A letter to the Editor

[BITEME]

I like to write letters to the Editor of Oakvilles news paper

Its been about 2 years since the last, had lots of ideas but no time

last night I found time

Enjoy

 

Good Day Faithful Readers

It’s been awhile since I have laid in a good rant but the seal is broken and this is going to be a face burner.

I have noticed over the last couple of years at the Trafalgar QEW exit area, a growing number of panhandlers walking the exits with poor little me signs. The disturbing thing that I find is this; most are between the ages of 18 and 30 all appear to be very healthy and reasonably well dressed. Why are you standing on a corner bumming money????? The amount of time you take standing at said areas you could walk down to the employment office and get a JOB yes that’s right a JOB. It may not be in the income range you are looking for or think you are worth but a JOB it will be. Wait one before you go off on not having any experience, I can guarantee you won’t get any standing on a corner. It is quite possible it won’t pay the rent but it will feed you and you will be doing your part for society and paying your way. I really don’t care what kind of excuse you have for not seeking employment as far as I’m concerned it’s lame only you can make changes that affected you in the past if that is actually the case. If you’re healthy and upright get your backside of the corner and work.

Another strange thing I have noticed is that they all seem to have the same sign maybe its some kind of panhandler association.

You expect me to feel sorry and contribute I got news for you your going to get the same thing every time the 1 finger salute.

Why are we not doing something about this I’m getting pretty tired of seeing this after slugging my backside all day. Does Oakville not have some kind of Bylaw about this? They seem to have every other base covered.

 

 

GET A JOB!!!!!!!!

Peter D Fairweather

[yellowboat]

Excellent

[Raf]

Poor old suburbia facing a big city problem. Sorry, the tears are not coming Pete.

 

Panhandling earns them more than a job at Walmart or Rotten Ronnies.

[snag]

Both city and suburbia should be free of (poser suburban bred punk) panhandlers.

 

My cousin is disabled and it burns me and her to see these idiots take physical aptitude for granted.

 

Most do not have a mental disability either.

[tonyb]

...What Raf said...

 

Don't you remember that story of the lady who faked being ill in downtown T.O. to panhandle, and then she would drive away in her BMW?

 

Tony

[BITEME]

GET A JOB!!!!!!

[Fisherman]

No doubt a good one, but, maybe we should lay some of the blame on the bleeding twits that keep feeding them the change, just like feeding the wildlife, DON'T, because they become reliant on society for handouts.

[lew]

I agree with you 100% Pete, but at least you get to yell at them face to face.

 

Here in the Smoke, their all laying on the sidewalks reaching up for $$$$ so we have to bend way down to tell them to get off their lazy azz butts and earn their measly keep.

 

The worst ones though, are the ones that sleep in the bus shelters, so when all the ladies are heading to work in the morning to earn some honest cash, they have to stand out in the cold & rain cause their too scared to stand in the shelter.

 

Yup, it's gettin to be a huge problem everywhere.

 

Hope your letter does some good !!

[irishfield]

When I went to school, in TO, it was the 7' 6" Native that stood across from the Eaton's Center and would mumble "how" at you to panhandle for money. About 10 years later I saw a piece on him on 20/20 or 60 minutes and he lived in a Penthouse unit at Bloor and Young.

 

The kids doing the off ramps are making good money. Kid in North Bay was doing it at #11 and the Sears mall. He was making $15/hr and it all tax free as it's a "gift". If he was washing your windows it's taxable as he's providing a service....

 

But you're right Peter...get a job and support our tax system..LOL

Edited June 1, 2007 by irishfield

[ccmtcanada]

There was a "regular" who panhandled near my office at the corner of Yonge and Eglinton. A friend of mine happened to be on the same subway as him at the end of a day. He got off at the same stop...got into his BMW and left. Hmmm...

 

At the same time, you hear stories of people the system forgot...the truly homeless who need a little help helping themselves out of a funk.

 

Hard call to generalize everyone...we dont know their situation...how they got there, what obstacles they faced if they tried to get out of their situation, their mental state etc.... I suppose unless you've been there, you cant really relate.

[BITEME]

not generalizing just observation of what I saw so far i am sympathatic to those that truly need I am way opposed to scammers and thats what this is about

[ccmtcanada]

not generalizing just observation of what I saw so far i am sympathatic to those that truly need I am way opposed to scammers and thats what this is about

 

I agree with you on the scammers...sorry I missed the point!

