Some of us have actually done quite a bit to really help people who are homeless, drug addicted, or otherwise in need of assistance, so your sarcasm is misplaced.
If you think giving money to people with serious substance abuse problems helps them think again. Talk to them, watch over them to ensure their safety, give them clothes or shelter on a rainy night, buy them food, help them get into treatment, or just walk right by, but giving them cash is the same as buying their favorite drink or drug for them. You wouldn't do that would you?
Even though our company (Japanese) isn't big on this sort of thing, the vendor had read some old business protocol somewhere that it was proper to give your Japanese customers nice gifts.
Anyway, the meeting concludes, and the vendor thrusts a nice 750ml gift box of Remy Martin into his hand as he beats a hasty retreat.
My co-worker is dumbfounded. He has a plane to catch and an armload of luggage. As he schleps to the nearest taxi stand, a derelict approaches him and asks for spare change. My friend's hands are too full to reach anything, but he needs a hand free to open the taxi door. He lays the Remy in the wino's outstretched hand and boards the taxi. The wino would not have reacted better if he had hit the Powerball jackpot. A priceless moment!
Wow - that is terrific! You mean all those disdainful posters attacking the idea of helping the poor are actually doing quite a bit to help the homeless? And I thought perhaps they walked by because of pure selfishness ("It'll be a cold day in Hades before one of these bums gets a dime of my hard-earned money..._)
If you think giving money to people with serious substance abuse problems helps them think again. Talk to them, watch over them to ensure their safety, give them clothes or shelter on a rainy night, buy them food, help them get into treatment, or just walk right by
I was totally with you until the last bit: "or just walk by..." Please explain how "just walking by" fulfills your responsibility towards the unfortunate?