Do You Think Cities Should Ban Panhandling?

make giant prisons just for them

Many cities already do. Even so, one can't walk the streets of a lot of cities without being approached multiple times by panhandlers. This was a problem even before the economic down turn, and has only gotten worse since. Many who get assistance at food kitchens, Salvation Army, etc., still panhandle on a daily basis, even if it's just bumming cigarettes!

You may not like it, and there are always examples of people begging when they could work, but for those few that have no other means to make it, begging is the last gasp they have at making something of themselves. You cannot make them criminals for being failures and admitting to it. You shouldn't ignore or ban them. You should help them.

They stopped it in Indianapolis, IN. Here, a person holding a sign, on the main street just off IN37, I offered to buy them some groceries & they refused. I don't give out cash.

Only because it makes me feel bad and I can't afford to give them all money or food. I barely can feed my family. And we have them on every corner because my community is poor and they don't help them.

I just found out that this one "homeless" guy goes out there and panhandles for his trips to Europe!! I get so mad!

I feel bad for people who have to panhandle (except for the 20 year olds that stand by the freeway off ramp, with nice clothes on, holding up a sign asking for money).

I've heard of cases, whether true or not, where some people make a good deal of money, panhandling. The stories purpose that many of them live very comfortably, drive expensive cars, and give a bad rep to those who supposedly need to do it. I also wonder about the percentage of panhandlers who turn around with that money, and spend it on liquor, drugs, or tobacco. Yes, they have the freedom to spend money on what they want, but I have the freedom, also, to determine how I donate MY money.

Yes, it is extremely unAmerican

Begging is a side effect of Republican labor/social policies. Or lets say its the Bankers who love to make people beg.

Not everyone will be allowed to work. The rest must beg.
NAIRU
It's Capitalism- get used to it.

I stopped at an intersection today and gave a legless(to the waist) man a couple of dollars. I dont usually give to the street people. I struck up a conversation with this man. It was a hot day and he was pushing his own wheelchair. I asked him if I could go around the block and get him a cold drink. He shook his head and said "No thanks brother, I got a cooler under that bridge over there". He was cheerful and friendly. I said, " see you later" as I pulled a way and I heard him say,,"God bless you man". Maybe we shouldn't ban something that allows us to exercise our humanity.

We banned begging here.
We provide free food, we provide free clothes, they have no need to beg.
We got break in's and robberies everywhere. People assaulted on the street. In their homes.
I despise the creators of this. There was nothing like this in the USA 35 years ago.
Then came Libertarian Power Feminists, Neolibs's, ect. Our modern upper class.

So true. We banned panhandling here too. And we have a bleeding heart Lib women in charge of just "giving out" money to the homeless.

This ia a quality of life issue and should not be tolerated especially when it gets aggressive. It is rarely about survival, usually drugs or alcohol.

Everyone has to do something for a living. For the record, early followers of Christ were forbidden to panhandle. Jesus told his followers that when they went ahead of him into a city, to never take a begging bag but to rely on providence,-to search and find people who would welcome them into their home. He, also, told them to try to teach people they met about their savior and see if they were interested. But if they didn't seem interested, to leave and 'shake the dust from their feet,' and not wish them God speed. Christians are strictly forbidden from attempting to force their beliefs on others.
But, in this day and age of poverty, sometimes people have to resort to radical things, like begging, to put food on the table. When I am approached by someone for "a little extra change," I ask if they smoke. If the answer is no, I give a buck or two. I can imagine how demeaning it must be to have to feed myself and my family by begging. I never say things like, "God bless you." I just say, "Good Luck."

Women and children get social services.
Men are seperated from their families and made homeless.

http://menaregood.com/m-suici...

The key word, at the end of your first paragraph, is 'force.' I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and while we send out missionaries, we never force someone to listen to our message, if they don't want to.

It's suppose to be illegal in Atlanta; however, rarely enforced.

Yes!! And yes I understand that there are people out there that really cant hold down a job and that pan handle helps them. But one time my friend and I went say a guy with a dog sign said "Please help we need food."

