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>She’s still staying in a shelter at night and still panhandling during the day with her daughter, who’s now 5 months old and has her first tooth. Police office

>She’s still staying in a shelter at night and still panhandling during the day with her daughter, who’s now 5 months old and has her first tooth. Police officers walking past stopped at the alarming sight, but couldn’t do much other than buy her diapers and formula. >Doudney said her shelter stay ends Dec. 12, at which point she plans to visit her mom in Nebraska and then maybe take a road trip. She said she’s thinking of going to school to study early childhood psychology. You have a mom you can stay with in Nebraska but instead choose to panhandle with a newborn in SF? There's no reasoning with these people! This is not only idiotic but definitely child endangerment.

yladiz 9y ago
If the woman is staying in a shelter and panhandling, then she probably can't afford to just go back home, regardless of her want of taking a road trip and going back to school. It's also just as likely that she won't be able to visit her mother in Nebraska because she won't have the money for it and will just be on the street with her baby daughter (likely the only reason she was able to get into the shelter in the first place). If she can't physically go to Nebraska to being her daughter, how would you propose she get her daughter to Nebraska? Beyond that, take a step back and realize that a good portion of the homeless people in SF have mental health and drug abuse issues and so, yes, it's not really possible to reason with them, but not because they are unreasonable, but because they often times aren't able to reason in the same way. It's better to direct your anger at a city that takes in high taxes through sales tax and property tax but can't seemingly help with this issue (through whatever means that would be, like affordable housing or better outreach).
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mikestew 9y ago
You might consider that the “plan to visit her Mom” ignores the fact that Mom has had enough of her shit and booted her out six months ago, and she isn’t welcomed back until she completes rehab/takes her meds/quits being a general disruption to life. You also seem to be under the impression that you’re dealing with a reasonable person. People end up in the street for a lot of reasons, but good decision-making usually isn’t one of them. Or, hell, her Mom could be dead for all we know. In summary, when you ask “WTF is wrong with you?” remember that there might be a solid answer to what you thought was a bit rhetorical.
ivraatiems 9y ago
"These people?" Meaning who? Homeless people? Mothers? It's awfully easy to judge somebody's life from the comments section on HN. Much harder to actually try and understand it or empathize. I don't think you're giving this woman a fair shake.

yladiz 9y ago

If the woman is staying in a shelter and panhandling, then she probably can't afford to just go back home, regardless of her want of taking a road trip and going back to school. It's also just as likely that she won't be able to visit her mother in Nebraska because she won't have the money for it and will just be on the street with her baby daughter (likely the only reason she was able to get into the shelter in the first place). If she can't physically go to Nebraska to being her daughter, how would you propose she get her daughter to Nebraska? Beyond that, take a step back and realize that a good portion of the homeless people in SF have mental health and drug abuse issues and so, yes, it's not really possible to reason with them, but not because they are unreasonable, but because they often times aren't able to reason in the same way. It's better to direct your anger at a city that takes in high taxes through sales tax and property tax but can't seemingly help with this issue (through whatever means that would be, like affordable housing or better outreach).

deleted 9y ago
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mikestew 9y ago

You might consider that the “plan to visit her Mom” ignores the fact that Mom has had enough of her shit and booted her out six months ago, and she isn’t welcomed back until she completes rehab/takes her meds/quits being a general disruption to life. You also seem to be under the impression that you’re dealing with a reasonable person. People end up in the street for a lot of reasons, but good decision-making usually isn’t one of them. Or, hell, her Mom could be dead for all we know. In summary, when you ask “WTF is wrong with you?” remember that there might be a solid answer to what you thought was a bit rhetorical.

ivraatiems 9y ago

"These people?" Meaning who? Homeless people? Mothers? It's awfully easy to judge somebody's life from the comments section on HN. Much harder to actually try and understand it or empathize. I don't think you're giving this woman a fair shake.