is it "liberal guilt" or something else?

[Bertha Venation]

Kathy & I stopped at a drive-thru fast food joint for dinner on the way home from work. An apparently homeless man -- covered in layers of blankets, bags at his sides, on crutches (he had one leg) -- was standing outside the restaurant, leaning on a wall. We bought a meal for him, and by the time we got our order and drove back around the store, he was gone.

I cried.

Why did I cry? Because I feel guilty about not feeding and clothing all the homeless, and this pathetic attempt was thwarted? Because I was worried about a man who might be hungry, and now what couldn't even do what little I could've done for him this night? Because I don't do enough regularly -- even though I know I do as much as I possibly can all year round?

[Liberal Veteran]

1. It's called compassion.....

...nothing to be ashamed of.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. Are you asking to be called names?

If you are, I guarantee someone will come along and do it. :D

I don't regard it as liberal guilt but compassion and a sense that something is truly wrong with a world where so much is laid at our feet and people are homeless, disabled, and unable to care for themselves.

Frankly, if seeing that doesn't make one the least bit sad, I think they have a much bigger problem than the person who sees it and at least winces and attempts to act.

But now that you feel you don't do enough...what are you going to do?

[Bertha Venation]

3. "But now that you feel you don't do enough...what are you going to do?"

I honestly don't know. Taking regular donations of actual food & clothing to the local pantry helps. But I don't know if I have what it takes to commit to volunteering. Let me rephrase that; I don't have what it takes. My god, if I can't even volunteer at the animal shelter because I weep and want to take home every animal in the place....

I don't know, NSMA. But it's a good question, and fair. Would that more people would ask it of themselves.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

15. By the way...I really should clarify

I meant that sentence in a different manner than how it came out when I read it in retrospect.

It's not important that you tell me what you are going to do. It's just useful to ask yourself since you know it causes you unrest.

We all decide for ourselves what to give, when and how often.

Sometimes I send money, sometimes I spend time or offer my professional services.

It's just about saying yes to things that come into my life that are opportunities to contribute. Every year I tell myself that I will say yes to more than I say no to in the area of contribution. Then I do my best to live up to it.

[grannylib]

4. No answer to your sad question...maybe some of all the reasons you

mentioned.
I remember a group of great teens that I took on a church trip to Atlanta years ago, and how stunned and upset and hurt they were by some of the issues mentioned in the materials we were sent by the national organizing committee, telling us about the dangers of the city and how it was not a good idea to help the homeless directly.
This was a Christian youth gathering, and my kids were speechless that we, as a Christian group, were being asked NOT to help these people! There was much talk about the Good Samaritan, and WWJD and all of that.
Those kids, God bless them, decided that they could not in good conscience ignore those in need; they did, however, see the organizers' point that monetary handouts might not be well-spent. SO these terrific teens of mine went to the fast food places in our town before we left, and bought food coupons. We handed those out, several at a time, to people in need, in the hope that they would at least get a meal and a hot drink and a warm place in which to eat for a while at least...
It's a sucky situation, and one that I can't ignore...we have so many who have so little, and why that should be in this country and in this day and age, is most of the reason I am a liberal!

[Bertha Venation]

8. WWJD, indeed.

"Compassionate Conservatives" would not recognize the Christ I know of.

[coralrf]

5. There is no such thing as liberal guilt

try not to advance such notions...

[Bertha Venation]

7. sigh

Sarcasm does not constitute advancing such notions.

[VelmaD]

6. You cried because...

you are a decent and compassionate person. :hug:

[Bertha Venation]

9. lib_vet & velma, TY & here's a hug for you both

:hug: :grouphug:

[Djinn]

10. this reminds me of a story my brother told me

after he's got back from a school band trip to America (or Chicago, LA and somewhere else to be more specific)

they saw a lady desperately trying to douse the flames on her suitcase which clearly contained everything she owned in the world while people walked passed her without batting an eyelid.

I wasn't naive enough to think that we don't have plenty of homeless people here or even that mean spirited arsehole don't beat up/steal from etc homeless people in this country - we definetely do - but I'm pretty sure atleast ONE person would have tried to help - hearing that story made me cry and I wasn't even there to see it

[DACT]

11. We need more people like you.

n/t

[populistmom]

12. Liberal guilt?

Why should one feel guilty for being liberal? We're the ones who are still trying to save the world!

[DinkyDem]

13. A really bad idea if I've ever read one

Just what were you thinking?

All you would have done is make this poor man become dependent on you showing up to feed him, and the day you stop is the day he starves.

Out here in San Francisco we have learned the hard way. They are like pidgeons, flocking to our city for the free handouts. Now we have a serious problem on our hands.

What we thought in our best intentions was compassion actually turned out to create only helplessness.
That is the LEAST compassionate thing you can do.

We the voters of San Francisco - the MOST progressive city in America - passed a measure called "Care Not Cash" with overwhelming Democratic support to try to break this vicious cycle of dependency we have created for these unfortunate souls, but now the courts won't let us!

Our newly elected Democratic mayor has pledged to find a solution. It was his central campaign theme. We are all praying we can help these souls find their dignity again.

In San Francisco, we cry for what we have done to so many.

[Bertha Venation]

16. WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!

I can't believe this shit. What was I thinking? That perhaps the man was HUNGRY.

You didn't read my post, did you? I didn't give the man cash. I tried to give him FOOD.

Get it?

HUNGRY MAN NEEDS TO EAT. WHAT DO HUNGRY MEN NEED TO EAT? FOOD. WHAT DID I TRY TO GIVE MAN? FOOD.

I don't give two shits what the population of San Francisco feels is right for the City. I live in Waldorf, MD. I saw a homeless man, I had the means and the opportunity to give him a meal, and I went for it, god dammit.

Screw this holier than thou "what were you thinking" shit. I pray that you are never hungry and cold, standing on one leg with nowhere to go.

[Booberdawg]

18. Yeah, I saw that last night, and thought it was pretty over the top too.

:eyes:

[chefgirl]

19. Ya know its funny DinkyDem

I've been surfing around the site this morning, and have read a number of posts by you. I'm generally one of those people who reads the post, NOT the posters name, however, more than a few times I've read something of yours and asked myself, " Who is this person who doesn't really sound like a Dem?"
Funny how many times it was your name on the post. :shrug:

So, can you explain to me just how something that sounds so ambiguous like "Care Not Cash" works? What I mean to say is, I think it was VERY caring of the original poster to feel enough compassion for that man to buy him a meal.
I also think that in a perfect (read Liberal) world, the day that person stops showing up to feed that man, another CARING, compassionate, concerned individual will show up to fill that gap.
"We must be the change we wish to see in the world" (Ghandi)

That sounds like care, not cash, to me. Then again, thats just my personal, liberal opinion.


-chef-

[Swede]

14. I love liberals.

Especially the bleeding heart kind. What a fucked up dog eat dog world we'd have without them.

[Killarney]

17. It is compassion

and I wish more Americans had it.
:)

[Bertha Venation]

20. I want to see a reply from DinkyDem

:kick:

[maxanne]

21. Bertha

You cried because you have a heart - and that heart hurts for the sick and suffering in the world.

I'd be more worried if you didn't cry.

:hug: