Exploratory Paper Rough Draft

Murr
UWRT 1102

Bryan

Should you give homeless people money? This is a question that

is asked commonly among groups who want to help the homeless. It is
most often asked in environments such as churches or organizations
that attempt to help those in need. The reason some are tentative with
their giving money is because of the fear of the misuse of that money.
Many people within these environments (churches and homeless
organizations) are willing to give to these people, but they do not want
their money to be used in a way that could harm that person (i.e
drugs).
There are many different perspectives on the issue of giving
homeless men money. First, there is the view that you should never
give homeless people money, because they will always misuse this
money, or because they do not deserve the money. The next group
says you should always give the homeless money when you have the
opportunity, because it would be selfish if you do not. Then, there are
others who say that you should give money sometimes, and other
times you should not. The above viewpoints come from many types of
people. These groups can include businessmen, government officials,
average men, good people, bad people, and many more. These
groups of people all have their different reasons for believing how they

do, and many are stubborn with their views. However, many of these
people could be convinced if they were properly persuaded.
Businessmen, government workers, common folk and even
some people in churches and help for the homeless organizations will
generally take the first view listed (never give). There are many
reasons for not giving away money to a homeless man who you do not
know. Scott Keyes says I had heard that some people beg for a living
and make big bucks $80,000 a year in some cases, (Keyes) and
Paul Cantor states that I've seen New Yorkers purposely avoid contact
with panhandlers because they were either afraid or just didn't know
how to interact with them. After all, it's far easier to stare down at your
smartphone than it is to deal with an uncomfortable reality (Paul).
This group does not want to give money because they either do not
think that the homeless deserve it (like Keyes said), or simply want to
avoid an awkward situation (like Paul said). Also, many they believe
that giving away money for nothing will cause them to linger in big
cities and will create a bad image for the city, and others believe that
they will misuse the money. This does not mean that they hate these
people; it simply means that they do not want to give away money for
no reason. Some of these people even strive to help build shelters and
want to get them off of the street.
The second group (those who say you should always give)
commonly consists of people within the church community, or those

who feel great compassion for the homeless. A study was done in the
San Francisco Bay area, and it was found that a majority of homeless
people in this area makes less than $25 a day. This is a statistic that
greatly impacts the second groups thought process. While this
statistic may not be true in every homeless community across the
world, it is true in this area as well as many others. The group that says
always give feels great compassion for these people and wants to
give money in order to change their lives for the better (Keyes). Others
such as James Antle give for other reasons. In James Antles article
Why I give Money to Homeless People, he states Every panhandler I
help could be a scam artist. But each one I pass by could be Jesus. For
this reason, he chooses to give money to the homeless as often as
possible. He feels very strongly that he needs to help these people
because of his religious beliefs. This group of people (like James Antle)
feel that it is their duty to help the homeless no matter what the
circumstances are (Antle).
The final group that I will observe in this paper is that which says
you should give money to the homeless sometimes, and other times
you should not. This group believes that sometimes you should give
money to the homeless if you believe that they will use it properly. In
other cases, the assistance could be counterproductive or even
foolish, says Antle. Many will use any cash they get to buy drugs or
booze. Others may lie about their circumstances. (Antle) This group

requires a lot of discernment. It can be very tricky to identify whom the

right person is to give money to. The simple answer that this group
often uses is to give away food or clothes rather than money in order
to be sure that the funds are used to meet the needs of the homeless.
In conclusion, there are three main answers to the question
should you give homeless people money? The first being never give,
second, always give, and lastly, sometimes give. There are many
reasons to not give money to the homeless. I identify mostly with the
group that says you should give sometimes. I do not think it is wise to
go around giving random homeless people on the street all of my
money because I do not have the money to do that, and it could be
misused. However, I do feel compassion for the homeless, and I feel
morally and spiritually responsible for these people to some degree.

Works Cited
Antle, James. "Why I Give Money to Homeless People." Why I Give
Money to Homeless
People. N.p., 19 Aug. 2014. Web. 08 Feb. 2015.
Cantor, Paul. "I Need a Dollar: Should You Give to New York's
Homeless?"
Gawker. N.p., 28 July 2014. Web. 08 Feb. 2015.
Keyes, Scottt. "Everything You Think You Know About Panhandlers Is
Wrong."
ThinkProgress RSS. N.p., 30 Oct. 2013. Web. 15 Feb.
2015.
Wickersham, Scott. "9 Investigates: Growing Homeless Problem in
Charlotte." Wsoctv.com. Wsoctv, 8 Nov. 2013. Web. 8 Feb. 2015.