so you went to msg or camden or wash...

thecory

so you went to msg or camden or wash... then you surely saw some beggars, homeless, etc... how does it affect you? i was walking from my gf's apt on the lower east side to msg i have trouble reconciling passing homeless so i can go to msg and sing about homelessness (evenflow). i guess i'm not asking if you give a quarter or a dollar, its up to you, i'm just saying it sucks. peole say that if you give a dollar it won't solve homelessness but 10 million people pass through ny every day. if they all gave a dollar the homeless could team up and by a mega mansion in the hamptons.

vduboise

thecory wrote:

so you went to msg or camden or wash... then you surely saw some beggars, homeless, etc... how does it affect you? i was walking from my gf's apt on the lower east side to msg i have trouble reconciling passing homeless so i can go to msg and sing about homelessness (evenflow). i guess i'm not asking if you give a quarter or a dollar, its up to you, i'm just saying it sucks. peole say that if you give a dollar it won't solve homelessness but 10 million people pass through ny every day. if they all gave a dollar the homeless could team up and by a mega mansion in the hamptons.

That's a real idealistic view you have there. I have lived in NY all my life and I see homeless people every day. I have given to individuals and to charities, but homelessness will not end. For every homeless person you see, another will show up- especially in this economy.

You have some that use the money for survival and then you have some who just buy more booze. http://forums.pearljam.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

thecory

well the last line about the hamptons is mostly a joke

fuck

Whenever I buy food for myself while I'm in NY, I get something extra and go outside and give it to a homeless guy. Sometimes I'll even smoke a cigarette and have a conversation with him.

_

vduboise wrote:

You have some that use the money for survival and then you have some who just buy more booze.

I think if I were homeless I could probably really use a drink.

swallowedwords

scb wrote:

I think if I were homeless I could probably really use a drink.

many are homeless because they're drunks

ScottandPearlJam

Not making fun of the guy outside MSG lastnight.....but the way he said
"CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE ME MONEY SO I CAN EAT" he said it a thousand times and it was the same everytime...I did give him a dollar. My girfriend hates when I do that but I always have money in my pocket for the homeless. Not a thousand dollars just a few dollars and change.

Scott

DeLukin

I think my reaction to seeing people sleeping on the streets while I was trying to get out of Camden was more inward. I felt very fortunate for the life I have and wanted to go home and hug my kids and try not to take anything for granted because it could all disappear in a second...

blacknapkins

We encounter homeless people every time we go to any show in the Philadelphia area. In fact, at the Electric Factory and Starlight Ballroom, we expect to be approached and they will helpfully point us in the direction of the pay lots or to an empty parking space (for a small donation ... um, yeah.) There's an entire living room set up on Willow Street, and those residents work the line of suburban and college kids, looking for handouts.

There are as many reasons why people live on the streets as there are homeless people. They're part of the urban landscape; giving them your spare change is a nice gesture and probably makes you feel good. Most cities have organizations and programs in place to help on a daily basis and offering to support those probably has a more lasting effect.

smithnic

blacknapkins wrote:

There are as many reasons why people live on the streets as there are homeless people. They're part of the urban landscape; giving them your spare change is a nice gesture and probably makes you feel good. Most cities have organizations and programs in place to help on a daily basis and offering to support those probably has a more lasting effect.

So it's just part of the way things are and really, there are other people taking care of that sort of thing??

Travelar

I was once chased for two blocks by a homeless guy in San Diego because I didn't give him ENOUGH money. It kind of turned me off giving directly. I only give to organizations that help the homeless now.

Stephen Flow

I think the most sad juxtaposition for me was the homeless man walking up and down the poster line @ MSG 2(which was a mess in itself)...

dpearljam

I had a very disturbing experience last night regarding this. This group of 4 guys walking back from the show up 7th ave got in this group of homeless guys faces that were sleeping and starting yelling "wake up wake up" and laughing. It was the most pathetic thing Ive ever seen. I hope they wander into oncoming traffic. It sucks to know that such assholes can experience PJ, and then turn around and act so completely far away from the bands message(s).

noceiling

DeLukin wrote:

I think my reaction to seeing people sleeping on the streets while I was trying to get out of Camden was more inward. I felt very fortunate for the life I have and wanted to go home and hug my kids and try not to take anything for granted because it could all disappear in a second...

some deep and meaningful words there.

