I was driving home last night and I saw a homeless dude asleep under a bridge and not even doing a good job of getting cash for himself.
KC and other downtown interests have declared war on these folks and hired a few menial laborers to occupy the prime begging spots during the day but there's no way they could ever run all of the homeless off at night.
Looking at this poor guy asleep on the street I almost felt bad for taking his image which is probably the only thing he has left.
Thinking about his predicament, how someone fell through the cracks in KC and is pretty much hopeless, inspired a strange bit of hatred for Kansas City politicos and all variety of careerists who claim an interest in this town. Looking at this dude on the street I realize that KC's chattering classes don't talk to these people because there's nothing to be gained from a conversation.
Watching the guy for just a few seconds made me realize that pretty much every politico in this town, especially the Mayor, is worthless and they're only involved in this community for their own benefit.
Did you know the "paper of record" hasn't had a poverty reporter for years?
Murders on the Eastside aren't mourned, they're simply counted . . . And homeless people in KC are regarded as nothing more than a "visual blight" problem with little concern for their well-being.
Political correctness, special interests and general apathy by the voting public have created a crop of some of the worst Kansas City politicos in a more than a generation . . . Really, I was thinking that most local elected officials aren't even worthy of scorn . . . They're mostly just a disappointment.
Who knows, maybe a few politicos in this town start out with a genuine interest in representing their constituents or (God forbid) helping the less fortunate without a clear reward . . . But in the long run so many in this town find themselves powerless to do anything but help themselves and after awhile that becomes their priority. For just a second last night I realized that most (if not all) of Kansas City's powerful and elite are some of the most self-serving and despicable people in this town and their meaningless rhetoric is a cruel joke played on the rest of the populace left to fend for themselves or die in the street.
geez, that's a shitty morning thought T.
ReplyDeleteFirst post you have ever made that is 100% correct.
ReplyDeleteDon't blame the mayor... blame that guys parents.
ReplyDeleteSo we are to believe that tossing that guy under the bridge $1000 in "free" government cheese will get him off the street? Good gawd you're naive. He'll be back under the bridge the next day.
ReplyDeleteSo did you just take a photo and then leave or did you help out the guy by buying him dinner or giving him a couple bucks?
ReplyDeleteI have no pity for him or his pals at all. There are plenty of ways these people can get assistance. If they don't want it and prefer to sleep under bridges and beg, that's their problem.
ReplyDeleteLooks like that guy just likes drugs and booze more than working.
ReplyDeleteSo your solution to the problem is....?
ReplyDeleteLike so many of the issues you raise here you have no solutions, only complaints about others not doing what YOU think they should be doing.
Which makes you fairly useless.
Did you at least pay him for his picture before YOU USED HIM.
ReplyDeleteDon't be a fucking retard, this is a blog not National Geographic. That sleeping bum was hardly USED.
ReplyDeleteNumb nnuts.
So you used this homeless guy to make a point about KC politics, and did nothing to help him out? Class act you are.
ReplyDeleteTony, the problem is looking at you in the mirror. Either help people out, or keep your piehole shut.
Oh Tony his mom's house doesn't have a basement for him to live in.
ReplyDeleteYour blame is misdirected. As someone who has sat on boards and attended meeting after meeting about how to "solve" the homeless problems in Kansas City it became abundantly apparent that those who provide homeless services are only there to support their own cause. They've come to the realization that if they actually solve homelessness they'll be out of a job! Therefore, nothing is going to change.
ReplyDeleteHear, hear!
ReplyDeletehay guys, that's Tony with a tripod
ReplyDeleteTony, man, ease up on Kansas City, will you?
ReplyDeleteIf this were an easy problem to solve, all the cities in the country would have glommed on to it.
Rather than just complain, why don't you take some time, give it some thought and propose some good solutions?
It's a heck of a lot easier to just complain from the sidelines than to actually do something about it.
What, other than this picture and writing, have you done for the homeless lately?
Solutions aren't easy--or cheap.
From a guy mostly on your side (except the complaining and sexist side).
