NYPD Cop's act of kindness...

[+ beethoven]

While I was touched and impressed by the police officer's kind gesture, which was made with the noblest motives, I'm not surprised to learn that the homeless man has a family who has been trying to help him, or to learn that, as CNN reports, he is now shoeless again. The original NY Times story the other day mentioned a woman who had bought him shoes several weeks ago, and then saw him shoeless before officer DePrimo bought him another pair. I'm sure he sold the shoes (now twice) in order to buy something that he considered more important to him.

As bigvalboy writes, this is a very complicated issue. One way in which I try to help is to contribute to the Doe Fund in New York, which provides employment for people, teaches them to maintain a work ethic, and tries to get them back to society as useful and fulfilled individuals.

[Xander]

While I was touched and impressed by the police officer's kind gesture, which was made with the noblest motives, I'm not surprised to learn that the homeless man has a family who has been trying to help him, or to learn that, as CNN reports, he is now shoeless again. The original NY Times story the other day mentioned a woman who had bought him shoes several weeks ago, and then saw him shoeless before officer DePrimo bought him another pair. I'm sure he sold the shoes (now twice) in order to buy something that he considered more important to him.

As bigvalboy writes, this is a very complicated issue. One way in which I try to help is to contribute to the Doe Fund in New York, which provides employment for people, teaches them to maintain a work ethic, and tries to get them back to society as useful and fulfilled individuals.

 

I was grocery shopping last week, and on the way out a homeless man asked me for money for food. I handed him a grocery bag of very good food and sent him on his way. He stared at me, started to cry and put the bag back in my shopping cart and told me that he didn't want it.

 

OH WELL.

[+ Lucky]

Homelessness is often the result of an illness wherein the person cannot function in society. All the good will and all the good programs cannot change this. Either we go pre-Reagan and lock them back up in mental hospitals, or we do our best to ease their way without expecting real results.

[josephga]

there use too be a guy in my old complex that became homeless I would never give him money id buy him a meal from burger king every few weeks. he had a drinking problem and i knew where any money he got would go.

[+ Tom Isern]

while i don't want in any way to detract from this officer's kind act, i want to say what nobody has said, and oscar wilde did say: "The proper aim is to try and reconstruct society on such a basis that poverty will be impossible." people who are engaged in THAT activity are my heros. the problem with random acts of kindness is that we get to see ourselves in them, and then think/assume that everything is good, because there "really are" (see!!) good people in the world. look at this great man! this blinds us to the real structural inequalities that our highly-problematic economic structure creates—yes folks, homelessness, hunger, and poverty are evils. and just because they are worse in other parts of the globe does not make then any less evil in america. as wilde pointed out a long time ago, "The problem with altruistic virtues" is that they "prevented the carrying out of this aim [reconstructing society]."

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/03/nyregion/barefoot-homeless-man-says-hes-grateful-for-boots.html

[bigvalboy]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/03/nyregion/barefoot-homeless-man-says-hes-grateful-for-boots.html

 

Good post Tom. This article speaks to the greater issue at hand. The officers story made us all feel better about ourselves, but in the end the greater need goes unanswered. Knowing this forum as I do, I will clarify my point, do not think for a moment I do not appreciate or applaud the kindness of that officer, but the problem with homelessness, is a complex issue for society at large. As you point out in a previous quote from Oscar Wilde, "The proper aim is to try and reconstruct society on a such a basis that poverty will be impossible."

 

I appreciate your thoughtful posts...

[edjames]

Incredibly, Jeffrey Hillman is shoeless AGAIN!!!

 

Recently spotted at 79th St and Broadway, observers say he is not wearing shoes. Jeffrey says people want to steal them, so he's hid them.

 

NYTimes has this to say today...

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/03/nyregion/barefoot-homeless-man-says-hes-grateful-for-boots.html?_r=0

[Nvr2Thick]

Homelessness is often the result of an illness wherein the person cannot function in society. All the good will and all the good programs cannot change this. Either we go pre-Reagan and lock them back up in mental hospitals, or we do our best to ease their way without expecting real results.

 

http://www.gladwell.com/2006/2006_02_13_a_murray.html

[Tantros]

There's still hope for humanity.

Hear, hear. That was a great story. Shame he's an exception and not the norm.

[edjames]

OK, so he's NOT homeless after all, and it was the media who branded him with that label!

 

It was only assumed he was, but he's receiving SSD benefits, Veteran's Benefits and has a RENT FREE apartment. Alas, poor Jeffrey has a habit of turning down help but the NYC department of Social Services has had Jeffrey on their radar for many years.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/04/jeffrey-hillman-homeless_n_2236965.html