is it politically incorrect

[snorky]

to point out that the Skaghead beggars who hang outside Somerfirlds have a shift system going and when off duty , switch back on their mobile phones ?

[bald marauder]

Probably.

I think it's nigh on impossible to discern the 'deserving' from the 'undeserving' (and from a truly compassionate persepctive I'm not sure that such a person really exists). Of course, no-one should feel obliged to give money if they don't want to/can't afford to, but doesn't it ever cross your mind that "there but for the grace of god..."?

[dulwichmum]

Yes Mr Bald Marauder,

there for the grace of God go I. Please Mr Snorky - don't refer to anyone as Skagheads.

[Ant]

DM, I find it nigh on impossible to imagine you destitute and begging - skagheaded, bescarved and baby-borrowing or otherwise.

[dulwichmum]

Dear Mr Ant,

I find it impossible to imagine too!

Have you seen the size of recent divorce settlements? If James ever tried to leave me with his pots of cash - perhaps he would end up destitute, but not me, dear heart, not me! (Te he). It is just as well I love him so much really.

[Ant]

Unless he takes a leaf from Wossissname Abramovich's book and goes for a Russian divorce. Cheap at half the price, apparently.

[fish]

Save all the hassle and don't get married in the first place.

[dulwichmum]

Dear Mr Fish,

Clearly you are a man, and have no understanding of the value of diamonds!

Why else do you think a woman would go through the pain of childbirth? Men who are married live longer, have nicer supper's and have substantially more attractive and cleaner homes than men who are not. Why if it was not for the jewellery - I don't imagine many women would be prepared to take on a man. It is such a laborious task!

[ratty]

Have you seen the price of Skag these days? It's exorbitant! No honestly, it is, let's say you are using say 15 times per day, then that's probably gonna take about 5 bags. Now these bags in South London are not cheap - not like in the west end where you can get some shit gear for a tenner. Oh no, these bags are gonna set you back about 15 sheets. So that's ?75 before you've even started sharing it with ya mates! ?75 a day aint easy to find ya know. Then, you gotta get hold of some white.. basically no one takes brown on it's own any more - tsch - get with the times, and your white is gonna cost pretty much the same - unless you go down Brixton, but that's such a pain in the arse and you know you'd get ripped anyway!

So ya white's costing ?75 as well! Jeeees! That's a lot of beggin outside Somerfields, tell ya what, you're better of selling a little gear too just to make up the cash! What - ya need a mobile phone for selling? Pay as ya go? Oh Yeah!

SO let's not slate the unfortunates that have to do a little begging to feed their habits!

Let's change the drug laws instead eh?

Oh and there is nothing wrong with the term Skaghead except that it went out with the ark! Baghead is much more appropriate nowadays!

[Keef]

How on earth do you know all this?!?!? Are you a dealer? ;-)

[spadetownboy]

yeh skaghead is so yesterday,hows about ,dirty,thieving,scabby,hepatitis,hiv ridden scumbags.rolls off the tongue.

[snorky]

Oof. What have I started here ?

I realise that Skaghead has too much baggage attached - Brookside/ Derek Hatton/Scousers/ Yozza/ thieving/ slums/Dockers etc .

[bald marauder]

I just saw a woman selling the big issue outside Somerfield, wearing some religious headgear (not the full veil), who unless she is a master of disguise doesn't look like she's even heard of the term skaghead/baghead - and thinks white and brown are terms applied mainly to rice, bread and sugar. We should be careful not to taint people's reputations by casting unfounded and ambiguous aspersions.

DM, before you get in with your own ambiguous, toungue in cheek little witty riposte, I'd like to point out that I'm not some hair shirt-wearing, apologist - I just think sometimes compassion and mockery make uneasy bedfellows.

OK, down off my high horse now, and realise that this thread wasn't intended to be so 'heavy'

[Keef]

I know what you're saying, but selling the Big Issue is miles apart from begging!

[snorky]

nah, its not her anyway - she straight - its the "informals" that lurk in the shadows that im dissin'

[bald marauder]

OK, I guess I don't look hard enough into the shadows...will keep my eyes open next time!

[snorky]

Anyway, I have been "approached" in a footpad stylee by a brace of beggars in the early hours of the morning on LL and had I not been a strapping fellow/gal with a sharp tongue , I could well have been somewhat intimidated - I depatched them with minimum of fuss - the girl was in a bad way - "nodding" as William Burroughs would have noted - they then went onto the famous *it shall not be named * petrol emporium and began to harass some poor sap who was trying to pay for his fuel.

beware.

[ratty]

I know some of the beggars because I have worked with them, I know the drug scene because I have worked in the homelessness / drug and alcohol field for 10 years.

I also know that using the term "dirty,thieving,scabby,hepatitis,hiv ridden scumbags" is extremely offensive, elitist and downright ignorant! Perhaps you'd like to go and talk loudly about it in the Bishop with the rest of the opinionated loud mouths? >:D<

[charlottekb]

Liking what you have to say Ratty...makes a change to have someone with a bit of knowledge instead of just an opinion based on nothing other than their own snobby values. What next? Calling them plebs???

[Huguenot]

Well, strictly speaking of course, pleb is higher than prole and only one below the aristocracy. One shouldn't knock it.

To be pedantic, Snorks seems to be suggesting that these chaps are indeed plebs masquerading as unemployable proles.

[snorky]

Huguenot Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> >

> To be pedantic, Snorks seems to be suggesting that

> these chaps are indeed plebs masquerading as

> unemployable proles.

I am ?

[spadetownboy]

drug use and crime rates direct correlation, scabby arms,necks,groins,legs,feet from injecting,increased risk of hepatitis/hiv from injecting/sharing equipment,i suppose as someone who also works in the field of substance misuse i was a bit harsh also using the term scumbag. you live and learn.

[fish]

The 'top men' are getting richer, the addicts getting poorer - the grave yards getting fuller.

[Domitianus]

I wonder if people would care to read the Sherlock Holmes story - "The Man With the Twisted Lip". There is method in my madness.

[mockney piers]

Actually as a teen pals and I were prone to the occasional use of laudanum drenched tobacco.

I'm glad to see I'm in such literary company, and I turned out alright in the end.*

*debatable on that last point obviously