tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150007449992413732.post6697444875575536356..comments2008-02-29T19:49:19.917-08:00Nevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14121516208859975669noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150007449992413732.post-4313544934764727842008-02-29T19:30:00.000-08:002008-02-29T19:30:00.000-08:00I have three things to say:<BR/>1. Teaching empathy and compassion is a great service to humankind! <BR/>2. The end to world hunger lies in promoting a plant-based diet.<BR/>3. I don't enslave, torture, and kill people to end up as dinner, either.2greyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01518321715872983768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150007449992413732.post-35256608932611673662008-02-21T18:10:00.000-08:002008-02-21T18:10:00.000-08:00In addition to not being asked what you're doing for humans if you spend your time saving historic buildings or preserving rare orchids, you also are unlikely to be asked what you're doing to help humans if you spend your weekends watching sports or shopping. <BR/><BR/>At a subway station, if one person is holding a sign protesting the bloody slaughter of dolphins, and another person is just standing around doing nothing, the sign-holder will be the one who's asked why s/he isn't helping people.<BR/><BR/>The main reason the animal defenders are singled out? Their audience is defensive. The average viewer of the message participates in horrific animal cruelty and exploitation every day. Being resentful toward those who opt out of that cruelty and exploitation and remind others of it is a natural reaction.<BR/><BR/>I was homeless by choice for a short stretch during a summer of adventure in my teens, but there are different kinds of homelessness. The chronic homeless people I see in my town look like they've had a tough life, and when it's cold or raining out they look pretty miserable, and I do feel sorry for them. I could be wrong but I doubt they're having a happy life; their expressions are almost always glum and joyless. As you point out, it's a vexing problem, though. Many homeless may have emotional problems or be dangerous. (Whether they were always that way or whether they acquired those traits from decades in the school of hard knocks, I do not know.)Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17626932920628223507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150007449992413732.post-3599415514059629362008-02-21T17:06:00.000-08:002008-02-21T17:06:00.000-08:00Homelessness is a lifestyle choice for the great majority who are on the streets.<BR/><BR/>Very, very few people are truly helpless and homeless. For those who want help, there are numerous organizations and services, some run by the local government and some run by non-profits, available to them.<BR/><BR/>Some people simply aren't interested in the stress and responsibilities of a job, a mortgage, a schedule, car payment, car insurance, health insurance, taxes, utilities, buying and storing misc crap, etc. Can you blame 'em? I respect their choice to live off the handouts of others, but I certainly don't feel sorry for them - at least not any that I've never met (and I've given handouts to / chatting with / hung out with plenty). Some are pretty cool.<BR/><BR/>Heck, my older brother even chose to be homeless for awhile. Definitely not my style, though.vegan blog trackerhttp://www.vegblogs.comnoreply@blogger.com