“Remember you don’t really own anything you can’t carry at a dead run” - Trent the Uncatchable from Daniel Keys Moran’s SF books.
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I reply in disgust because I have actually been homeless.
My homelessness was a lifestyle choice in the sense that the alternative was death by violent abuse.
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Because the conditions are somewhat different, there is a real possibility that the American homeless are bigger on solidarity, but at least German homeless are often caught up in rather vicious turf wars and other homeless people are probably their prime threat. That’s also a factor in why the acceptance of shelters is so limited.
as a wise guitar once said “arm the homeless”
Handing out baloney sandwiches and cups of soup might count as “addressing” homelessness, but it’s not doing anything to reduce it. Applying band-aids doesn’t do much good when you’re still being stabbed repeatedly. California is a little better than most other states, but you are vastly overestimating the meager programs available in this country.
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No way!
Trump is the guy who really gets poverty - he’ll fix it good!
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Such a ‘Christian’ nation we live in…
Jesus wept.
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I’m disappointed in BoingBoing for not disappointing enough people.
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It’s well established that homelessness is more expensive for society than providing needs directly.
Unfortunately we are so invested in a particular worldview that we cannot stop it.
Ending (most) homelessness is well within our means, but societally we are psychologically averse to giving in that way.
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No one has brought up Salt Lake City’s solution: If you give housing to the homeless, they’re not homeless anymore. It’s more cost effective, and the ethical choice.
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No, I don’t complain about the homeless in my city. I treat them with compassion and help where I can. Why would I complain that other human beings are an eyesore. That would be a shitty thing to do. And no, homelessness might be a choice for some, but not for many, many others.
For someone accusing others of leaping to conclusions, you seem to be leaping to a fair amount of conclusions.
Go troll elsewhere, will you. The adults are talking here.
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No see, that’s technically a gremlin. Oh, sorry, thought I was in the pedant thread. Carry on…
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One could also argue that all choices should only be made by rational actors. What do you do with irrational actors be it for five minutes, five years, or their life? What do you do with rational actors that have to flee from irrational ones?
My choice is I like people. And I will be on the side of compassion, not judgement.
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See, I actually think gremlins are a better fit to this dynamic. Here’s my case:
- They seem harmless at first.
- When you feed them, they become trouble.
- They multiply rapidly.
- They break everything (i.e. the thread, the conversation, the solid exchange of ideas.)
- The only way to get rid of them is to lure them to a spot where they can all feel comfortable congregating (think r/fatpeoplehate) and blowing it the fuck up.
None of this is canonical for trollies.
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I have to admit I get pretty annoyed seeing all those homeless driving by in their “Landrover”. Where did they get it? And how do they all fit in? And don’t they ever polish it?
But never mind. I’d like to welcome you and your straw man collection to BoingBoing. Drop by any time you have a point to make.
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If you are feeling grammatically pedantic, may I invite you to feast on the banquet offered by @David_Driscoll 's posts.
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…and the generosity of the entire community around. 
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Oddly enough, I somewhat resemble that remark, (Range Rover, social causes etc).
Except that whenever I stop for a light and somebody is there panhandling I look them in the eye and smile and engage in respectable conversation with them as fellow human beings. (If I see them in passing I just wave, hardly anyone else seems to.)
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