This won't be popular but it's my opinion. (stop begging!)

Last time i was in the city i got asked for some spare change to buy food, instead of giving him money i grabed him a 2$ pizza slice, i made sure my donation was really going for food.

Apparently the MSM is cashing in as well...

Following is the conversation between WAVE 3 reporter John Boel and Thompson according to WAVE 3.

"Please help, fell out of my wheelchair today, all my coins, somebody take it," Thompson said. "Need bus fare get back home."

I asked him what was wrong.

"Hit by truck 9-year-old, but I no hurt that bad, left side," he said.

I asked him his name.

"Gary Davis, nice to meet you," he said.

Then I pulled out a real camera and started recording.

"You're really Gary Thompson," I said. "My name is John Boel with WAVE, been watching you. You're the bogus beggar guy who makes $100,000 a year right? Yeah you are, got a degree in speech pathology, able to change your voice. I've seen all the stories on you."

"That's a lie," he said. "I don't want to be on camera. I never ask them nothing I going to Churchill Downs."

I told him he could be straight with me because I know his deal.

"Not doing no deal," he said. "Put me off camera don't want to be on camera. I don't do nothing wrong."

I asked him if it's true he burned through a $2,500,000 judgment in a lawsuit. He nodded yes, then said, "Not burn. Don't want to be on camera. I break it."

I asked him if he feels bad faking this act when there are people around him who are really suffering.

"I not faking nothing," he said.

Boel says Thompson gave him a wink once the camera was off.

Honestly people should prioritize. If I'm homeless and someone gives me a few bucks I wouldn't run to the liquor store. I would save the money. Perhaps running to the liquor store or ordering pizza or whatever my vices are is why I'm homeless in the first place! Not falling for your nonsense.

a reply to: minusinfinity

Who the # are you to dictate people's priority? Do you know their situation? Have you been in a #storm where your world collapsed under you to dicate their priority? We are in a country where there are not enough jobs to go around, where labor has collapsed until a multitude of reasons and that is your weak ass argument? PULEEZE!

Is a dollar really going to make or break a homeless person and change the game for them? Hell, even if somebody actually gave them five dollars, really? A #ing ride on public transportation is HALF THAT. Five bucks is NOTHING. We are not talking about a 200 dollar gift here. We are talking about people's change that they give after they get gas, buy groceries, or go and get something to eat themselves.

You have no idea the circumstances surrounding their homelessness and we are in an era where blame it on the war, blame it on the drugs is just not a convienent excuse anymore! Not falling for YOUR NONSENSE.

GET A #ING CLUE!

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

Some people are naturally on a hustle, and naturally don't have manners or know enough about socialization skills to speak appropriately. But this is not always the case. This particular person probably has been homeless for so long he falls into the "# it" category...not giving a # and has just settled into the existence.

a reply to: minusinfinity

Eliminate them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hate begging and I think in most of english-speaking countries,the social welfare system enough to give them food to survive .
Begging in here is a very profitable job in here,many of them pretend disabled.

a reply to: candlestick

Yes round them up and put them into camps and eliminate them...



BS the percentage of the con men ones is tiny.
You shouldn't hate the begging you should hate the circumstances some people go through which takes them down that path.

I mean seriously eliminate them? come on show you have a small heart where that black piece of coal is now.

originally posted by: rickymouse
It makes people feel good when they help others. Many studies confirm this. It is not so much about the beggers but the effect on the one who gives.

Of course this does not work with people with a negative attitude towards the poor.

It also makes people easy targets to be taken advantage of... that's why you have "professional" panhandlers making upwards of $100,000 per year.. Which is $100k diverted from those who actually need it..

I do really like the idea of how my area handles it in requiring that panhandlers be licensed and verified as homeless.. that way all you have to do is ask to see their license

originally posted by: boymonkey74
a reply to: candlestick
BS the percentage of the con men ones is tiny.

I'm not for eliminating anyone, but the percentage of con men is probably considerably higher than you think it is.. in fact after this thread I was watching a ton of online videos showing news reports where they find the number of fake pan handlers in some areas is higher than the legitimately needy... people are making careers out of it ... the one guy who makes $100,000 is proud of it.. he was caught, put on the news and arrested... when he got out he said he'd do it again... why? the profit is too great and the penalty is too small... a few days in jail for $100k a year.. he said if he got too recognized in one city he'd just move on to another one..

So the con thing is definitely real, it's lucrative... there's a on of them out there and, we only know about those that have been caught... the good ones have not been noticed

a reply to: Murgatroid

I posted the last video, or a variant of it .. he actually told the reporter ON camera he was glad they caught him... and he would keep on doing it despite being busted because he's "good at it" .. he's proud of it .. he's been arrested 5 times at least and the punishment is so small it's not a problem for him.. he gets out of jail and starts right back at it ... $100k a year for a few nights in jail is hardly a deterrent

a reply to: candlestick

Then clearly you don't know the system

Like I said, I am knee deep in the homelessness and mental health arenas. The system is set up to fail from the word go. The mother who is homeless or about to be has so many issues to face against a system who has to close doors because they are out of resources. It happens daily...all over this country. Like I said, I've frequently seen our pantry run out of food and the times they DON'T run out is because a local business offered up what they would have trashed like bread or fruit or vegetables. The rest of the system is against you too. Subpar healthcare with providers who treat you like a leech, lack of proper mental healthcare and VERY few resources for people trying to actually pull themselves out of their dire situation. Then when an oppurtunity does arise, like a job fair of center for employment, you have 1000 people scrambling for 5 jobs. Never mind the fact that many of them have kids and find out child care costs more than their wage. Benefits centers open only a few days of the week, during work hours, with terribly limited resources

yeah...guess what if I were there I would drink or shoot up as well to numb the pain.

Then on top of ALL of this...you have the right trying even harder to destroy the precious few systems we do have because these heartless, brainless you-know-whats have this idea that if your are poor all it takes is courage, confidence and a bit of elbow grease to suddenly become middle class or hell even lower class with an apartment

bull crap...

This is why I get so sick of the right. This is the crap they spout. They allow the system and businesses to treat employees and people like crap, then yell when they ask for aid...the biggest insult is that all the while they are giving tax breaks and welfare to Walmart so they can continue giving out their crappy product while stomping out employee benefits

But to your original statement...it takes more than a small meal to survive

I have been through destitute times and rose up. I now have a great job with great pay...why? because I was born white, middle class and I have the look and requirements neccessary to make it happen. I walk in the door with social skills, clean and with a good record and a nice smile and (sorry for the ego trip) I almost always get offered jobs I intervier for.

It isn't the same for the destitute

so you go ahead and believe that the social system is enough. Sleep well. Meanwhile those of us in the pits holding a soup ladle or offering mental healthcare and feeling ill when we have to turn someone away will continue to know the truth

"pull yourself uo"

bull crap