Obama Care

[Beemnseven]

Case in point on the poor -- anecdotal, I know, but it's worth mentioning.

There's a homeless person that hangs around the area in which I live. He has a dog and a bicycle and has the familiar sign which reads: "Homeless. Need work. God Bless." So he stands around at red lights, and inevitably someone will roll down their window and give him a few bucks.

I've seen this guy for at least three years -- the amount of time I've lived in this area. Every now and then, someone will approach this person, talk to him for a few minutes and hand him a business card, or maybe it's just some way to contact them.

So the other day I'm in the grocery store getting some things for lunch and the homeless guy walks in. He walks in, and comes back to the clerk in less than a minute (I'm still in the 20 items or more lane). So what is he purchasing?

A twelve-pack of Natural Light.

I guess he has to buy food at some point, so the money that people are giving him do help out. But I can't help wondering, in all the time he's been carrying that sign, no one has ever offered him work? I know of churches that will take these people in, clean them up, give them food, and provide odd jobs to give them some money to get on their feet. There are numerous charities that do this.

But what's the one thing that has to happen for that to work? Initiative. That's right -- the homeless person has to want to do it. They have to want a better life for themselves. Many times they don't want the help. I think they actually prefer the life they have. No place they have to be, and an endless supply of people who have some pity who can provide just enough money for beer. Now, the government could throw gobs of cash at these people if it wanted to -- but the question is what would they do with it?

Sometimes you actually have to reach for the helping hand.