything, I’m just faking it.....”?
No, they were welcome, we fed them. We were only concerned that a real homeless hungry person would not have enough to eat if too many of these backpacker bums were to show up. Just that it is becoming common for these twenty something, non-working backpackers to bum to support their leisure lifestyle. We have lots of them around here.
Ahhhh......Spring Break 78.
Sell them some loosies.
What is the difference, really?
Probably going to have to start licensing beggars. Strict background checks, un-sanitary inspections, beggar linguistics requirements, panhandler panhandling proficiency testing, residency requirements, etc. See, just get big government involved and the problem will soon be solved.
What is the difference?
Choice. The bums he is talking about are just opportunists taking advantage of a charity. Trustifarians they are called. Little rich lazy college age spawn who wander around having fun. The Charity intends to be there for people who wish they weren’t living that way. The ones who are actually unfortunate and need some Christian charity.
Its different than a bum who has decided to be a leech as an alternative to working. Its common sense.
That’s what struck me.
What’s the difference between a real and bogus beggar?
Without passing judgement? No. In my church supporters of abortion are not supposed to be given communion; as a matter of fact, most folks outside the denomination are denied communion.
That’s what I figured, too.
The backpackers choose to be bums because they choose to spend their money on things that no one will give them for free: tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.
Standard street bums are doing the exact same thing.
Plenty of people are willing to give bums free food and free lodging - whether it is a friend, family member, church, or government shelter.
The problem, from the bum's perspective, is that these kindnesses are extended on the understanding that the bums not get drunk or high on the premises, and that they refrain from violence and theft. They don't like this, they prefer to behave like selfish scum.
Bums are bums because they have no self-control and treat everyone else in life as a chump or a mark - including their family and friends.
The worst bums of all are "homeless families" who use minor children as a means of raising funds for meth and crack.
First rape, then pillage, THEN burn!
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