Homeless man called a bum, maybe this will change your perspective

I see a lot of negativity on ATS towards homeless people and the likes. Sometimes its not so easy to get a job and sort your stuff out. We all struggle in different ways in life. A little compassion and kindess can go a long way..

Heres an interview with a homeless man in the USA and is worth a watch to help see it from a different perspective..

Most of the homeless people are there because of poor decisions they decided to make in their lives. Many are alcohol and drug abuse victims, but it was still their choice to partake in that.

I have little sympathy for them because they chose to give up.

reply to post by purplemer


You never know what another mans life is like until you walk in his shoes. I am a conservative but I also for social welfare. We must help the people who can not help themselves. It is more important then having 100s of military bases spread across the world.


Some people can not be helped but most given the chance will flourish . This man I believe given the chance would take it in a second. Thank you OP for bringing ATS this viewpoint.

I totally disagree Hopechest, I know homeless people who lost their whole families due to tragedies, and it's hard to get a job without a home for someone to call or someplace to wash your clothes.

reply to post by Hopechest


People can change and everyone has low and high points in life. I believe the biggest cause of this is mental illness and that leads to many things including drug abuse.




We need to help these people and the tax money we are using to fight these endless wars could wipe it out. It could also help make our schools strong once again. The future we are investing in right now will not be very bright.

Originally posted by Hopechest
Most of the homeless people are there because of poor decisions they decided to make in their lives. Many are alcohol and drug abuse victims, but it was still their choice to partake in that.

I have little sympathy for them because they chose to give up.

That may be the case for some of them but it doesn't mean people should give up on them because of their bad decisions. Everyone deserves an other chance.

The man in the OPs video seems to be trying to get a job, but like he said, who would hire such a man? Anyways, we don't know his full story or how he got to that point, we shouldn't judge him.

reply to post by purplemer


I was homeless for 2 years. I held two jobs and still couldn't find affordable housing.I was completely clean. I didn't drink or do drugs. luckily I had a car to sleep in. We all make poor choices in life but by no means does that imply someone is lazy or worthless. When will humanity learn to stop making blanket statements based on the actions of some. To assume all homeless have the same story is folly. Great post OP!

reply to post by purplemer


The guy is a crack head. Listen to his voice. He made bad decisions for himself and wound up on the street. You could clean him up and detox him and he'd be right back out there next week. Things won't change until he wants to change.

However, he is human. He deserves a place to lay his head and warm food in his belly no matter what bad choices he's made in life.

MOTF!

Originally posted by Dominar

Originally posted by Hopechest
Most of the homeless people are there because of poor decisions they decided to make in their lives. Many are alcohol and drug abuse victims, but it was still their choice to partake in that.

I have little sympathy for them because they chose to give up.

That may be the case for some of them but it doesn't mean people should give up on them because of their bad decisions. Everyone deserves an other chance.

The man in the OPs video seems to be trying to get a job, but like he said, who would hire such a man? Anyways, we don't know his full story or how he got to that point, we shouldn't judge him.

At the end of the day I believe most people want the same things. They want to be loved and heard they want to feel safe and accepted.


Is this man so far off from you or me? We are all a couple of choices away from this fate. Remember this when passing judgement on him or others. Remember it when you drive by them in your 20 thousand dollar car. Remember it when you are eating a 20 dollar steak or drinking a 5 dollar beer. Remember how lucky you are for making the right choices. It has alot to do with luck people whether you want to admit it or not.

Originally posted by Hopechest
Most of the homeless people are there because of poor decisions they decided to make in their lives. Many are alcohol and drug abuse victims, but it was still their choice to partake in that.

I have little sympathy for them because they chose to give up.

Well congratulations and good for you for making all the right decisions in life and avoiding those unexpected events in life that could bring you to your knees!
Just AWESOME!

reply to post by Hopechest


Maybe some of them are homeless because they have made bad decisions. Everyone I know has made bad decisions at some point. Just for some the results are more dire.

Have you ever made a bad decision. Has is occured to you that it could happen to you to or someone else you care for. What makes you think because someone is homeless they have given up..

Did this man give up...

98 year old Dobri Dobrev, a man who lost his hearing in the second world war, walks 10 kilometers from his village in his homemade clothes to the city of Sofia, where he spends the day begging for money. Though a well known fixture around several of the city’s churches, known for his prostrations of thanks to all donors, it was only recently discovered that he has donated every penny he has collected — over 40,000 euros — towards the restoration of decaying Bulgarian monasteries and churches and the utility bills of orphanages, living instead off his monthly state pension of 80 euros.

Anti-media..

Originally posted by Hopechest
Most of the homeless people are there because of poor decisions they decided to make in their lives. Many are alcohol and drug abuse victims, but it was still their choice to partake in that.

I have little sympathy for them because they chose to give up.

maybe if this country lightened up on drug users and allowed them to work we wouldn't be talking about this, its called fascism disguised as legalese.

Originally posted by MessOnTheFED!
reply to post by purplemer

 

The guy is a crack head. Listen to his voice. He made bad decisions for himself and wound up on the street. You could clean him up and detox him and he'd be right back out there next week. Things won't change until he wants to change.

However, he is human. He deserves a place to lay his head and warm food in his belly no matter what bad choices he's made in life.

MOTF!

Some peoples low points are much lower then others. You never know how low until it is right in front of ya. And everyone has the ability to change for the better.



Young people reading this post I hope understand just how important choices in life are. All it takes is a couple of wrong choices to end up on the bottom looking up. And empathy is always a good choice.

reply to post by Hopechest

Originally posted by Hopechest
Most of the homeless people are there because of poor decisions they decided to make in their lives.

My favorite new saying: "Kindness doesn't see the reason - it sees the need". I saw that on a church sign.

I must join the poster who offered congratulations to you for never having made a poor decision in your life.

reply to post by SubTruth


It took me a long time to understand the saying 'hindsight is 20/20'. It definitely is though.

MOTF!

reply to post by purplemer


That is a very touching story about the old man. I am at a loss for words that one put my heart in my throat. I am a sucker for stories like this it is a shame the news and the media as a whole does not value it the way I do.

Ted Williams was reunited with his family after so many years...

Everyone possesses something marketable; a foot in the door.

S ocial Disorders

“Ruining people is delicious. Sociopaths are uniformly hungry for power. Power is all I have ever really cared about in my life: physical power, the power of being desired or admired, destructive power, knowledge, invisible influence. I like people. I like people so much that I want to touch them, mold them, or ruin them however I’d like. Not because I wanted to witness the results, necessarily, but simply because I want to exercise my power. The acquisition, retention, and exploitation of power are what most motivate sociopaths. This much I know . . . I indulge in inserting myself into a person’s psyche and quietly wreaking as much havoc as I can . . . I do have a moral code that I try to adhere to, but ruining people is my practical reality.”
—M. E. Thomas, from CONFESSIONS OF A SOCIOPATH

Originally posted by MessOnTheFED!
reply to post by SubTruth

 

It took me a long time to understand the saying 'hindsight is 20/20'. It definitely is though.

MOTF!

Me also. The older I get the more I understand empathy and kindness. When I was young the only person I thought of was me. And all it brought was pain for myself and everyone around me.



Compassion should be the rule not the exception. Especially towards people who can not help themselves and animals.

Originally posted by SubTruth
reply to post by Hopechest

 

People can change and everyone has low and high points in life. I believe the biggest cause of this is mental illness and that leads to many things including drug abuse.




We need to help these people and the tax money we are using to fight these endless wars could wipe it out. It could also help make our schools strong once again. The future we are investing in right now will not be very bright.

Certainly things such as mental illness are not preventable and I would have no problem taking care of these folks or children but you could point out almost any homeless person, give me their life story, and I could point out the exact decisions they made that led them to the place they are in.

How about not having a family or going into debt before you can afford it?

If you rush out and have 5 kids by the time your 25 and work at mcdonalds then yes, you may end up on the street.

Your choice.

Want to do drugs or drink too much?

Your choice.

I don't feel any sympathy for them.

reply to post by Hopechest

I don't feel any sympathy for them.

Is that because you hold the moral high ground?