beggers in downtown

[PsyTrance4Life]

always some bum asking for change at store exit waiting for me to come out, asking for change

last night some dumb stoner dude wanted to trade me with a freaking tiny joint that's already smoked for a cig... wtf and i asked him for the other brand new joint in his other hand and he's like nah im gonna get 3 cig off that roach... silly hippie

[decypher]

Does it bother you because it's inconvenient or because it's disparaging?

[charly]

i'd much rather have people asking for change, than people asking to sniff my panties.

[BongMan]

idonno I would probably let him smell my boxers if he really wanted to

[whited0ve]

dear god. living downtown is the worst - im confronted by these ppl constantly. Has anyone else noticed that Vancouver smells of rancid urine most of the day?

[whited0ve]

Originally Posted by charly

i'd much rather have people asking for change, than people asking to sniff my panties.

lol :) thats awesome

[ja_raul]

i'd much rather give them food over giving them a few bucks.

on a side note: is pickpocketing big in vancouver? why dont more homeless do that? just curious

edit: it seems like for the size of our city, i dont hear of alot of pickpocket victims

edit2: pickpockets

[fable]

always some bum asking for change at store exit waiting for me to come out, asking for change
last night some dumb stoner dude wanted to trade me with a freaking tiny joint that's already smoked for a cig... wtf and i asked him for the other brand new joint in his other hand and he's like nah im gonna get 3 cig off that roach... silly hippie

Hey, your human, and i cant deny that at times the consitant influx of agressive imporvrished peoples can try the patience of the most rock solid of people. But all you need to do is remind yourself, that this problem has a direct link with an oppressive and racist government. A government that has and is built on the violent and brutal oppression of indegenous peoples, the poor and working classes, the immigrants, the refugees, the addicted, and the mental health community.

Initially i wanted to rage, but realisitically coming on this board, and airing out your grievances via the written word, seems a lot healthier, then knocking out the impovrished person in question - a lot of people would have acted differently. But if you can walk away from the experience on future experiences, and use your annoyance and anger to further dig up the core truths in our growing problem with poverty across Canada, then you'll have the power and ability to join others, in the struggle to really solve the current/worsening situation. God knows whe need help.

[fable]

Originally Posted by whited0ve

dear god. living downtown is the worst - im confronted by these ppl constantly. Has anyone else noticed that Vancouver smells of rancid urine most of the day?

these people?!? WTF!? I wait patiently for the day you ascend to a more public political position.

[Grapes]

on a side note: is pickpocketing big in vancouver? why dont more homeless do that? just curious

Too much like work.

[BongMan]

As I said last night to some one I have no problem giving some money if you are doing somthing such as drawing but don't just come up to me and expect somthing from me cause it aint gonna happen.

[miss.myra]

I live downtown, it doesn't bother me.


Maybe you're just from somewhere else and you're not used to it, but welcome to the real world, man.

[fable]

i'd much rather give them food over giving them a few bucks.

I tell you, it gets pretty frustrating when theyve thrown back in your face and told you to fuck off a few hundred times. But, its a process right?

[Bevvy Swift]

Originally Posted by ja_raul

i'd much rather give them food over giving them a few bucks.

on a side note: is pickpocketing big in vancouver? why dont more homeless do that? just curious

edit: it seems like for the size of our city, i dont hear of alot of pickpocket victims

edit2: pickpockets

its really not that big a city, if youve been anywhere else. pickpockets work best in crowds, and vancouver has yet to amass such things on a daily basis. plus most homeless people here are drug addicts and basically incapable of being slick enough to pickpocket, whereas in larger cities in other countries, many people are born into poverty, and stealing is the way they grew up.

and fable, as much as i'd like to agree with you, we are not in the states. pinning homelessness on government racism is ridiculous. i'd say less than a quarter of the homeless in vancouver are of visible minorities. get your facts straight mate.

[-ff-]

stupid poor people - how dare they have the nerve to be miserable and hungry!?!

[-evil-duerr-]

I think most people are homeless because of neglect or abuse as a child, mental illness, drug addiction. They stay there becuase they are addicted to the drugs that help them deal with those psychic wounds, or are simply mentally unfit to work. I feel really sorry for those people, you gotta see that they were delt a shitty deck of cards in the game of life. I believe that most people in this world want to do better for themselves, but some just can't and it sucks (for them, not YOU). Appreciate the fact you are not in their position, and ty to understand why they do what they do. If they really could do better, they would. Would'nt you? You guys who complain about this shit should count your blessings.

As long as they are'nt harassing you, I don't see what there is to complain about.

[Bevvy Swift]

thats not necessarily true either. there are tons and tons of dumpster divers and panhandlers that are fully capable of working, but choose not to. the jobsite were working on right now is in the centre of all of this. the building is a government housing unit (for mentally disabled people), and it is located at frances and commercial (one block from hastings). we get guys walking through the alleys every five minutes checking the dumpsters, and weve offered some of them work, but they are not interested.

have you ever stayed in a bath so long that the water was gradually getting colder and colder, but you stayed in, trying to preserve every last bit of heat, because you know the moment you get out, it'll be SUPER freezing for a few minutes, while youre still drying?

[decypher]

Originally Posted by Cheez

its really not that big a city, if youve been anywhere else. pickpockets work best in crowds, and vancouver has yet to amass such things on a daily basis. plus most homeless people here are drug addicts and basically incapable of being slick enough to pickpocket, whereas in larger cities in other countries, many people are born into poverty, and stealing is the way they grew up.

and fable, as much as i'd like to agree with you, we are not in the states. pinning homelessness on government racism is ridiculous. i'd say less than a quarter of the homeless in vancouver are of visible minorities. get your facts straight mate.

