Jump to content

Beggars, homeless, street drinkers & drug users in Sheffield!

Recommended Posts

You don't know that she gives money to make her feel superior, unless she told you that directly.

You say that she had a superior 'I know better than you' attitude, but then went onto say that 'she clearly knew nothing' - Are you saying that you know better than her? Isn't that rather superior of you Paula?

 

Yes I am. I work in the sector- she didn't, had no idea the man standing next to the beggar was a drug dealer, and had no understanding of any of the issues facing charities. This was apparent during our conversation.

 

Her attitude was superior and condescending yes. I don't believe mine was - I was trying to point out that it was kind of her to give money, but that her money had gone directly to a known drug dealer. I was perhaps hoping she might be somewhat upset by this and consider giving in a less destructive way.

 

---------- Post added 17-10-2018 at 18:19 ----------

 

A tenner! A whole tenner, where was this Paula, I"m off there first thing in the morning.

 

Not a bad way to keep a drug habit going is it? Ten quid a few times an hour soon mounts up.

 

There was someone (a regular character that people would have been familiar with) who was "earning" (as he referred to it) between £200-£250 a day begging in the centre. All of it went on drugs of course.

 

He's now dead - overdose. Perhaps all those people that gave him their money on his last day might have thought twice....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Yes I am. I work in the sector- she didn't, had no idea the man standing next to the beggar was a drug dealer, and had no understanding of any of the issues facing charities. This was apparent during our conversation.

 

Her attitude was superior and condescending yes. I don't believe mine was - I was trying to point out that it was kind of her to give money, but that her money had gone directly to a known drug dealer. I was perhaps hoping she might be somewhat upset by this and consider giving in a less destructive way.

 

---------- Post added 17-10-2018 at 18:19 ----------

 

 

Not a bad way to keep a drug habit going is it? Ten quid a few times an hour soon mounts up.

 

There was someone (a regular character that people would have been familiar with) who was "earning" (as he referred to it) between £200-£250 a day begging in the centre. All of it went on drugs of course.

 

He's now dead - overdose. Perhaps all those people that gave him their money on his last day might have thought twice....

 

In all seriousness, if you saw money being handed over to a known drug user (especially given the backdrop of someone recently dying from a drug overdose in the local area) then the best thing to do would've been to call the police. Get the drug users off the streets, so they can't peddle their filthy wares.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
You seem to think that my opinion about whether giving money to beggars is good or bad is somehow an attempt to take away your ability to decide for yourself (your agency). When in fact it's a rational argument to attempt to change your opinion such that you choose to use your agency differently.

Being influenced by a discussion isn't a loss of your agency.

 

You’re very much trying to tell us what we should do. I don’t think it is a rational argument at all. You’re arguing for ‘agency, agency, agency’ and the right for homeless people to decide what they want rather than being given things. But you’re ignoring that the givers also have a choice to use their own agency not to contribute to self destructive behaviour or fund the people who are feeding their habit who in turn oppress other people with fear and violence through the smuggling, production and supplying of drugs. And given that we are in a position to exercise our own agency more responsibily (hence we still have the jobs that allow us to pass on the money).

 

Regarding your nan, perhaps you'd be happier if you she gave you cash rather than a book token. It would show that she recognised your ability to decide how to spend the money for yourself, rather than her limiting your choices.

 

Actually she’s done it since I was a teenager and I am incredibly grateful to her. There was a point when I would have spent it on fags and cider or worse. Her vouchers kept me in a reasonable state of dress and more importantly meant even through the worst times I still had books and kept on reading which meant my mind didn’t go to mush and I was in still in good stead to get an education when I got through them.

 

You see at the time she knew she could make a better choice for me than I could and didn’t want to help me self destruct even though she wanted to do something kind. I feel use a similar thought process when not giving cash to people on the streets.

