Do you give to panhandlers?

[BigDemVoter]

20. I used to, and I still do sometimes.

I live in San Francisco. I DO get a little tired of the national media going on and on about how "awful" things are in San Francisco. HOWEVER. . . Our homeless problem has really become a significant issue. I feel sorry for the homeless. It appears that in most of the cases, it involves either addiction issues or mental problems, or a combination of both.

What exhausts me is having to step over people who are (please pardon my graphic description) in the process of shitting on the sidewalk with their pants around their ankles while they are grabbing at passersby with their hands. I am not exaggerating.

In the last few weeks, tent encampments have had big fires; a big apartment complex under constructions went up in blazes supposedly related to the homeless setting a fire to warm themselves up right under the scaffolding of the building.

The panhandling is endless. Endless. I buy grocers from Safeway on Webster Street in San Francisco, and I have to step over people injecting drugs just right outside the door. I am happy not to have children, as I would worry about them stepping on contaminated needles. There is an old gentleman who is consistently outside this particular Safeway and always tells me he is "hungry." I always feel terrible when I see him and try to at least buy him a pre-made sandwich in the store rather than giving him cash.

And while I don't object to giving money to a random person, I certainly don't think this is the solution to help people out. And just to be honest, I have NO clue what the solution is. . . I am just happy that I'm not responsible for finding a solution, as I don't have any idea what could or should be done.