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Enabling the Fremont Street folks??

Discussion in 'Downtown Hotels' started by maineguy, Feb 17, 2016.

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  1. maineguy

    maineguy Low-Roller

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    OK...I never give money to the panhandlers/beggars/homeless/drunks/costumers on Fremont Street, because I think that is not helpful to that person, in most cases. What about handing out a few coffees and/or donuts to those that want...is that enabling?... any opinions or experiences to share?? I am sympathetic....but don't want to enable......is that naive??
     
  2. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    I've handed out a doggie bag I was carrying around once or twice. I usually just ask "Want the rest of my sandwich?" or whatever I've got and offer it up.

    I typically don't give money to any panhandlers. On Friday, I was in Seattle and stopped to talk to a homeless guy who had a cat on a leash who looked just like a cat I used to have. The guy was really nice and just seemed a little extra down on his luck. As I was leaving, I slipped him a few dollars and said, "For your catnip fund." He laughed and seemed grateful. I kind of hope he didn't blow it on some Thunderbird or heroin, but after I give money, I try not to think about what they do with it.
     
  3. JericaKimber

    JericaKimber Tourist

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    I tried to give a "homeless" guy half a pizza on the Vegas strip and his response was "I don't want your food bitch". But I bet he would have jumped on a few bucks.
     
  4. Miller12pack

    Miller12pack High-Roller

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    I always have some ones in my pocket and don't mind handing them out. If somebody is rude or to pushy, they get nothing. I don't think of it as enabling somebody, just helping somebody out who's down on his luck. I always think if that were my child or brother, I would hope someone would help them.
     
  5. MsNVegas

    MsNVegas Low-Roller

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    Wata Wata one dolla Wata, not sure why this thread made me think of that, since every few feet it seemed someone was hollering this. If I had a lucky streak on my slots, I give a few bucks and just look up to the sky saying to myself, you know my heart is in the right place, even if there's may not be, but I hear this whisper "don't judge them" since that problem is in every city county state.
     
  6. Johnzimbo

    Johnzimbo VIP Whale

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    I just give them some of my heroin. Figure that is what they really want :evillaugh
     
    Annual me and Pete
  7. C0usineddie

    C0usineddie VIP Whale

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    I dont mind enabling them.

    Thats the choice they made and thats how they make their living.
     
  8. UTE

    UTE Plastics

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    My wife and I have worked with the homeless for over 30 years. And, we give them no money. It's simply not good for them in the long run.

    Bill
     
  9. leo21

    leo21 VIP Whale

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    The buskers? No way! I hate that there are vendors who are paying to run kiosks who have to compete with them. I don't want to encourage that. Homeless? I don't know if it helps or hurts and I've been burned by people asking for money one day turning up the next in designer clothes and I don't want my money used to buy alcohol or worse. I'm more inclined to give to support agencies than pass it out on the street.
     
  10. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    There's an old joke about 2 business-types in town for the big conference, walking down the street of a major city later that evening. They encounter a homeless man and the first guy gives him a $5 bill. The second guy says, "what the hell'd you do that for? He's just gonna use it for booze or drugs!!!" The first guy looks at the second and replies, "whaddya think we're gonna use it for?"

    While I find the joke funny, I guess the point is I try not to "judge", sometimes I give, sometimes I don't. I don't have a philosophy or hard and fast rule about it. I know I enable some, but feel like I help others, even if just a little bit.
     
  11. smerrian

    smerrian View from Bally's

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    It's nice to be altruistic but whatever money you give them goes to alcohol and/or heroin. I give them any doggie bags with restaurant leftovers and that's it. When I drive into my local city (Philadelphia) I always bring a couple of bananas to offer to the locals begging at the traffic lights.
     
  12. RockyBalboa

    RockyBalboa Front Line Winner

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    Nice post, I agree!

    Sometimes I give and sometimes I don't. Sometimes you can tell the ones who really need a little help. The bottom line i try not to judge them. Everyone has their own reasons and issues for doing what they do. The people who are out there doing it as a scam? They'll get their comeuppance at some point.

    Once I was walking from Casino Royale back to Palazzo and there was one of those dudes dressed in some sort of uniform collecting money in between the two. He asked me to donate for the homeless and I declined. I didn't have any change or small bills because I'd actually given them to the other guy there before him doing the same thing. I politely told him I had nothing on me and that I'd actually given to his partner earlier.

    Rather than move onto the next throng of people he decided to talk shit to me. I was shocked. It took me a minute to process that he was ripping into me. We ended up hollering at each other right in the middle of the strip. I told him where he could stick his collection bucket and flipped him the bird and walked away.
     
  13. wigwam_salesman

    wigwam_salesman VIP Whale

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    I work with the charities and the third sector quite a bit (not for profits) and have learned that giving money to the homeless directly doesn't do anything to solve the problem. Give them food by all means but if you're going to give money then donate it to an organization who help the homeless and it will have better long term effect.
     
  14. FullPay

    FullPay When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro

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    If no one ever gave a dollar to any busker/beggar/preacher/timeshare person on Fremont, they would go away. But some people do, so they stay. The beggars are free to choose their lifestyle, but I will not be a party to ruining someone's vacation experience by encouraging them.
     
  15. greekjim

    greekjim King Gyro

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    On the strip I usually give a few bucks to the people playing instruments well. Last time someone was playing a violin.
     
  16. wigwam_salesman

    wigwam_salesman VIP Whale

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    Really?

    - - - Updated - - -

    The ones with the fancy instruments are probably the least in need but also the best performers.
     
  17. 6Mermaids

    6Mermaids Low-Roller

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    I had to google Thunderbird...yuck!

    I am a huge sucker for homeless people with pets. It makes me so sad. However, I used to live on the beach in San Diego. During the winter (and summer, too) there were a lot of homeless people that would come live on the beach. Some had dogs. I was familiar with the homeless people that slept in the area close to me. All of their dogs seemed well fed and loved. Still made me so sad though.
     
  18. Casinobum

    Casinobum Low-Roller

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    Bought a Dozen Dunkin Doughnuts at the Fremont early one morning, walked down to the GG and passed them out along the way, They were all thankful. Always get a box for left overs and offer them up. Once we were staying at Bally's and we were getting ready to leave, had about 1/3 of a half Gal of Crown left and didn't want to waste it, I took it across the street and gave it to a couple of guys.I will not give Money, but I don't mind helping out with other things.
     
  19. wanker751

    wanker751 Dutch Rudder Enthusiast

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    I feel this way smartone.... it is not me to judge.
     
  20. LV2GAMBLE

    LV2GAMBLE Certified LOW Roller

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    I won't give them money, but I don't have an issue with providing food or coffee. Last time we were coming out of Peppermill we were approached by a decently dressed/ groomed man asking if we had a few bucks for food. (he certainly didn't fit the stereotype of the typical homeless person) I told him no, but that he was welcome to my leftovers. He said he was interested and I 'quizzed' him a bit asking if he was really going to eat that or just toss it, told him dang it, if he was going to toss it, then don't even take it, and that I'd rather take it home than him tossing it. He took the food and walked next door and grabbed some plastic ware to eat. I might have had the last laugh on that one because I like my food hot and doused those leftovers with Tabasco before leaving. Hope he liked his food hot and spicy!!!
     
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