Tony I like that you took this photo and made the post. Nobody ever talks about homelessness in KC.
ReplyDelete10 AM has the best point on this blog.
ReplyDeleteNice pic of Radioman. He must use the computer at the public library to post his garbage.
ReplyDeletebwahahahahahahahahahaha!
ReplyDeleteHold on... I travel all over the city every day and I've seen most of these characters. They're the same ones from day to day. They work the corners in shifts and have parties under bridges.
ReplyDeleteMost of them have an addiction of some kind or another.
I felt a little sorry for them too, but I couldn't afford to hand out money every time I came across them, and I felt like a goon giving them a few cold chicken nuggets or a few Salsa Combos, so I bought a carton of cigs, and I started handing out two to every guy I came across.
They always told me that cigs were better than money. I'm not saying you shouldn't feel sorry for these guys or that they don't need help, but remember that most of them are in that situation because they'd rather work an ocasional day labor job, take advantage of charity, and then take a six day vacation to smoke some crack with their buddies under a bridge.
elBryan, you make a great point. While I'm positive some of the people truly are down on their luck and doing what they feel is the last resort. On the other hand, I've also spoken with a few who claim to make a great living begging for money-so, the question is, how do you know which ones to help, and which ones to ignore? I remember a story awhile back about a man arrested in Atlanta for panhandlinh, and he had over $3,000 on him at the time of his arrest. He claimed the money to be his take for the past five days of his panhandling-not a bad living-especially considering its a bit more than I make in five days-and tax free at that!
ReplyDeleteI give 'em a couple of bucks whenever I can swing it. It's the Christian thing to do and I'm reminded of His words "Whatsoever you do for the least of these..." .
ReplyDeleteIt's not for me to worry about whether he'll buy Muscatel or McDonald's with it; only to see that he can get something to eat of he so chooses. This isn't 'government' or the mayor's job, Tony. It's yours & mine.
Lighten up, people. Winter's comnin' on- these folks will need a hand and a warm place to sleep. Help a brother or sister out if you get a chance.
01:07 is mostly right, but giving them a few dollars helps them LESS than The City Union Mission or The Salvation Army. The city kicked these guys off the street corners in Downtown and the Plaza with the idea of encouraging people to support those organizations.
ReplyDeleteThe homeless have moved to a lot of obscure intersections close to residential areas now... I don't come across them quite as frequently, but they're still out there.
Like I said, most of them are elated when I give them a few smokes, and many tell me it's better than money. Sure, these guys could use a place to sleep, but really, most of them are just professional campers.
"Like so many of the issues you raise here you have no solutions, only complaints about others not doing what YOU think they should be doing.
ReplyDeleteWhich makes you fairly useless."
A-fucking-men. Notice Tony didn't answer the question about whether he helped the dude out with a few bucks and/or some food or just snapped his picture and left? I think we all know the answer to that one.
Tony, unless your big epiphany convinced you to stop spewing hate, nastiness and negativity from your mom's basement and to grow the fuck up and become a tax-paying member of society (and maybe pay off the judgment you owe) then it's worthless. Like you.
If you fools really want to "help" those people on street corners get what they want, just give them a bag of crack or a bottle of liquor. You'll eliminate the middle man and they won't have to leave their corner to get drunk.
ReplyDeleteI have worked in KC for years and have seen the same people the same places every single day. Don't tell me they're just down on their luck.
Why do you people enable addiction like this? Do you give them money to make yourselves feel better? Do you do it out of guilt? Maybe you don't spend enough time with your kids. Maybe you have a horrible marriage. Maybe your wife left you. Is this some feel good thing?
Whatever it is, you're not helping them. You are however supporting the liquor and tobacco industry.
Unshaven, obnoxious, no job..
ReplyDeleteNo room in your moms basement for him?
No difference between this guy and Tony except that that guy obviously doesn't have a mother who coddles his ass by providing free shelter.
ReplyDeleteYou were driving home? What car were you driving, since you don't own one? Or do you use mommy's car too?
ReplyDelete