rendelharris Wrote: Couldn't agree more or have said it better .... ----------------------------------------------------- > Amazing how binary some people's view of the world > is. Giving money or goods to a person on the > street does not preclude giving money to or > volunteering for a charity, and I'm sure many > people on here do both (I claim no such thing for > myself, beyond buying him a sandwich a few years > ago I've had no interaction with this man). > > With this particular individual he has made it > clear that he chooses to reject institutional > help, so people aren't keeping him on the street > by giving him the occasional blanket or pot of > food; the accusations that they're "keeping him > out there" and are likely to kill him are > ridiculous, he'd be out there anyway - quite > possibly they've kept him alive. > > All this guff about intruding into his life by > having a thread on here is tiresome. It seems > clear from what many have said that he welcomes > the attention, and he himself agreed to have his > plight publicized in London's biggest newspaper, > so let's give up on the "cyberstalking" and > "shoving yourself into his life" accusations, > shall we? > > I find it really depressing, in a world full of > selfishness and greed, that when people try to do > a little something for a fellow human being others > leap for their high horse to tell them they're > doing it the wrong way, or being patronizing, or > only doing it for their own ego, yadayadayada. > Maybe all those things are true, maybe not, but > they're still trying to do some good. Perhaps > everyone should only give money to established > charities, and when someone like this guy who > won't take help from them dies of pneumonia which > maybe could have been avoided if someone had taken > him a spare blanket or the occasional bit of hot > food we can all give ourselves a pat on the back > and say we did the approved thing. > > If I'm ever unfortunate enough to find myself in > Paddy's position I hope I receive the goodwill, > kindness and concern others have shown for him, > and I won't question their motives or ask them why > they're not giving through properly regulated > institutions, I'd just be glad of it.