I to am very fortunate to have the life I do.

The best thing we can do is educate our kids, love our kids, and teach them to love and accept all others...no matter how different they may be.

some homeless people prefer to live that life, not go hungry, but just to get outside of this very crazy society we all live in.

peace.

noceiling

dpearljam wrote:

I had a very disturbing experience last night regarding this. This group of 4 guys walking back from the show up 7th ave got in this group of homeless guys faces that were sleeping and starting yelling "wake up wake up" and laughing. It was the most pathetic thing Ive ever seen. I hope they wander into oncoming traffic. It sucks to know that such assholes can experience PJ, and then turn around and act so completely far away from the bands message(s).

These are the same type of people who were cutting line in Camden to take the Ferry back to Philadelphia. Pathetic and put a sour taste in my mouth at the end of the night.

These for the most part on non-club members and this is why I hope they play a fan club only tour some time. Just think of the love and energy that would flow from the venue.

For the most part the vote for change tour was a very nice crowd and as close as we might come to such a dream experience.

blacknapkins

smithnic wrote:

So it's just part of the way things are and really, there are other people taking care of that sort of thing??

Yes, it is part of the way things are and yes some people are doing something to take "care of that sort of thing," but what I was really trying to say is that there are organizations and individuals who work among these people to provide services who could use ongoing support.

TransplantedNewf

I saw a homeless guy on the way to MSG and i gave him $20. In my opinion, if you're homeless in Canada, you're lazy but if you're homeless in the US, you're fucked...just my opinion though..

matt770

Homelessness is a complex issue. In my opinion, no able-bodied person who isn't mentally handicapped should be homeless in this country. I think a lot of people you see on the streets are simply lazy or unmotivated and would rather feel sorry for themselves than look for work. Some of them are actually con artists who approach people with sad stories and can make a decent living at it. I've been approached lots of times in parking lots by people who say they are from out of town and have no gas money, but it's obvious they are strung out on crack or meth.

But, the tragedy is all the mentally ill and addicted people who don't get treatment and end up on the street. Most of the homeless organizations do great work but they only provide the basics for survival like a meal or maybe a cot to sleep on. What most of these people need is long-term treatment and medication, and that costs a lot of money.

I never give them any money because I suspect they will buy booze or drugs with it, and I know my quarter or dollar isn't going to do much to solve the problem.

thecory

matt770 wrote:

But, the tragedy is all the mentally ill and addicted people who don't get treatment and end up on the street.

I never give them any money because I suspect they will buy booze or drugs with it, and I know my quarter or dollar isn't going to do much to solve the problem.

yea its complex. the robin hood thing is comforting. pj if nothing else is socially responsible. i cant imagine supporting a band anymore that doesn't give back.

vduboise

matt770 wrote:

Homelessness is a complex issue. In my opinion, no able-bodied person who isn't mentally handicapped should be homeless in this country. I think a lot of people you see on the streets are simply lazy or unmotivated and would rather feel sorry for themselves than look for work. Some of them are actually con artists who approach people with sad stories and can make a decent living at it. I've been approached lots of times in parking lots by people who say they are from out of town and have no gas money, but it's obvious they are strung out on crack or meth.

But, the tragedy is all the mentally ill and addicted people who don't get treatment and end up on the street. Most of the homeless organizations do great work but they only provide the basics for survival like a meal or maybe a cot to sleep on. What most of these people need is long-term treatment and medication, and that costs a lot of money.

I never give them any money because I suspect they will buy booze or drugs with it, and I know my quarter or dollar isn't going to do much to solve the problem.

Can't agree more.