Well, the seasons are changing and the days are getting longer and warmer. You know what that means. Yes, you’re right. The homeless start to emerge from hibernation and start to inhabit the street corners with their nice cardboard signs that are requesting you to give them you hard-earned money.
Now there are some things that particularly annoy me about the bums, which is what the homeless were formerly called before everyone had to be so PC. The first thing is them hanging out at intersections. When I am in route to school, there is a certain stoplight that will have a panhandler there approximately 85% of the time. “Homeless. Anything helps. God bless.” I think they always put the latter on there to make people feel guilty. I never do. I always think, “If I give this guy money, I’m being an enabler. I’m contributing to his ‘disease’ that is laziness.” They actually did an expose on this issue on the local news one night. The panhandlers informed the reporters that they tend to gravitate toward the nicer areas of Memphis, because they are more likely to make more money. Very sneaky, bums.
I think I have much more of a right to ask for money than these people. If I saw a young person standing on a corner in downtown Memphis with a cardboard sign in front of him/her pronouncing, “Dental student owes government $150K in student loans. I worked extremely hard to get where I am. Help fund education. Anything helps. Thanks.” I think I would much rather give my $$$ to them, someone who’s worked really hard rather than someone who won’t put forth the effort. If someone can say ,“Can I have a dollar,” they can also say, “Welcome to Mcdonalds.” I really don't think there's an excuse.
If you’re not from the greater Memphis area, I have to let you in on a little something something. The city of Memphis will allow a person to beg for money, or panhandle, as long as they go by the courthouse and get a permit. The permit costs $10. Ridiculous.
I was surprised one night as I was leaving the Kooky Kanuck restaurant on 2nd Street downtown. There was a man and woman sitting in front of one of the vacant buildings, and as I passed with a takeout box of catfish I didn’t finish at dinner, they asked, “Excuse me sir. Can we have your leftovers?” I was completely taken away. It was the first time anyone had ever asked for my food, not money. I was more than happy to give it to them and if I were not a poor dental student, would have happily bought a meal for them.
In closing, I would like to take the time to tell everyone that before throwing away your money on people you don’t even know, put it toward funding the education of a hard-working dental student. I can directly connect you with the dental student of your choice, and by sponsoring a dental student, a student like me will have funds to eat, minimize debt, and have a modest entertainment budget. Today, many students around the country need your help. Donate today.
Now there are some things that particularly annoy me about the bums, which is what the homeless were formerly called before everyone had to be so PC. The first thing is them hanging out at intersections. When I am in route to school, there is a certain stoplight that will have a panhandler there approximately 85% of the time. “Homeless. Anything helps. God bless.” I think they always put the latter on there to make people feel guilty. I never do. I always think, “If I give this guy money, I’m being an enabler. I’m contributing to his ‘disease’ that is laziness.” They actually did an expose on this issue on the local news one night. The panhandlers informed the reporters that they tend to gravitate toward the nicer areas of Memphis, because they are more likely to make more money. Very sneaky, bums.
I think I have much more of a right to ask for money than these people. If I saw a young person standing on a corner in downtown Memphis with a cardboard sign in front of him/her pronouncing, “Dental student owes government $150K in student loans. I worked extremely hard to get where I am. Help fund education. Anything helps. Thanks.” I think I would much rather give my $$$ to them, someone who’s worked really hard rather than someone who won’t put forth the effort. If someone can say ,“Can I have a dollar,” they can also say, “Welcome to Mcdonalds.” I really don't think there's an excuse.
If you’re not from the greater Memphis area, I have to let you in on a little something something. The city of Memphis will allow a person to beg for money, or panhandle, as long as they go by the courthouse and get a permit. The permit costs $10. Ridiculous.
I was surprised one night as I was leaving the Kooky Kanuck restaurant on 2nd Street downtown. There was a man and woman sitting in front of one of the vacant buildings, and as I passed with a takeout box of catfish I didn’t finish at dinner, they asked, “Excuse me sir. Can we have your leftovers?” I was completely taken away. It was the first time anyone had ever asked for my food, not money. I was more than happy to give it to them and if I were not a poor dental student, would have happily bought a meal for them.
In closing, I would like to take the time to tell everyone that before throwing away your money on people you don’t even know, put it toward funding the education of a hard-working dental student. I can directly connect you with the dental student of your choice, and by sponsoring a dental student, a student like me will have funds to eat, minimize debt, and have a modest entertainment budget. Today, many students around the country need your help. Donate today.
