To Panhandle or Not to Panhandle

Okay, this is a very contentious topic and elicits passionate feelings and responses from people representing all different walks of life and persuasions. It is not as simple as proponents or opponents convey and it divides households and town-hall meetings like nothing since the War Between The States. And while some people are indifferent toward panhandling homeless people, most of us in the Valley have formed at least a smattering of an opinion.


Now, here's the kicker for this article.

I'm not going to come out in favor for or against panhandling. It is an issue that deserves more attention than this blog can offer and it requires a discussion, not a diatribe. So, for all intents and purposes, my goal is to address why a person would panhandle in the first place. I realize there are "professional" panhandlers who rake in some serious bank during their shifts at various locations across the massive expanse of this nation. I'm bracketing these individuals because they are not homeless and this is more of a racket for them than a necessary evil to survive.

When I write about panhandlers, I am referring to those who are homeless and genuinely in need of some cash. For me, the issue is not so much the mechanics and logistics of being homeless; the dilemma lies at the heart of what is causing the person to stand with a sign and beg total strangers for spare change or any 'little bit that helps.' The degradation attached to asking for money might only be outweighed by the humiliation of what the person returns to when he or she is finished for the day.

A shack or bridge. Maybe a shelter or camp?

The conditions driving a person to panhandle must be deplorable enough to prompt that person to shed their dignity long enough to be gawked and sneered at for long periods of time. No one wants to panhandle and the issue lost in the shuffle is the discussion about what it takes to eliminate the idea of panhandling for a person. When affordable housing and economic opportunity are available, then chances a person will panhandle decrease. Educational access that can lead to gainful and adequate employment is crucial. Business owners and law enforcement personnel are spared from having to pick a side that often unfairly paints them as inhumane or uncaring.

At Samaritan House, we are seeking viable options to eliminate homelessness in the Valley, which will lead to a monumental decrease in the need for people to panhandle. We're too busy trying to create tangible solutions than to get bogged down in arguments.