Is there really a difference between peddlers and panhandlers?

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Just another panhandler?

Cory Madville had a great post today about freedom of speech, getting a job, and panhandlers in Sioux Falls. They have turned it up a notch over the past few years, and one of their favorite spots is the off ramp of I-29 and Louise, which I have to go thru on occasion.

They have various signs they hold (always on cardboard, not white erase), I’m sure you have seen them. “God Bless” “I’m a Veteran” “I don’t know what a shower is or a job application”. One guy today had a cig hanging out of his mouth while taking money from a car. His sign should have said, “Almost out of cigs, out of beer, and out of luck, please give a f’ck!”

I don’t have a problem with giving to those in need, but seriously, if you have the energy to stand on a corner and ask for money, you have the energy to get a job, any job. Panhandlers in other parts of the world will clean your windshield for a buck.

Of course the good Christians of our society argue that a panhandler could be the 2nd coming of Christ, so we should give . . .

LOL!

Yeah, and that lotto ticket I accidentally threw away 5 years ago was the $100 million dollar winner.

But, I ask a bigger question. What’s the difference between panhandlers and Girl Scouts standing on a street corner and peddling cookies? Seriously? I drove past the intersection of 12th and Kiwanis last year to see Girl Scouts lunging at cars. True, the Girl Scouts are actually selling something, but what if you don’t want cookies? I see no real difference between a panhandler holding a sign and a Girl Scout holding a sign on a street corner, they both have the right to be there, whether you like it or not, but someone should tell mayor Huether. He may know what what state he lives in, but he seems to struggle with the country;

“This is just not the way we do things in Sioux Falls or in South Dakota, it’s not reflective of our people and our values. We can’t allow this to happen on the street corners of our town.”

Maybe we should ban panhandlers from texting while panhandling to?

But Isn’t a FREE society great!? Where we can sell cookies and ask for cigarette money on a street corner. Gawd I love America. Land of the FREE, broke, and constantly annoyed.

A letter writer points out the ‘priorities’ of our city leaders

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I think this letter speaks for itself;

I am pleased the residents of Minnehaha County will be offered the opportunity to vote on the proposed events center.

I met with Mayor Mike Huether along with a group of other people at the Whisk & Chop Cafe, on what happened to be his birthday, and brought up the subject of the mayor setting aside some money to help finance a home for the chronically homeless as he knows the county owns the land for the home, but the city needs to allot some money to help to support the facility.

The mayor’s reply to me was there were homeless children, too. I realize that. However, Matthew 25:40 says: “and the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, insomuch as you did to it one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ “

All Snark Aside…

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The situation in Haiti is only going to get worse as time goes on. Respiratory illness and infection will kill more people in the coming weeks than the earthquake did.

Take a second away from drinking your morning starbucks & bottled water while reading this stupid blog on your fancy computer which runs on the electricity you take for granted, whip your phone out and text ‘HAITI’ to 90999. This will tack a much needed $10 onto your next wireless bill as a donation to the Red Cross.  You might have to share a meal next time you eat out at the Texas Roadhouse instead of getting your own texas toothpicks. But it will taste better, trust me.

That is all. Thank you.

Is Dave Munson living in Candyland? I’m not the only one who seems to think so.

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I think Hugh Grogan says it best when it comes to the spending priorities of Mayor Munson;

Hugh Grogan, county welfare director, said he had attended the city budget session, which had no room for the homeless project but did find $1.7 million to improve golf course clubhouses.

“I felt I was in candyland,” he said.

Yeah, but Hugh, what is more important? Golfers having a nice new place to enjoy a brew after an exhausting 18 holes or a homeless person having shelter? Like I said yesterday, it is about time public officials are calling out Munson for what he really is; a phony. It’s just too bad it took until the end of his administration for people to figure it out, kind of reminds you of another politician, doesn’t it?

He (Munson) took exception to criticism of golf course upgrades.

“Now wait a minute,” he said in a phone interview. “We’ve got a responsibility. We have to take care of pools … and parks and fire stations. You start to look at all the needs. We’ve got a great park system.”

Yeah, it’s so nice that many of our homeless enjoy going for a stroll while enjoying an ice cold Tilt.

More inaction from the Munson administration

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I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Munson didn’t include the homeless shelter in the 2010 budget;

“This is a huge decision to go it alone,” County Commissioner Carol Twedt said. “We were always under the hope we would have a partner in the city. But we don’t, so we are going to be brave and do the right thing.”

I would support the city’s inaction if 1) The city and county weren’t saving $400,000 a year in emergency services by having this program 2) the city wasn’t spending money on silly ‘Quality of Life’ projects that we don’t need. It seems Munson ducked controversy once again just by doing NOTHING. Pathetic.

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