[Margaret M.]

Why don't people view the homeless as 'real' people? I was homeless by choice for years, and the level of rudeness I had to deal with was insane. I would try to ask the time and be told 'No, I don't have any.' I have learned more about psychology, sociology and philosophy from living on the street than I ever would have in school.

User Detail :  

Name : Margaret M., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 21, City : Greensboro, State : NC Country : United States, Occupation : receptionist and file clerk, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower class, 

[Frank E.]

There are several reasons people seem to be rude to homeless people. They are usually dirty, the emanating odor is almost always offensive, and by and large they don't normally ask for just the time. However, the biggest reason for rudeness is fear. Most people are afraid of street people and the homeless, and rightfully so. A large percentage of violence comes from the desperate 'I have nothing to lose' attitude. Anxious to get quickly away from possibly being physically accosted or verbally assaulted, most tend to be curt from fear. Unfortunately there are two other reasons as well. Sometimes the embarrassment of being associated with a 'lower' class of person will put the 'superior' class off, and they intend to be rude. But they are going to be that way with most of us of the 'lower' class. The other is the person who has been in precisely the same situation has now climbed the social ladder a notch or two and just has no patience for those less fortunate and is deliberately cruel. Who knows? They probably don't want to be reminded they were once in the same situation.

User Detail :  

Name : Frank E., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Other Pacific Islander, Religion : student, Age : 56, City : Fort Lauderdale, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : inventor, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

[John]

Without being overbearing about it, I think you must have been asking the wrong people. Your question reminds me of something that happened to me as I was parking my car on the way to church this morning. A man suddenly appeared at my open car window on this warm summer morning, startling me. In a deep Southern accent he said: 'I'm new in town. Could you tell me where I could get something to eat?' I told him that he should go into my church, and they would be able to direct him. He hesitated, saying, 'Those folks are gettin' ready to go to church on a Sunday mornin'. I don't want to bother them.' I got out of the car and said, 'It's no bother. If you want to follow me, I'll show you where to go.' As a Christian I could do no less. My one regret is that I didn't make an effort to get to know him a little bit by asking where he was from, how he got up to Iowa, and so on. But that is my failing and not his. In short, you've probably heard the phrase 'What would Jesus do?' so many times that it may seem like a cliche; but it's not a cliche to me. It's how I try to practice my faith.

User Detail :  

Name : John, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 49, City : Cedar Rapids, State : IA Country : United States, Occupation : nurse tech, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Jes]

I have seen a large handful of homeless people in my lifetime. I have always viewed them as human beings and nothing less. I don't know why some people act so rudely toward people who are homeless. Many people in this world feel the world revolves around them, or that they are more important or better than everyone else. I have so much compassion in the world for every living human, plant and animal. It hurts me to see people homeless, whether by choice or not. The only thing that bothers me is this: I saw a man in a suburb of Philadelphia searching for food in trash cans. He was very unkempt and had an obvious odor. It was still winter and my heart grew so sad. I had some fruit and some money that I tried to offer him, but he refused. This happened on another occasion. Every time I try to give someone food or money, they refuse. Why? Another thing that bothers me are the people who pose as homeless people. That happens a lot, too. Shame on them.

User Detail :  

Name : Jes, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 20, City : Morgantown, State : PA Country : United States, Occupation : military, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Rick]

Why, you ask? 99 times out of 100, when a homeless person approaches me on the street it's to beg for money. Homeless people usually smell bad and may be dirty. They also have higher rates of such diseases as tuberculosis. They are more likely to be mentally ill, making their behavior unpredictable. Having worked in a homeless shelter and currently having a job that takes me among the homeless almost daily, I've learned that the majority of them are able-bodied people who have chosen a life of substance abuse over one of stability and self-reliance. Most are out to manipulate the system and individuals to get everything they can without working or being responsible. People realize this and resent them. We're trying to have a society here!

User Detail :  

Name : Rick, Gender : M, City : Springfield, State : OH Country : United States, 

[Pam19465]

Imagine what this world would be like if everyone treated others with love and respect, regardless of their fortunes or misfortunes, cultural differences and beliefs.

User Detail :  

Name : Pam19465, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, City : Greenville, State : MS Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

[T-Arroyo19507]

Although I would not do that, many people are just fed up. They assume that you want money, goods, etc. If you were homeless by choice, good for you. As long as you did not expect others to just hand you things. In the past I have given homeless people food and seen them throw it away, had it thrown back at me, told that if I could not give money than never mind, etc. That has deturred from giving or even stopping. However,I find no reason to be rude.

User Detail :  

Name : T-Arroyo19507, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 23, City : Kansa City, State : MO Country : United States, Occupation : Managment, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Kel19604]

I agree with you that homeless people are actual people too. I don't like how non-homeless people treat homeless people like crap and like they don't exist. Some homeless people just aren't as fortunate as others, and some just can't help that they're homeless. Even people, like yourself that chose to be homeless shouldn't of had to deal with the rude, and cruel people out there that look down upon homeless people.

User Detail :  

Name : Kel19604, City : Fargo, State : ND Country : United States, 

[Christi19665]

Im walking home from working 12 hours standing on my feet and am walking to the el for my hour long commute home. A man sitting on the sidewalk asks for a cigarette...I tell him I dont have an extra...he calls me a b*tch. I no longer even respond to these people. People are used to hearing the same thing from outstretched hands on the sidewalk, after realizing you had asked for the time I would have stopped...but think to myself...where do you have to be? No where, I have to get home to get some sleep for work tomarrow, dont have time for this.

User Detail :  

Name : Christi19665, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 22, City : Philadelphia, State : PA Country : United States, Occupation : banker, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Ak28790]

I have been raised like this: Homeless PEOPLE are homeless because of their own actions , if they want a job they can go get one..there are places where you dont need an address to work..labor places and well most of them probably do drugs ..so when i start feeling bad when i see a homeless person that voice always comes into my mind and i dont know which one to listen to. i do sometimes give things to homeless people on the side of the roads , and then i think ..am i helping them out..or am i just fueling to the fire because they know they can probably just hang out with their sign and get donations and not have to go really find a way theirselves.

User Detail :  

Name : Ak28790, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 18, City : Portage, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : college, Social class : Lower class, 

[Alex28823]

I have particpated in events dealing with the homeless, and I still feel the same fear and awkwardness as if I was still seeing them on the street. From my own perspective, it is a combination of fear and awkwardness that drives me away. As with anything applicable to anyone's life, that which we do not know or understand tends to make us afraid, and the homeless are not an exception. It is my ignorance of the homeless that drives me to fear, and rather than dealing with the awkwardness of trying to get to know these individuals on a human level, I would rather avoid them altogether and deal with what is familiar to me.

User Detail :  

Name : Alex28823, Gender : M, City : San Ramon, State : CA Country : United States, 

[CraigMcLennan]

I as well have been homeless by choice for about a year. While I met many wonderful street people, the fact is that most of them ARE there by choice. That choice being not to better themselves. It's what you define as a choice that makes it or breaks it for me. I met people that had run on some hard luck and gotten evicted, or were kicked out of their house by parents/roommates, and didn't have any money to afford a new pad. Most of THESE people almost immediately became "unhomeless" again, as they could and were willing to work a job and not spend their earnings on drugs or booze. I met people that had run away from home for stupid, stupid reason. Almost every one of them was a 14 or 15-year-old girl that was using their homelessness as an escape from responsibility. There were a fe

User Detail :  

Name : CraigMcLennan, Gender : Male, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 21, City : Duncan, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : Student/sales associate, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

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