True Charity in San Pedro: Protesting Hand-outs

San Pedro demonstrators discourage homeless handouts

Members of the Save San Pedro community ask that people not give money to homeless people during protest at Gaffey St. and 110 freeway offramp Wednesday October 28, 2015. (Robert Casillas / Staff Photographer) 

POSTED: 10/28/15, 7:16 PM PDT | UPDATED: 6 DAYS AGO

2 COMMENTS

Demonstrators took to the streets at rush-hour Wednesday, telling motorists to forego giving money to panhandlers and, instead, donate money to Harbor Interfaith Services or other agencies that provide more permanent help to the homeless. The demonstration was staged near the end of the 110 Freeway at Gaffey Street, a frequent post for panhandlers.

This photograph demonstrates true charity.

Hand-outs to the homeless only enable the grimy homelessness and the dysfunctions associated with it.

If a human being cannot hold down a job and provide for himself, he struggles with something more serious than a lack of food.

The rising number of mentally ill on Los Angeles streets has gotten larger, and thus the growing number of homeless people on LA streets. How many homeless people in San Pedro have ended up poor because it has become more convenient, too easy to stay impoverished and dependent on the "kindness" of strangers.

A local church display warning signs to Harbor area migrants, informing them that ongoing churlish behavior would force the church to close down their food program.

True charity must begin with treating the real problems afflicting homeless people. There is more at stake, there are greater issues to face causing homelessness than the lack of food or even money.

It's time to stop enabling dependence and prolonging homelessness with handouts. I applaud these San Pedrans for protesting against the faux-charity which has caused more harm than good.