Well there is truth to what he's saying. The mentally ill for instance...

http://www.vancourier.com/issues04/1...113104nn7.html

[optimum sound]

Im with Fable in this one, most times he makes good points and is aware of what the real world is like. I have yet to read any of his points where he contradicts himself.

[fable]

and fable, as much as i'd like to agree with you, we are not in the states. pinning homelessness on government racism is ridiculous. i'd say less than a quarter of the homeless in vancouver are of visible minorities. get your facts straight mate.

Hey Cheez THINK and PUT THINGS INTO CONTEXT.

First off, some real facts based in prolongued study, not a simple observation undertaken by you in the few years youve been on this planet:

Reports and studies have fluctuated over the last years between roughly ~35-70% of impovrished peoples in BC have been Indegenous peoples. The medium has for most part rested at a steady ~45%.

A government that has a history of genocide, violent racist opperession against, south asian, east indian, chinese, and japanese peoples combined with a current racist foreign policy(R2P) that is the "white mans burden," is somehow free of racism and oppressive policy towards poverty in the same country?? Are you still drunk?

The bordering US HAS racist oppression written all over ideology and active policy revolving around poverty and homelesness and we dont?? You are still drunk!!


I think ive mentioned it to you before, but ill do it once more, people are a result of their conditions, and these conditions are not spontaneous. They are further result of a corrupt, racist and oppressive government agenda. Like it has always been. Stop relating to things in terms of surface anomolities, and start making the connections. Why? So you can trace a path back to fucking root. The popular model of logic - relating to cause and effect, takes no consideration of the materialistic nature of governmental policy making, enactment, and enforcement, and therefor cannot be used an analytical tool.

Go sober up, take a fucking nap, get something to eat, take a shower, and then come talk to me when your coherant.

[fable]

have you ever stayed in a bath so long that the water was gradually getting colder and colder, but you stayed in, trying to preserve every last bit of heat, because you know the moment you get out, it'll be SUPER freezing for a few minutes, while youre still drying?

I think your ill informed, but props on a funny analogy!

[Ree Fresh]

I've noticed over the passed 5-10 years a growing population of beggers and homeless on the streets.

I think if anyone is 'bothered' by it... it might be becuse your sick of feeling guilty.

Even if you cant give much money wise, the least you can do is give them respect and treat ppl who are living on the street as the human beings they are. I dont think there is anything wrong with asking for some help or assistance.

[fable]

Originally Posted by optimum sound

Im with Fable in this one, most times he makes good points and is aware of what the real world is like. I have yet to read any of his points where he contradicts himself.

HAHAHA, thx mate, but admittedley there is still an infinate amount of knowlede that i have yet dissected, not to mention still not being able to master the art of patience! Until i believe that my words and efforts are evoking change (however small) i am as guilty, and useless as the ignorant people i call out.

Nonetheless i try!

Back to subject at hand:

think most people are homeless because of neglect or abuse as a child, mental illness, drug addiction. They stay there becuase they are addicted to the drugs that help them deal with those psychic wounds, or are simply mentally unfit to work.

Well there is truth to what he's saying. The mentally ill for instance...

I agree! But break it down - If we beleive:

-that a large portion of the current homless/impoverished peoples are of Indegenous Peoples

-that Indegenous peoples have some of the highest rates of suicide, substance abuse, PTSD, in regards to a specific community

-that the current mental and physical health problems facing the community of indegenous peoples is sytemic to structural and societal oppression since the creation of this nation

-that a large componet of the current homeless/impoverished peoples suffer from some sort of active addiction, mental sickness, PTSD (including sex trade workers

-that there is infact new contruction allocated to the mental health and addiction communities BUT this is in liea of a major cutback of related health care programs, and facilaties that has been going on for the last five years

-that there was a significant provincial budget surplus recently

-that the Federal Government of Canada doubled the military budget to 25.1 billion dollars

-that Imperialist invasions orchestrated by the Canadian government, as well as the US, UK and a various other super power nations, sets a tone across the globe where people no longer feel safe in their own land

-as a result of a serious glut in the levels of qualified trades workers, Canada has finally lightened up our immigration policies since 9/11. (please note the required legal advice comes with the hefty price tag of 3000-5000$ canadian MINIMUM

-that in places such as toronto, and here in vancouver that has been reportedly an "acceptable" amount of "illegal" labour - mainly of mexican descent that have had somewhat less struggle with the beareaicracy commonly associated with immigration, in order to damn up the levels of labour needed to carry out mass development

-that although 10-20% of new development is technically allocated for "low income" inhabitants, the development company has the buy out option, paying the premium to the government and thus being able to sell all residence at maximum proce

THEN we paint a picture that encompasses:

-the mental sicknesses and addicitions problems facing many canadians today

-we expose whatever surface endevours of government and developers alike as shear tokenism that attempts to bury the stark reality that "new" development allocated for the mental health, addictions and low income "communities' are in fact NOTHING NEW

-there is capital to more than provide for said peoples, as we currently using it to carry out imperialistic expansion

THUS

-the current situation that many citizens face in Vancouver and across Canada, is a DIRECT product of Government oppression, lies, and imperialistic expansion, from historically to currently.

[Grapes]

I've noticed over the passed 5-10 years a growing population of beggers and homeless on the streets.

The extent to which it was synchronized with the switchover from an NDP government to a Liberal government was amazing.

[Ree Fresh]

^Exactly. That doesnt seem to click the minds of some though.