Loomio
Tue 23 Jan 2018 6:24PM

Registration to beg

TH Tane Harre Public Seen by 74

It guts me that we now have beggars on our streets and even more that we are growing used to them. It also seems to be skipping past our social systems and adding to the mistrust of the poor by the middle class.

The general point of view seems to be that there are social systems (eg; WINZ) in place and the people begging are double dipping the system by getting a benefit and then getting donations.

One way of combating this would be registration to beg and arrest without registration. Arrest would lead straight to social services for assessment and help at which point a license to beg would be given if applicable.

(Actually the above idea makes me very uncomfortable so better ones would be wonderful.)

FL

Fred Look Tue 23 Jan 2018 9:43PM

for some people begging is a genuine lifestyle choice. some reject the "dog eat dog" capitalist doctrine and can see no other way to live without participating in what is after all a life and planet destroying process

as well how do you distinguish between busking/street art and begging?

My view is that begging should be legal and normal. however harassment is not!

Certainly it should be determined if there is an unmet basic need and those should be met, beyond that ..... nothing.

MM

Miriam Mallinder Tue 23 Jan 2018 11:50PM

UBI

DG

Daymond Goulder-Horobin Wed 24 Jan 2018 1:52AM

The issue is people cannot survive in a house solely off a benefit, One of the reasons I was pushing the UBI which seemed to be ignored by MSM is it reinforces the idea that you have a "Right" to live. Though the benefit does achieve the "Right to stay alive if you would otherwise starve" it means that they do stay alive but on the streets, where if they do not have work they will inevitably be compelled to beg so they can at least eat a bit more.

I would say its easy to distinguish between Busking and begging, begging is asking someone earnestly for money with nothing in return whereas Busking/street art is encouraging donation through skill and finesse. Not all Buskers directly ask for money but they do try to encourage it.

FL

Fred Look Wed 24 Jan 2018 2:45AM

UBI would be wonderful (altho its great for wholesale surveilance too!) Not always that easy to distinguish between buskers and harassment. "If i give you $5 will you go play tamborine on some other corner for a while :)"

MM

Miriam Mallinder Wed 24 Jan 2018 2:58AM

How about "you can play on my corner if you give me 10% of what you earn" ? Would that be harassment?? (tongue in cheek)

MM

Miriam Mallinder Wed 24 Jan 2018 2:59AM

Never occurred to me about the surveillance aspect of UBI. Although modern cellphones with GPS (of which I do not have) are just as bad.

TH

Tane Harre Mon 29 Jan 2018 10:50AM

In my view the point of arrest without registration would be to insure the state has done its duty to the person and the person has acknowledged that. Perhaps that could be done on a person by person basis on the street by social workers instead.

Yes, many people are on the street by choice but we have no idea of the numbers of them or the circumstances of the choice. I think we still have a duty of care and support to them even if it is their choice.