(Image courtesy of parenting.failblog.org)
Homeless People of Las Vegas… Here’s Your Hush Money God Bless
So, before you start the hate mail… No. I’m not poking at homeless people. Being homeless really sucks. At one point, I slept in my car for a week with 3 small kids. I’m talking about truly Homeless People. Today, I’m just poking at the code. There’s a ‘Homeless People Code’. It should be followed. I see you outside XYZ store holding your sign, I give you $2 for Hush Money, you say “God Bless You”, we both smile and go about our day. Homeless people and Street Peddlers are 2 different things. In Las Vegas, street peddlers don’t follow this code. Or so my husband found out the other day…
Street Peddlers Are Different Than Homeless People
Here’s what happened (his writing)
As a general rule, I don’t usually give homeless people or the street beggar types cash. It’s actually illegal in Las Vegas to give them money while waiting at a traffic light and handing them food in public parks. You can and will be fined for it. I don’t do it because I’m judgmental or lack compassion. I think it’s more that I would rather close my eyes to their sad state of affairs and refuse to acknowledge that I could easily be in that same position with just a little bit of (more) bad luck.
But sometimes, I do give them a couple bucks. Like yesterday. As I was walking into a pharmacy, there was a disheveled man with a dog. Of course he also had the obligatory cardboard sign that said something, I don’t even remember what. Maybe it was because of the dog, I don’t know… But while in the store I decided I would keep out $2 to give him as I left. After all, what is$2 to me? I had just spent $6 on a single cup of coffee.
(Image courtesy of waycooldogs.com)
As I walked out of the store, I veered off a little and handed the man the $2. I expected the usual “God Bless” crap they usually say. Which always makes me think that if they had the ability to bless, they sure as hell wouldn’t be sitting on a street corner wearing four layers of clothes when it’s 100+ degrees outside, taking money from strangers to feed their demons, whilst surviving off treasures found in dumpsters. Anyway, he didn’t say “God Bless” at all. Nope. Apparently my $2 investment bought me extremely important and life changing information. It seems this man had attended a mind control seminar at a casino (which will go unnamed) and the other attendees had turned against him. As fascinating as that information was to me, I chose not to stick around and hear the entire story. I had frozen food in the truck, and was pretty sure that if I did stick around, it would be cooked by the time I got out of there.
So I made a beeline for my truck and as I neared it I turned back, said “God Bless” and got in my truck. Not that I’m in a position to speak for God or bless people, but figured one of us needed to recite those holy words of regular street peddlers. And this brings me to the point of this.
If you’re a street peddler/beggar/homeless person, and I give you money, consider it “hush” money. It means I’m paying you to go away. Take the money, tell me “God Bless”, “Praise Allah”, “Hare Krishna”, or whatever and move on. Come to think of it, you don’t see a lot (any??) homeless Muslim types. Well, not in our country anyway. They’re always good Christians… wonder why that is? Note I didn’t even mention “Shalom” cause being homeless is against the Jewish religion. Seriously. It’s in the Torah. In the chapter “Book of Numbers”. Look it up if you don’t believe me. Anyway, maybe the next homeless person I give money to that says “God Bless” I’ll say “Praise Allah!” just to see what happens. Could totally be worth $2.
So, Here’s The Rub With Homeless People VS Street Peddler
Clearly, we should help the homeless people. Because being homeless sucks. We shouldn’t however hand our cash over to street peddlers. They buy beer, blow and hookers. Or, go to mind control conferences at local Las Vegas casinos. And those, they aren’t cheap! Some, even have bigger bank accounts than us! How the hell are we supposed to know which is which? If you live in Las Vegas, we’ve figured out 2 ways to spot the real homeless people from the ‘knock-off street peddlers’… 1st – Street peddlers in Vegas come dressed in full on character mode. Like the guy above. We also have Power Rangers and just last week, I saw a total Transformer’s get-up. Moving metal parts and all. 2nd – There’s that whole ‘God Bless‘ thing. People who are really homeless, they are genuinely thankful for the help and offer those words as a sincere ‘Thanks‘… If you really want to see something I found totally DISGUSTING… Check out this website I found in doing a bit of research for this craptastic post. The site is called Bumvertising. Some asswipe decided to profit off the homeless by having them attach an actual ‘advertising sign’ to the bottom of their handmade cardboard sign. Companies PAY HIM to scout out homeless to advertise their businesses. In exchange, he gives them a sandwich and something to drink!
Ok, your turn my peeps. What say you… Do you give money to people on the corner holding signs or do the quick walk-by? Why or why not?
To really help, write your local State Representative and consider donating directly to your local Red Cross or an actual Homeless Shelter.
Oh my goodness! I”m completely disgusted by that advertiser! It would be a total turn off to me and I would absolutely refuse to work with any company that thrives off the homeless for advertising!
For us, we don’t give money. IF we have the opportunity, we will give them food, but no. no cash gets handed out. If they are truly hungry, they will be thankful for the food. And this ensures that what we are giving up is going to good use. Not being used to by drugs, boos or hookers. Or those crazy mind control classes.
I, like Jade do not give money but rather if I can food. I have seen to many things happen with people that abuse the generosity of others.
Amber (JadeL)
Yes!! While I was Googling for the link to where it’s illegal here to hand cash and food out, that Bumvertising site came up. I thought it was a joke at 1st… Totally NOT a joke!! Sick douchebag. Companies pay him $ to scout out homeless people, he in turn gives them a sandwich and drink to hang an advertisers sign on their handmade cardboard one! I had to read it 3 X’s to see if I was missing the joke… no joke.
If that’s illegal to do in your state, try to get a gift card to a food place. I walked in KFC one day just getting my family dinner and I happened to have won the football pool that day. I noticed the homeless man I normally saw wandering the streets was eating a small meal. (Assumed someone gave him a little money or he scurried enough change somehow.) Anyway, since I was already buying, and I had the extra money, I took it upon myself to buy a gift certificate for KFC. I walked up to him and gave him the GC– worth enough to at least give him one meal a day for the week. No Money and No actual food given, but a way to get some food. — Work around the messed up system.
I also give money when a person looks like they could TRULY use it along with a list of places they can go for help and numbers (just in case they can ever use a phone somewhere or manage to work their way to those places.) But never to those that need a certain amount to get home which I recently seen 2 guys doing. (How the hell did they get here and NOT have a way home in the first place?!) My husband one time helped a guy fill up his gas tank some, and then saw the guy go to the NEXT gas station…that guy, obviously a peddler. I’m all for helping a person in NEED, but make sure they are in Need!
I’ve been guilty of giving people on the side of off ramps $ but not always, sometimes I see they are wearing nicer shoes than my kids which makes me wonder….in my state it was recently made illegal too and yet they are still all over the place asking for things.
Better shoes than you = Street Peddler. NOT homeless. 😉
There are charities that give out new shoes. As true advocate for the homeless (not the fake ones in many shelters that treat people like garbage and never let them forget they owe people the right to be alive on their charity or have more dehumanizing rules or lie and say they are Christian and never do what GOD says like every wicked or evil person never doing what GOD says..what most of you know of their situation is alarmingly small..who are the liars? Are they the homeless or those who “help”?
Wow, that advertising is insensitive!
It’s always good to have an opinion.
I rarely give anyone in the street money, I would rather fdonate to causes I know are on the up and up.
I live in NYC, I trust no one.
Oh Mitch (gaynvdad)
I feel ya! Growing up outside Chicago, we used to go downtown to Maxwell St (in the 70’s) where my aunt owned a Pharmacy (AWFUL area) I was young and always loved looking at the little make-shift stands people set up to sell watches, ties, whatever. To me it was like a swap meet of sorts. My dad would never let us buy stuff LOL I had 0 clue until I was older what was going on. Gotta love the big city 🙂
I live out in the suburbs and just saw someone doing this at the grocery store. I agree with you that giving a person themselves money usually results in bad things. I’d rather donate to a shelter or soup kitchen.
On occasion I’ve definitely given money to people.. when I used to coupon heavily, I would pass out boxes of cereal and things.. figuring it would be a little more productive. I say, do what your gut tells you!
See, now that I’d do. Hand out food. If they’re really homeless, they need and appreciate the food.
little country towns have both, but in small numbers. the peddlers are always at a cross light, walmarts gas stations where they can try to catch you as you go out by them in your car. Some are hikers with there dogs and some are ones who’s sign says out of work etc. I only give to them if the Lord puts it on my heart too. But at our walmart, the security cameras caught one peddler lady pretending to be blind with a cane in the parking lot hustling money for food they said, then spotted inside with no dark sunglasses on and buying cigarettes with the money. So those are being reported and warned leave or risk calling the cops. The real homeless we have in our country small town & ones near us are not many, but have lived here until they die. Four so far that I have seen & recalled in the last 50 yrs. One a lady who lived in her car by a gas station for years, she was called the shoe lady because she wore shoes with broken high heals. She died in her car. Another the poem man, he wrote poems and sold them, he lived behind a big chain gro store always pushed a bike and never rode it, he died as well. One they called the quarter boy, he only wanted quarters never other bills etc. And the one that remains now who has no name but only has one leg and lives in the woods by the railroad tracks right in town. People, police, everyone passes him by like he is a weed growing along the road. He never ask for anything, he does drink and everyone knows it. I give him at times food that’s hot and coffee to stay warm or cold drinks in the summer to stay cool. It could be me in his place one day, and that is what I see when my heart tells my mind to reach out my hand and help in some way.
The suburb I grew up in, we had a guy who rode around on a 3 wheeled bike with a huge orange flag. He sang and talked to himself all day. We called him ‘bike guy’… I wonder whatever became of him.
We try to do as much donations as we can. I’ll donate to the food bank, contact shelters and donate what they need, and even monetary donations to local charities that help out. I don’t usually give cash to people because I’ve been burned in the past by people scamming me. Instead, I’ll buy them a sandwich, and if they are truly homeless they’ll appreciate it, if they are scamming me, they’ll give me a dirty look and ask for cash instead.
