Comments about ‘Beggars have plenty of choices’

I seem to recall a time when the City or the Chamber of Commerce or some other similar agency freely printed and provided cards that detailed the services mentioned in the article and were intended to be given to pan handlers.

If that has been discontinued I would think it's a good thing to reinstate.

I just returned from the Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego, where there is apparently no ordinance against begging, sleeping or urinating on the streets. The vacation was memorable in several positive ways, but the constant presence of these folks, and some of them were aggressive, was something I would not want associated with Salt Lake City. I felt bad for them, but repulsed when one of them berated my reluctance to give him money for a backpack as he smoked in my face. I thought he should smoke less, save the money and go to the AMVETS store and get his own backpack. I know we ought not to second guess others, but as the article points out, there are options. Even in San Diego.

I would like to ask why you didn’t sit down and have a meal with these people and ask them about the food they were given. Also I would have liked you to ask them how often they eat there and if they would like to eat somewhere else. Many have these choices each day. These people do not. I would have liked to know how you would have rated the quality of food. Did you go back into the kitchen and ask how old the food was? Where it came from? Do you really think the homeless people didn’t notice you standing there watching them? I’m sure they did. How would this make you feel?

Try asking for a place to sleep on a cold winter night.

Try asking the clinic what they could do for you if you had cancer or some degenerative disease.

Try asking one of the dedicated staff at any of these wonderful places whether they feel like the services they're providing are "abundant" when compared to the needs of the people they're serving.

Try asking one of the people receiving those services whether they're enough to allow them to get by without panhandling.

Try asking them if they believe this new ordinance will be enforced in a fair way.

This article was so superficial, it feels like you chose your conclusion before you even started your research.

Thank you for your report on the homless,A good precentance of the people collect food stamps ssi ssda unemploymnet.They camp out all over town mess up the fields break into abondone homes.they live in subsiize housint such as Palmer court new grand ect.All they do is due drugs alchol abuse ect.all the city has done is to move these people to sun set apts at low rent. they have free rent ect.plus charge prople to stay with them.they are homeless people who you try to help and they will rip you offf,a lot are colledtion lunemplyment from the temp services.Ane not even looking for work.they sell food stamps at ajs market on main street for cigs ect.trade food stamps for drugs check out that on the 5 and the 15 ...Maybe these prople should have to take drugs alchols tests to get these benefits. Maybe these men should have to pay for the kids they produce.maybe a law should be if your pregnant you have to give the fathers name. if you want come sit and watch in my front yard and watch as they to go detox/