Wow! Some people have no respect

[Hagar]

Did anyone actually read the article? This is what it says:

Investigators say a group of two to four young white males targeted sleeping homeless men in a pre-dawn beating spree, and that one man died from being attacked.

I assume that someone sleeping out in the open is genuinely homeless. No mention is made of begging for money. A group of young thugs attacked them while they were asleep & beat one to death, presumably for the fun of it. What sort of society do we live in where that is seen as acceptable? They should be hunted down & tried for murder.

[Saitek]

So many interesting comments made here - I don't know where to get in!

I'm afraid that those who pity the men on the street here shouldn't pity them enough to give money. The government here has provided accomodation for all homeless people. No-one should be hungry or suffering the cold. Those that do are either on drink or drugs and those people are not allowed in to the homeless centres. Therefore they should not be supported by the public. I only believe that anyone on the street is a druggie. You only have to take a look at the drug statistics to see that drugs or drink is probably 90% of the reason most people are in that condition.

It's sad, it's tough, but it's life.

[Hagar]

I only believe that anyone on the street is a druggie. You only have to take a look at the drug statistics to see that drugs or drink is probably 90% of the reason most people are in that condition.

I think that's a very dangerous assumption to make. Have you actually met or spoken to any of these people? Some might actually prefer to live in the way they do rather than in a refuge or doss-house. This could be what they're trying to get away from. Have you considered that they drink or take drugs because of their situation?

[Saitek]

I knew it would provoke people, but I'm sorry Doug, whether they take drugs because of their situation or are in the situation because of drugs doesn't make too much difference to me. Help is there if they want it, if they don't that is up to them.
As for not wanting to live in a dosshouse, well if they so much like the streets - fine! I know where I would prefer to be on a cold night.  ::)

[Hagar]

[quote]As for not wanting to live in a dosshouse, well if they so much like the streets - fine! I know where I would prefer to be on a cold night.

[Saitek]

No Doug, you are not! Loads of people smoke - it is a perfectly sociable thing to do, and people of all classes do it. There is no comparison between having a puff and injecting with a deadly poisonous substance that is highly illegal and extremely expensive to keep up.
I believe almost all of them are on drugs and the few that are not - I can't understand how they could prefer the streets to a shelter.
The home I'm in doesn't have to be loving - if I were homeless I'd be in the homeless centre for the night, even if getting out of the place was the first thing I did in the morning.

[Hagar]

No Doug, you are not! Loads of people smoke - it is a perfectly sociable thing to do, and people of all classes do it. There is no comparison between having a puff and injecting with a deadly poisonous substance that is highly illegal and extremely expensive to keep up.
I believe almost all of them are on drugs and the few that are not - I can't understand how they could prefer the streets to a shelter.

Smoking is now regarded as a disgusting & unsociable habit. They might drink cheap booze but I don't believe that most genuine homeless people are on hard drugs. For one thing they couldn't afford it. Because of the anti-smoking lobby propaganda & current government policy of turning public opinion against me for my perfectly legal addiction I am often treated as a social leper. I think you read too many biased newspaper stories rather than go out in the real world to find out for yourself.

[Saitek]

No, no Doug! I actually don't take any newspaper and I don't watch much TV. I use the BBC internet page for most of my info. It is biased, but I have to get my info from somewhere!

Where I worked everyone (apart from one 15 years old who is too young and my own sister) smoked. I used to sit with them when they did - fine. I did try to encourage them to quit - but only because I was concerned for their health. I never treated them as a social leper and I never would treat any of my family who smoke in such a way either.

What are you trying to say exactly?

[Hagar]

What are you trying to say exactly?

What I'm trying to say is that I think you have very little experience of life. You appear to have narrow views & a tendency to prejudge people purely on their appearance & station in life. This is perfectly demonstrated in your recent topic on millionaires. It's a very dangerous way of thinking & influenced by the media & other people's views rather than personal experience. I'm not suggesting you would do it but believe this is the cause of many of these mindless attacks on helpless people who are regarded by their assailants as subhuman. A little tolerance & understanding wouldn't come amiss.

[Saitek]

*Shrugs*

I don't like your attitude there Doug. While I do have less experience of life than many, I firmly believe what I believe and I'm sure it won't change. People that live on the streets do so out of thier own choice. They don't want help to quit their habit if they are there because of drugs and have no intention of changing. Get out the stats (Ok you may not believe them) and just see how many schoolchildren - young teenagers - have taken illegal drugs in the past month. It is just increible. It is a real problem in our society and rules in the underclass.

I have an antipathy to such vile beasts as mentioned here and the very suggestion of connection by my lack of experience of life (which is probably pretty average of many people here if you don't mind) and that of mindless thugs beating up innocent homeless people (IN THE US WHICH DOESN'T HELP IT'S PEOPLE AS THE UK NOTE) is insulting and offensive.

It is nothing to do with tolerance, I will not tolerate drug abusers - I believe in helping them - but when they willfully remain in their habit and do not want to break with it then they are on the streets by their own hands. It has nothing to do with being understanding either. My Dad has been studying social science and he didn't need to do that and neither do I to realise these people get into a vicious circle and often enter this dark and sad world of drugs not by their own choice. Nevertheless, they are there and although they are to be pitied for not having the privalidges others have, they have an escape route and take it they may.

I would like to say that I don't believe in homelessness for anyone, no matter how depraved they are and think that even druggies should have a shelter. But while there is nothing for them at the moment all I say is that if they want shelter they have rehab centres which can enable them to kick thier habit and come back to society and that is currently our system. If they choose not to have it that way that is up to them.

As for the Millionaire topic, I made a fool of myself, by not reading the article properly at the beginning and posted in a hurry. Woody quickly pointed it out and that was that.

I'm annoyed with you, because for some reason you have changed and become antagonistic for some weird reason to me and while I have snapped here for the first time, (I have snapped just inside before)  I ask you not to be so critical in the future and less aggressive as you are not like it to others.  For all I know I could have just being misinterpreting your posts to me as maybe you seek to change certain attitudes I have for my good and if that is the case I apolagise. However, I feel there is something different deep down. PLease be nice Doug.

[Hagar]

[quote]I'm annoyed with you, because for some reason you have changed and become antagonistic for some weird reason to me and while I have snapped here for the first time, (I have snapped just inside before)

[Woodlouse2002]

You seem to forget Ben that people of all social classes do drugs as well.

[Saitek]

ok

[Mobius]

My brother was getting gas one time near his house, and a guy came up to him and asked him for some money to buy some gas to get home, and my brother only had his credit card, so he actually offered to buy the guy a tank of gas with his credit card.  They guy responded by saying "F***YOU" and all kinds of things, after my brother offered to buy him a tank of gas.  Kind of ridiculous.

[Saitek]

I had a guy at the train station the other month (when I went to a university open day) and he wanted money to get to a station. I said I didn't have any money on me (I had bought the ticket on the internet) which was true. He responded like F you and all the rest. He then tried others...  I knew after he spoke like that, that he was just wanting money.