My friend and I were on our way to McDonalds so we bought the guy a few bugars, some fries, and got him a drink. Then we stopped by the Dollar Store and bought the dog some food. We took it to him. He looked at us said I dont want your damn food I want money. What a shock that was to us! We thought we were helping.

I dont give money to panhandlers beacuse I never know where the money is really going.

As long as the pan handlers aren't causing trouble, I see nothing wrong with it. No one has to give money to them.

At the stroke of a pen, something can be made "illegal" then the same "authority" issues a permit to do that very thing. Cannabis, for example.

However they should be taxed heavily

I give to the various agencies that help the homeless people in my city, almost never to the people. I've seen the majority misuse it, and or ask you for money as they always have a fresh pack of cigarettes and a coffee in their hand.

Where i am it is a shame that many people are only posing as homeless and simply do not want to work, I've had ALLOT of people who were dressed in jackets, shoes, and listen to headphones that I see DJs wearing ask me for spare change.

These people I only give change to people that look like they need it, as I spend quite a bit of time downtown.

Our homeless derelicts might be dressed as nice as me, in new clothes.
We have some support services, and people donate tons of food and new clothes. No jobs no shelter though. That costs a ;lot more than we have to spare. Of course we are poor ourselves'.

Our problem is that our homeless shelter looks like a hotel and attracts homeless to people to our city.

That's because the Libs in charge have too much money and they "have to spend it", so they build the nicest places for the homeless. And these homeless at the shelters eat a lot better then most people think.

I hate the fact that I can't pull up to the redlight with my windows down when it's hot outside. Without someone pestering me for money. Sometimes they get so rude and won't shut up. I'm broke too. ju7st not currently as broke. If I had more money, my windows would be up and I would be blasting the ac.

How much do you give them? can I have that instead? I pay taxes and would love to have AC.

Why? Because if you give them money they will spend it on drugs, cigarette and beers. I have try that one time and that's exactly what happen. I have tested another by offering him foods and he refuse to take it. He stated that he wasn't hungry. BTW, the food were all non-perishable. There you have it.....
PBWY.

Sure do.
The real answer is to let them find work.
But the banks stop it to keep up their profits.

NAIRU

Indeed. Many are poor because they have bad habits. Many. Not all. That is why I give beggars food rather than money. I take beggars to fast food joints and buy them a burger or a taco. I won't give them something that will tempt them to continue down the road of self-destruction. Banning pan-handling will never relieve you of your personal responsibility to respond to real need when asked. Your judgement will be your judgement.

I have often asked myself: How can you help someone when they don't even want to help themselves? They've made some bad choices in life. There are consequences when you make bad choices. We all need to be responsible for ourselves. I also believe in helping out those that wants help but many of them are addicted to something and they do nothing to better themselves. So, how are we to solve their problems?
PBWY

You can't. Just give from the heart and pray they change their ways. The act of giving is benificial to the giver. Your charity speaks well of you. You cannot invest your worth in what others will do with your gift. They have already squandered much. You must expect they will do so again.
You can't change them. You can only help them until they change themselves.

If welfare is out and panhandling is out, crime will be in.

Homeless, penniless people in society are inconvenient because they are a constant reminder that something has gone badly wrong somewhere.

Do you know that the majority of homeless people are either mentally ill or have fled their homes to escape abuse of one form or another?

And that if homeless and without ID who will employ them ot give them welfare?

Plenty of crime. Constant and increasing as the jails shut down and no one is held anymore.

I know a crippled old women, she lives two blocks away in a powered wheel chair with her pit bull, her only friend. By the Pay Phone. She gets a SS check, keeps a mailbox, tries her best...

Really? do we really need to be rounding up homeless people and crowding jails more its not like you are going to stop them from doing it, its illegal to piss in public but they still do it.

aggressive panhandling yes. but no one is forcing people to give....

Panhandling is the sign of a broken society. Societies should have a safety net that make it unnecessary. At that point it would only be the con artists left, and banning them would be a good thing.

So if our society is broken and the "safety net" from the government is not there for them, then the worst off of us are all to become criminals? Is that what you are suggesting? Societies do break. Should the government go to jail for causing the society to break?

That is silly.

I voted no because I have never heard of panhandling and have no idea what it means?
Are we asking to ban cookware shops?