 

So your employer (and the state, which was the argument I actually used) gives you free reign on how to spend your money. They don't instead pay you by providing housing and food. Why do you think that homeless people don't want to receive that same freedom?

 

Because perhaps if having their own money to spend as they wished was a huge priority for them they would be doing things like looking to get clean and change their lifestyle? Many of them will be in receipt of benefits and have spent that as they wished and are looking for a supplement. Frequently their benefits will have gone on drugs and booze as well, as will any other ‘supplemental’ begged money. Making a decision to give someone a bacon sandwich that gives their body a little bit of extra strength to make it through the next onslaught of alcohol and drugs when you know they won’t get something themselves is a kindness of making a good decision for somebody who isn’t currently capable of making a good decision themselves.

 

Interesting that you recognise the hold that addiction will have over someone. On that basis if everyone stopped giving money, then that would almost certainly cause a direct rise in minor acquisitive crime, shopping lifting and mugging for example. Because the addiction can't simply be ignored due to a lack of money and an excess of sandwiches and coffee.

 

A rise? For one thing not everybody is going to stop, there’s always someone daft with more money than sense. And plenty of that minor crime along with prostitution already happens to fund habits. In an ideal world that sort of crime would be detected and interventions made to assist recovery. I’m not sure giving money to stop those things happening is either useful or effective. For one thing they are usually done in tandem rather than separately in order to have enough to fund their habits. For another it’s a form of enablement which helps people keep going and stay off the rock bottom they need to reach before they face up to their demons and start to deal with their addictions. It puts off the inevitable rock bottom and prolongs the pain rather than alleviating it. Unless it kills them. And who wants to pay for the fix that kills somebody?

 

There was one woman I used to buy cider or lager for alongside a sandwich and some food for her dogs. But that was because she was so far gone she used to mentally lose the plot and become frightened and deranged as she sobered up. But to be quite honest she was the one person who

 

---------- Post added 17-10-2018 at 21:37 ----------

 

In all seriousness, if you saw money being handed over to a known drug user (especially given the backdrop of someone recently dying from a drug overdose in the local area) then the best thing to do would've been to call the police. Get the drug users off the streets, so they can't peddle their filthy wares.

 

Do you honestly think the police would come out for that? No waaaay.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
In all seriousness, if you saw money being handed over to a known drug user (especially given the backdrop of someone recently dying from a drug overdose in the local area) then the best thing to do would've been to call the police. Get the drug users off the streets, so they can't peddle their filthy wares.

 

I have done so on many occassions- descriptions, times, places- even names on one or two occassions. They're still there.

 

I know of many businesses in he city that have done the same. No action is taken. The police clearly have other priorities- hence why drug dealing is now so blatant in the city centre.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Has anyone any experience of Emmaus in Sheffield? Lots of us know about the Archer Project, Bens Centre, Roundabout, but I've seen no mention of Emmaus. They offer accommodation, support, training and work opportunities and there is a branch in Sheffield on Cadman Street. https://www.emmaus.org.uk

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It's that time of year again, time to start knitting.

 

I've plenty of wool so if anyone fancies rattling out some socks PM me I can post.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I have done so on many occassions- descriptions, times, places- even names on one or two occassions. They're still there.

 

I know of many businesses in he city that have done the same. No action is taken. The police clearly have other priorities- hence why drug dealing is now so blatant in the city centre.

 

Exactly we all see it happen. It happened so blatantly outside the Bankers Draft when I was passing through. Since the police have other priorities we need to stop them another way.

 

ie cut off their income stream by not giving money.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I saw a man on West Street about 5pm shouting at the top of his voice "Brexit" and "Free The People". He looked absolutely off his head. Then every few seconds he let out loud cat like noises.

 

Did anybody else see him?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That's what happens when you cut services for people that require help.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
That's what happens when you cut services for people that require help.

 

He might have been on drugs. What has that got to do with cutting services or is everybody who takes drugs a victim these days in looney left Sheffield?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.