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Beggars targeted as Nottingham City Council discourages public generosity
| Posted on March 29, 2016 at 8:58 AM |
 The posters erected around Nottingham City Centre urging
people not to give to beggars is quite concerning. Is poverty so abhorrent that it is to be
brushed out altogether from our streets?
Is it really appropriate to punish the poor and homeless even more by encouraging
the public to refrain from giving them a few pounds that we are able to spare? One
of the posters features a man smoking and urges people not to "watch your
money go up in smoke". It would be fair to say that there may be some beggars who
are not necessarily homeless or financially unsound. Indeed, many of them may have no need
whatsoever to beg on the streets. But is
it fair to encourage a blanket ban on giving to the poor in order to deprive
the fraudsters? The governors at Nottingham City Council clearly feel the need
to combat what they term “aggressive” begging in their city. True, it isn’t pleasant if a beggar harasses you
to hand over your hard earned cash. But
is this really our experience when we walk through our city streets? Are they really so aggressive that we feel
threatened? Or is it the case that we
simply cannot be bothered with the inconvenience as we go about our daily
business? Sure, maybe it is inconvenient
for some. But is it as inconvenient as
having to sit on a cold, hard concrete surface for hours at a time? Is it as inconvenient as having to beg other
human beings for assistance just so that you can buy some food to keep you
going? Is it as inconvenient as having
to find a suitable place beneath a motorway bridge or a quiet lane to rest up
for the night? Is it as inconvenient as
having to experience the stare of hate as people look down at you with
repulsion? The answer to all of these
questions is a resounding no. Sure, nobody should need to put up with aggression from
anyone as they go about their daily routine.
But we must be careful not to demonise those who really are in need of
our generosity. |
Categories: Charity, Life, Love, News, Poverty
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