My son gave a guy a meal and as soon as they turned around, the guy threw the meal away!!! Sure didn’t impress my son, I don’t know if he will ever try again.
And your son has a great heart! I know this 🙂
What an asshole! Right in front of him threw it away!!
Like I mentioned on Facebook, I’d rather give food or something else. I rarely ever hand over cash.
A few years ago, my brother-in-law posted a series about how he and his then five-year-old son went around helping the homeless. They would bring them hygiene packs, but also gave out McDonalds bucks. Some of the people they encountered they would even sit down to lunch with and get to know. They actually tried to get some of these people help. It was much more than handing someone a dollar and saying good day.
That being said, I gave someone food and a couple of dollars once. It’s always hard to distinguish the real homeless here.
Gah, I love you. I am busy, I don’t read many blog posts which is a tad ironic considering I am a blogger, but I am off on a rabbit trail. Point is, every time I stumble upon one of your posts again I mentally make a note to come back tomorrow for entertainment.
As for the post, I don’t give out money. If I have food on me, I will pass along the food/drink, but I have found that most homeless are less than thankful for the food and drink preferring the money. Um, I am NOT supporting your blow habit while explaining to my kid he has to wait to drink at home because I just gave his friggin juice box to a stranger. To date, there has been only one person who was truly thankful. Result? I turn my head, refuse to make eye contact, and don’t give out my goodies. Sad, but true. I am very very sad over the homeless. I haven’t been homeless, but I have been where I had no money, 3 kids, the clothes on our backs and crashing on someone’s couch until I got a job….hard times, I know them. I just hate ungratefulness more
wow, this is a lot of great information,. I was always cautious…
Ugh. I seriously can’t believe how low people can go to take advantage of those who are truly hurting. Thanks for opening up our eyes to what’s going on out there.
This sounds ridiculous I would probably boycott those companies!
I never give money, ever, and I know that’s what they want so I don’t even give them food, but if I were to give something, it would be food. The whole begging thing makes me really uncomfortable though. They obviously know when we are purposely not making eye contact, but that’s the easiest way to handle the whole thing.
Since I lived most of my life in NYC, I’ve come across mostly street peddlers. I never give them money.
we have people round here to beg for money and half the time they arent even homeless, if I suspect someone is homeless ill bring them food, but never give them money
I live in NYC and I rarely give money to “homeless” people and never to street peddlers When i do it’s because they look so downtrodden but i know my money is not going to anything good. Our street peddlers are the like the klingon above and come in all forms like the cartoon characters that are in times square, behind those masks in my opinion some scary and not trustworthy people who want money in exchange for a photo and are not sanctioned by the companies they supposedly represent. Good post though.
I work for a non-profit. I know the services that are available. Therefore, no one gets anything from me. That may be harsh, but I know that there are beds available in the shelter, they get three free meals a day, free bus passes, counselling, free medical care, cable TV in the shelters, where they *can* hang out all day, and, when they pass the requirements of the shelter, they get a job and a free apartment for 6 months.
Oh yeah, and while they’re in the shelter & going through the program, they get all the social services of Welfare, food stamps, and medicaid.
I don’t get ANY of those things.
I am Blessed by JESUS Himself!! You are sick and need serious Spiritual help.You sound like you care only about (Self).Repent!
You’re right Henry… because this entire post I was selfishly only speaking about myself.
Not bringing any attention to the flawed system at all. Perhaps, you could get your buddy Jesus on the line and let him know of the homeless Vegas sitch for me? That would be super awesome of you! Also, it’s getting kind of chilly out, maybe ask for some warm blankies too…
If you had any BALLS at all, you’d kill the Bumvertising scum and leave us out of it.
Hell yes i give to our poor. You cannot call yourself a Christian (honestly), if you do not help our homeless. Even off you are not a brother, or a sister in Christ, how can you walk past another human with so little, and do nothing? It is not my business how, or why they’re in need of help. It is only my business to help. The police can do whatever their conscious allows because a ticket, or even a night or two in jail will not stop me from doing what is right.
Can you spend a night in jail or pay the $$ for the ticket and still be a good Christian if you’re giving to a Gay homeless transvestite? Sadly, a lot of kids are homeless because they get kicked out when they come out.
Real Christians do not judge…GOD loves us the sinners (for ALL have sinned, and fallen short of the glory of GOD) -NOT the sin…people who REALLY want to help DO NOT JUDGE, THEY JUST DO IT and DO NOT sit around coming up with excuses NOT to..
I always give cash if you need drugs or a beer to get through the hell your living in I understand
Ok so im homeless in over nv. Currently sleeping in a van i never hold a sign i never panhandlers what i do do is i make jewelry all on of a kind, i walk a lot i mean a lot and i get re ejected hundreds of times a day…i need help yes . I wouldn’t expect a total stranger to give me money but i offer them quality jewelry for a low price then we both feel good…. im just saying