[kennyman]

We're slowly turning into the US. Toronto is the only Canadian city I can think of with the nasty US style crime. It's scary and growing exponentially. . As Toronto spreads out so does the crime. Makes me want to get even further away. I saw an obviously drug addicted kid in Brooklyn on the entrance to a highway with a sign that said "Help I'm HIV positive". Should have said "Help me buy crack".

[MJL]

I see panhandlers begging for change all the time by the TTC stations. What ticks me are the ones who smoke packs upon packs of cigarettes at the corner while sitting on their @$$ begging for change...If you're at the bottom of society's food chain, the least you can do is get your priorities in check. If you have enough $ for cigarettes or booze, you don't need my change.

[Headhunter]

I've worked at the north tower of the Eaton Centre for the last four years... it is definately getting worse! There are so many scams going on around here, mostly targeting tourists and young people who just want to go buy something at the Eaton Centre, only to be accosted upon arrival!

There is no political will to do anything about it... there's no money in it for the government!

HH

[bowshep]

Well can we get a group of them so we can pay them to releave our frustrations and beat them or instead of spending money at a Gym hand one 10 bucks and kick him in the ass and have them chase you the running you will be doing would be good for you. So its a win win they get thier money and you stay in shape. Peace Ken

Ps sorry for the people that were forced to live like that and the rest of them l have 10 bucks

Edited June 1, 2007 by bowshep

[oxcowboy]

i have a buddy that works in the lumber buisness in west virginia, he was on his lunch break and seen a guy panhandling on the street, he stopped and told the guy he would buy his lunch and give him a job at the mill and pay him daily. the guy just laughed and said i dont think so, im doing fine right here. im not saying all are like that, but many just want the hand out. i went to a NFL game in cincinati, and seen a guy with a sign that stated " I WONT LIE, I WANT BEER MONEY" he did pretty well for his honesty, many just laughed and gave up a buck or two. sad world we live in.

 

jason

[snoil]

I've seen them as well @ QEW and Trafalgar and what burns me even more is when they have a dog with them! If you can't support yourself how the hell can you afford a dog?

[Joey]

My son just recently started working downtown and had never had experience with panhandlers before. Now, every time he comes out of the Tim Hortons, where he goes on his break, they horde him, and he generally says no, sorry, no change. The other day he told me this one girl kept bugging him so he gave her 30 cents. She said "is that all you have?" to which he replied "yes." Then she said "Are you sure that's all you have" and he said "yes, that's all I have." She then said "Your Pathetic!!!"

 

He said he just chuckled. Here he is in his Dominion uniform, working 40 hours a week and she's begging in the parking lot of the Tim Hortons and she calls him pathetic!!! No more change for anyone he says now.

 

Joey

[Gerritt]

I WILL NOT give money. I have no problem buying them a sandwich if they are hungry, or a coffee from time to time if it is cold out. But I will never offer up cash.. Helps to weed out the people that really need a helping hand vs. those that are looking for their next fix etc..

 

more then a couple of times I have seen guys eating out of the trash and I offered my services at that point..

 

Some sad cases out there for sure.

 

Gerritt.

[Deano]

The thing is they learn young from schools, scouts, hockey and other things. You can't go to the mall or any store without seeing these kids with there parents trying to raise money for one thing or another. If the kids in hockey, his parents should have enoygh money to send them to play games, or on a trip or whatever. It's seems it's OK to teach kids to beg (I mean raise "money") for privileges, but not good for the hungry ones. Kind of mixed messages if youask me.

[BITEME]

an add in

 

 

Rule 1: Life is not fair get used to it!

 

Rule 2: The world wont care about your self-esteem.? The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

 

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You wont be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

 

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you get a boss.

 

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping they called it opportunity.

 

Rule 6: If you mess up, its not your parents fault, so dont whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

 

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents werent as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

 

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has NOT. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and theyll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn?t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

 

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You dont get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

 

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

[SlowPoke]

Hey Pete, do you remember "The Mayor of Bronte"?

I think you're old enough.... in fact I think I went to school with you.. QE Park

[BITEME]

Bill Mayberry

Yes I went to QE park 79 - 83

[Roy]

You did it in 4 years Pete? I'm impressed!