Maybe we
should
wait for the
aliens from mars
to rehabilitate them
or maybe we should let
them starve till
some vulture devours
them?
Every time I
give
a burger or a
samosa or a
10 rupee to
a beggar someone
or other demands
to know , “Why are
you encouraging begging?” and
thus quiet often I am
lectured on the many
ills of begging
and how it
screws up our
social code.
And the most
common argument to support
this is, “They are healthy
enough to work, why can’t they
do some job?”
The
unemployment rates
in this world
in some places
is as high
as 70% and
the lowest is
10%. …every single country
from the developed nations
to the underdeveloped fall
in between these
stats.
Now,
whatever the stats
someone or other
is supporting this
unemployed crowd while
they struggle to
look out for
a job: let it
be parents, sibling, friends, banks, NGO’s…or
government. ….in general
society. And many of
these job hunting
crowds are the
ones who are
educated, or at
least literate, or
have some technical
education or some or
the other ability. ….and yet,
they need help….financial, social, emotional, intellectual help… till
they get their
first pay.
And
how
many of us
are unemployed? How many
of us have suffered unemployment
at some point
of time? ask yourself
if there was no one
to support you what would you have
done?
Now, when
you and I
find it so
difficult to get
jobs how is
the poorest of
the poor, uneducated,
half naked and a hungry
person supposed
to get a
job? Yes, there
are jobs of laborers
and such but
how many of
the population is
fighting for it?
So
I wish
to ask ,
when you and I need support when
we don’t have
money in our
pockets ….is supporting the
poor with a
meal such a huge
matter that it would cause
society to have a
meltdown?
I agree, today
in most
sectors begging is organized….so there got
to be a rich man
as their boss and etc…so every time you encourage
begging you encourage
the rich man. Right? I am
not going to
go into the
details of what
will happen to a lonely
beggar on the
street who does
not have the
support of a
begging syndicate…but briefly: how
and why did
begging become an organized
thing? It’s not
just for making
money but safety. Just like
you and me don’t feel safe
amongst certain groups
of people or
places…hungry, half naked ,
malnourished people almost always
suffering the abuse,
derision and disgust of general society….the
ones we call beggars don’t
feels safe amongst the general population and the
law. Yes, today, many and not all syndicates have gone from bad to worse...but then they are just a part of the society that is leading the way...but that's a different story.
Let’s
get on with the
topic
at hand: There are
many social ills
right from corruption
to prostitution to ….and all of them
are interconnected…..not just
with each other
and the lethargy
of the government
but mostly they
are interconnected to
our lack of
humanity.
They need
to be rehabilitated
and not by
aliens from Mars
but by us…you
and me….and
till then… till you
find the time,
money and heart to
work on that….
it is not
going to kill
you if your
share your meal
with a hungry child,
women or a man… and
it will only
be human if
you can do
that without asking
“Why don’t you
get a job?”
Please, remember
just like someone
supported you while
you looked for
that first job
and until you got
your first pay….others
need support too…it
is a collective
social responsibility…it is about humanity.
And, nobody
begs just for
fun.
The
population that walks
the streets begging
is one of
the most neglected
parts of society…and
as long as
there are neglected
parts amongst us, society
as a whole
will never progress…..just like a family
that has even
as single member
left out feels
the pinch, we
will too.....
So, should we wait for aliens from mars or maybe let them starve till some vulture devours them alive?
Hello! Very touching and compelling post my friend. I completely agree. I believe the world in general has been desensitized and seriously lacking empathy. <3
ReplyDeletethanks for reading. maybe someday the world will change for the better.
DeleteYes, a heartfelt post,BV, I would suggest letting those who complain spend even an hour (I would say in their shoes, but most beggars don't have shoes) living as the 'have-nots' do and then it would be interesting to see if their outlook changes. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteWhatever we do, we want it to be empowering and sustainable. In India, we don't encourage (please know that we don't discourage or stop people) giving money to beggar because certain communities see begging as a lucrative job/occupation and we want to stop that. For rehabilitation, the Delhi govt. opened institution for street children and homeless which accept donation of every kind and amount.
ReplyDeleteSuppose you give rs.10 to a beggar, s/he would buy an eatable for that amount and the money is gone. In that way, the money you gave to the beggar is a charity! But if you give that rs.10 to the institution, they will utilized it for the education, skill development, food and lodging of the child, In that way, the amount you donate (rs.10) is empowering and sustainable!
However, most street children don't want to go to those institution and understandably so because the workers in such institution lacks the sensitivity and understanding required to deal with the children, and more so, most street children prefer to roam the road, and have full control over their life.
thanks and rightly pointed out. Hope there are more social workers in the field...and not just the ones who want to make money out of starting an NGO!
ReplyDeleteNow I have to agree with Lyan Smate here for speaking my mind partially! While helping poor people is a noble act and is definitely encouraged, what guarantees that it will support them lifelong. There is a proverb in Chinese that says give a man a fish a day and you will feed him a day, teach him how to fish and you will feed him forever. Now, the main reason behind this scenario is because people get job not based on what they know, but 'who' they know. Things like this have to change. Some people beg because they just don't know any other way while some do it because it is easier to beg. May be while we feed them a meal, we can also find out if there is any organisation to help them show ways to earn money or employ them to do handicrafts and things like that
ReplyDeleteExactly, till they can be rehabilitated society will have to take care of them. Yes, even police helps us in actually detaining them in some areas and putting them in an orphanage but all these NGO's are sometimes stretched too much to have them. there is an orphanage in Mumbai, I can't name it,.. but in a 1000 sq feet area they have 30 children! society has do it's job but till then..which is what I am stressing here in this post we can't let them starve. Well, there are many people who do not like to share a meal or buy some for beggars (I have many friends who fall in this category who neither give a penny nor help in rehabilitation) but my point is we should not stop others from having a little compassion. Right?
Delete