Tired of the performative beggars and alcoholics this time of year

Every publication has an agenda. The Guardian, for instance, is a left wing rag.

That doesn't mean that everything printed in The Critic or The Guardian is untrue.

What specific points given in the linked article about Roma sellers of The Big Issue are untrue?

Homeless people are not easy people to deal with. They are usually traumatised in some way,addicted and have made poor choices that can be difficult for the rest of us to sympathise with. They can often be high,aggressive and leave streets in a mess. The best way to help these people is to donate to proper homeless charities or, if you want to go to the coal face, volunteer. I have personal experience of this, my uncle is homeless and an addict but has a family that loves him and has tried for 30 years to help him. Unfortunately he has chosen this life instead of taking that help. It's a complex problem and homeless people are neither saints nor sinners.

I work with those who are homeless and also those with drug and alcohol issues. If you had even the slightest knowledge of the backstory of some of those who you are denegrating, I would hope you would change your mind. It is not a "choice", it is overwhelmingly a consequence of a series of horrible events in life, usually from a young age. Have some compassion, it is generally an absolutely awful way of life and the stigma from society (such as displayed here) is one reason why it is so hard to get out of. I'm really sickened by the attitude displayed here.

What a mean-spirited thread full of anecdotal tales devoid of facts or evidence.

Traffic is traffic eh, MNHQ?

That's a bit naive. It's far more likely to bcome homeless because you're an addict, than to become an addict because you're homeless. There are exceptions of course, but not many. People who become street homeless without addiction issues are far easier to help and are more able to access help, so don't tend to get stuck there.

Where be these legendary Buffets and Meals you speak of? And what are these Services so freely available?

The virtue signallers are out in force I see.

I’ll buy someone a coffee or a sandwich, or give to a charity, but there’s no way I am paying money for someone to go out and get their next hit.

And for the people who say “who am I to judge, if I was in that position I too might be addicted,” by giving that money to a drug addiction, you are fuelling the drug trade, the associated trafficking and other crimes, and you are giving a hit to that drug addict who might possibly sexually assault your daughter or another woman or be violent to the next person who refuses them money.

If someone came on here saying their partner was a drug addict they would be advised to LTB and he was bad news. But post about drug addicts on the street and suddenly you’re wrong for not buying them drugs (cause yes, if you give them money, that’s exactly what you’re doing) and opening up your home to them? Get real.

Sheesh 😒 this is a very good example of how we can’t forget these people are still (mainly) men. People are talking about checking your privilege and power dynamics, but a man begging on the street whether he is homeless or not is still a man and that carries privilege in itself.

That’s not to say you don’t have any advantages over him, but it’s to say that he isn’t rendered totally powerless or harmless to you just because he is on the street begging.

I had a man literally run up to me late at night and ask for money. My heart was absolutely pounding but I said no and asked him did he think it was a good idea to run up to a strange woman on a quiet street effectively asking her take out her purse in the dark. I knew I probably should’ve just walked away quietly but I’m glad I spoke up before I went on my way.

I’ll never forget as a teen when a friend of mine took out her purse to give £1 in argyle street to a street beggar and he saw the crisp tenner and demanded that. She of course didn’t feel strong enough to challenge him and handed over the £10. Not sure if he would’ve done that to a man his own age!

There are many reasons why people become homeless, men, women, children, veterans and people do open their homes or hand out hot food and shelter. Have I specified an unknown man with a drug addiction?

@housethatbuiltme Gives a pretty strong picture of her experiences which are about far more than her personal circumstances. It’s probably one of the most insightful posts on this thread, and you are being massively disingenuous @WhimsicalGubbins76 if you think it’s worth less because she hasn’t asked every homeless person in the UK for their experience.

I assume they are cousins of “the deserving poor”

Yes because homeless people are living their best life sleeping on the streets rolling in cash etc etc
When in reality they live every day fearful hungry cold and hopeless and just trying to get by hour by hour
Maybe stop being such a snob and do privileged and try to see the reality of living on thestreets

You can express compassion for someone whose shoes you would never want you or your loved ones to walk in while also being aware of societal dangers. Anyone who is shooting up on the street in full view of passersby has a fucking awful life. Addiction is NOT a choice.

Christ, the lack of humanity on this thread. Merry fucking Christmas.

I think that we all know that there are those on the stret who are in terrible situations-either through addiction or life getting badly out of shape.
No-one is suggesting that these poor people don't exist and that they don't deserve sympathy and help.

On the other hand, it is not helpful to those people to come on here and take the piss out of anyone who points out that, as well as this group, there are organised begging gangs exist too.

There certainly are and, if you can tell the difference, then yes, people are absolutely correct to ignore them or inform the police. That is not a sympathy removal, that is common sense.

It is stupid to, in a whirl of virtue waving, to insist that there is no differentiation between the first group and the second. In fact, the second group harm the first group in many ways-by either threatening them if they don't move or by allowing people to think that no beggar is genuine.

So, it is not a sympathy removal nor is it calling for a return to the workhouse to point out that some beggars are not all that they seem and, in fact lead to removal of help and goodwill from those poor genuine souls who have reached the bottom of the pile.

Sometimes, on Mumsnet, people can get so wrapped up in trying be more virtuous than a sain that they leave their common sense at the door. You are not helping anyone and, of course words are cheap, those who shout loudest in this way, probably do the least to help.

People with robust mental health and strong support networks don't typically decide to go and lie on the city streets begging for money for drugs. The majority of the people you see will be very vulnerable due to mental health issues, cognitive disabilities, history of neglect ,abuse and trauma. They are the people who can't function in the mainstream. The services that would have kept them hidden from the view of the offended can't cope. It's not something that can be solved by them personally. They have to exist somehow (until their early death) and have no power or ability to improve their situations. If you want rid of them you need to support campaigns at a societal level to give people a better start and more support for the vulnerable to avoid them hitting rock bottom.

Round where I live it is like that all year round, not as extreme as described by the OP and they tend not to get in your face but I always see beggars when I leave my home, I have even been approached by them while locking my front door which was rather disconcerting. We have a large Roma population here too, some of the women beg quite aggressively . The local charity that supports homeless people has a lot of supported housing round here, a disproportionate amount compared to more affluent areas of the city. They also have purpose built accommodation which was built without consulting with local people. When we did find out we objected but it made no difference. I have reached a stage where I dislike leaving my home but as I said it a year round thing and we all have to cope with it. It is not unusual to see people smoking crack round the back of the big supermarket and people blind drunk in the play park. Years of complaints to the police and council plus articles in the local paper have made no difference at all. We just put up with it.

I think this phrase is overdone

This time of year? I’ve been seeing this all year round in Manchester, I’ve genuinely not noticed it be any worse over winter / Christmas - but the dens and tents and lying in the street happens year round three. I suspect a lot are displaced by the Christmas markets and so you might be seeing them in new locations at the moment?

Strange how normally women on here are keen to warn other women about the dangers of men...but suddenly once they're on the streets and shooting up, we should be bending over backwards for them

I wasn't say there isn't a homeless problem. I'm saying that poster who claims the ones in her town aren't homeless and they know where each and every one of them lives is talking crap.

You’re tired of it! How do you think they feel they’re living that life.
Do you think they living like that.
If you were ask any child what they want to be when they were older.
I’d bet my own house that none of themwould say “I want to be alchy and doss on the streets and beg for money” Alcoholism is an illness it’s not a choice.
Be careful who you’re looking down on OP to quote a lyric from the song Ironic. “Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you when you think everything’s okay.” The wheel of fortune yours included is constantly. Homeless and alcoholism can happen to anyone.
I’ll get back in my box now

That sounds like an incredibly stupid idea. Letting a man you don't know with a drug addiction stay overnight in your home...what could possibly go wrong??

I’m sure if you ask children what they want to be when they are older no one will reply “an alcoholic beggar”. You talk about the genuinely homeless people. Why do you think lots of people end up homeless?

'The genuine homeless'?!

CyranoDeBergerQuack · Today 09:07
Omg.
I didn't realise it was possible to have both one's empathy and compassion genes removed. NHS or private?

Shessweetbutapsycho · Today 10:47
Crikey most definitely private! Wouldn’t want to end up encountering “those addicts” would we!!

She didn't have anaesthetic either - and still didn't feel a thing!