The Rev. John Kavanaugh, who teaches ethics at Saint Louis University: “I’ve had people say, ‘I’m down and out, I just want to get some wine.’ I have no problem with that. If I have a buck, I’ll give it, and I just say, ‘I hope you can overcome this thing.’ But the best thing is to talk to the person. To be willing to have contact.”
John, currently homeless: “You asking the wrong person, ma’am, no disrespect. I don’t do that. ’Cause to me, it’s wrong. With all this help out here? All these social services? Some people do it just—”
Andre, also homeless: “Just to see if they can do it and get over. To me, you have got to have some respect for yourself.”
John: “Dignity. [He roughens his voice in mockery.] ‘Can you spare a quarter so I can get a beer?’ Well, I don’t drink… And you will have a major problem with me asking me for my money. See, you gotta have this wall up, ’cause when you see this person approaching you, you already know what’s going to happen. The average person that’s panhandling, it’s for drinks or drugs. It ain’t goin’ toward no rent, it ain’t goin’ toward no food, it ain’t buying no clothes or hygiene.”
Andre: “People give from generosity in their heart, just to help what they see of the person asking. Now, where he go, they don’t know, and they don’t really care.”
Jay Swoboda, founder of Whats Up Magazine, sold by the homeless: “Most folks are addressing their addiction. They’re holding a sign, ‘Will work for food,’ and you offer them work, and they say, ‘Screw you.’” Swoboda prefers the blunt sign, “Why lie? Need a beer.” “You have to use your common sense and seek authentic human interaction,” he says, “not just look for an easy out.”
John: “Or they give just to get that person out of their way. If I had money? First, I’m goin’ to take care of myself. The thing is keeping a roof over your head. And then I will give back. I’ll be glad to write a nice check to give to a church. I may even have a stipulation about how it’s spent.”
Mossa, newly arrived from Mali: “No, I do not do that. You are making people scared. Some people think that if you do that, you are going to aggress them.” Would he ask for his son’s sake? “No,” he says firmly, stroking the little boy’s close-cut hair. So does he ever give to panhandlers? “Yeah, I give. Because maybe not many people think the way I think. If people are asking for money, maybe they need it. I never say no. If I know you are going to use the money for drunk, I cannot give it to you.
But it’s hard to tell.”
Web Exclusive: Click HERE for a priest, a rabbi, and an activist's take on panhandilng.
