I started writing this long rant debunking every single point that people make about why it’s bad to give money to homeless people, and I just got really fucking sad that I felt it was necessary.

The other day I gave a $10 bill to a guy who panhandles downtown near the ferry terminal. I don’t think he is trying to scam anyone. I’ve been targeted by scammers on the street before, and usually they walk around telling everyone a really long story about a family emergency that they need to buy a bus ticket out of town for. They do not typically sit down with a Tim’s cup and a cardboard sign hoping people will give them some change.

What’s the real reason why you are so uncomfortable with seeing this sort of poverty? Is it because deep down you know that it doesn’t need to exist in a country like Canada? Is it because you know that you’re one bad injury or serious illness away from being housing insecure yourself? The people who are profiting off of the sales of the Tim’s cups that so many homeless people use to collect change have been allowed (for some reason) to hoard more wealth than they and their children and their children’s children will ever be able to spend in their lifetimes. And here we are squabbling amongst ourselves, being shitty to people who do not have homes or enough food to eat. Shame on us.
—Eat the Rich