So I am sitting here, in my nice, comfortable apartment with a car in the parking lot that runs and I am cooking myself steak in a slow cooker. It smells great, and when I am finished with my nap before work, I am going to eat steak and mashed potatoes at my nice, oak table in front of my huge window overlooking a courtyard before I put my uniform on to go to my full time job.
All the while someone is struggling to find a warm place to sleep on the street outdoors.
Don't get me wrong, this apartment is in a ghetto, the car is running off fumes on a regular basis and is making the most horrible sounds I have heard from a car, I am barely above the poverty line, that steak is from a mass production retailer and I doubt it's hardly quality, the oak table and slow cooker were gifts and the mashed potatoes? They're instant. I'm not a rich fucker, I'm barely paying the bills. But that seems like a lot of shit to me, what makes me better than those guys pushing the shopping carts on the streets? How am I better than them in such a manner as I deserve to eat and be warm every night? I'm not.
But I have all of these comforts and I feel like shit for not letting them all into my apartment and feeding them, because it is not fair that I have all of these comforts, these luxuries, while perfectly good people that just got into trouble with drugs or the law sleep cold on the streets.
I donate ridiculous amounts of money to charities and I am financially a bit in the red for that, but in my mind, it is not fair that I live in this nice apartment and hog all of the wealth while they suffer on the streets. The only problem is that my room mate feels that I am putting myself in danger with being around them so much and she does NOT want them in her apartment and told me that if I bring any in she will call the cops on them.
But I am just pissed off that I deserve a nice, cozy place to live while someone else lives on the street! IIN to feel that my having luxuries while others starve is UNFAIR?
All the while someone is struggling to find a warm place to sleep on the street outdoors.
Don't get me wrong, this apartment is in a ghetto, the car is running off fumes on a regular basis and is making the most horrible sounds I have heard from a car, I am barely above the poverty line, that steak is from a mass production retailer and I doubt it's hardly quality, the oak table and slow cooker were gifts and the mashed potatoes? They're instant. I'm not a rich fucker, I'm barely paying the bills. But that seems like a lot of shit to me, what makes me better than those guys pushing the shopping carts on the streets? How am I better than them in such a manner as I deserve to eat and be warm every night? I'm not.
But I have all of these comforts and I feel like shit for not letting them all into my apartment and feeding them, because it is not fair that I have all of these comforts, these luxuries, while perfectly good people that just got into trouble with drugs or the law sleep cold on the streets.
I donate ridiculous amounts of money to charities and I am financially a bit in the red for that, but in my mind, it is not fair that I live in this nice apartment and hog all of the wealth while they suffer on the streets. The only problem is that my room mate feels that I am putting myself in danger with being around them so much and she does NOT want them in her apartment and told me that if I bring any in she will call the cops on them.
But I am just pissed off that I deserve a nice, cozy place to live while someone else lives on the street! IIN to feel that my having luxuries while others starve is UNFAIR?
I say this because many people have so much trust in charities and don't know where the money goes. Take the Ronald McDonald House for example. People mindlessly throw their change in the collection box and feel good. BUT!! Big BUT...if you ever bother to find out what McDonald's does with the donations, you may be surprised. The donations do NOT go to any actual charitable service they provide. The money goes to charity figureheads and grant writers who solicit donations. So your donation does nothing more than pay people to run a charity that solicits donations from other sources. That's pretty shitty, if you ask me. Many charities are the same or similar, they are more a front to make people rich.
A lot of homeless want to be homeless. It sounds weird but it's true. That's not to say they'd appreciate a nice warm coat or meal, but as far as re-entering society, many don't want to or simply can't.
Some people just want someone to talk to. Buy 'em a beer and sit down for a bit.
Maybe it would fulfill you more if you tried to really do things on a personal level without actually inviting them into your home (that IS dangerous and you don't have the right to really do that since you have a roommate).
You could make a big pot of chili or stew weekly and hand out containers of it over the course of a couple days. You could take the money you'd ordinarily donate and go to a thrift shop and buy some nice coats and blankets, and other things like radios, games, books and other such things and hand them out. Try talking to some of these people and just be a friend. Buy some of them a beer here and there.
If you can manage to become friends with some of them then ask what they'd like or what would make their life better, ask them what charities have been good to them so you know who to donate to and who to avoid. Things like that. Just try to learn as much as you can and eventually maybe make your own charity or at least find one you can really believe in.
My feelings are odd, but I still think that they deserve a warm home and a roof over their heads, but my parents are saying that I need to save up money for myself in case something bad happens otherwise, in that event, I'll be right on the street with them! But they are the greedy ones hogging the wealth and buying a nice car and wearing nice brand new clothes.
I don't know what to do beyond what I am already doing now. I think my room mate is just being a bitch because she has stated explicitly that her money pays the rent too and she does not want to share her apartment with "drug addicted mayhem". She also says that the government takes "charity" out of her pay check and puts it into welfare and social security and those people have no excuse. I think that she is just using that as an excuse to hoard all of her money and possessions to herself.
Just help in ways you can. Like I said, many people want to be homeless, it's become a comfortable life for them. Often they and others like them are homeless for a damn good reason that you alone can't help or fix. Until you have the means to take people off of the street then I guess just do what you can for now. Find out what would make their life more comfortable, whether it's beers or a blanket, and do that.
Do you think my parents are correct though, in telling me to limit the money that I donate? They said 10% like church tithing in the bible is acceptable, but 10% of my salary is like, $120 a month. That is no where near enough to feed one homeless person for a month let alone 30!
If you want to be most economical about your $ then research economical recipes and look for the most economical buys when you're donating. Things like chili, stews and soups are economical and look in your local stores for special buys, sales and beer prices.
Feeling guilty, or bad for the less fortunate is okay, but don't end up there yourself because you were trying to help! This will only increase the burden on charities who now have another mouth to feed!
Yes, it's normal to feel this way and quite a interesting read that was:)
You work for what you have yet they want to make you think that everyone else deserves it more than you.
Who is John Galt?
And who is the REAL 1% - I'm starting to think that 1% is actually the government officials who live high on the hog while telling us that we need to give up more to support everyone else.
You should NEVER feel guilty for EARNING what you have. It's OK to share what you have, but you should never feel like it's mandatory.
Perhaps you should look up "who is john galt" before you continue your attack, eh?
the OP is speaking from a HUMAN, compassionate point of view
It's time we stopped trying to make people feel guilty for producing and earning.
Never give up.
P.S don't let strangers into your place, homeless or not. not everyone is as nice as you.