Revolutionary Moderation

Thanks Don



(Note: this entry posted by Bear)



Interesting stuff about panhandlers in Calgary. I can tell you from experience in Vancouver that every time City Hall tries to get tough on panhandlers, all you end up with is tougher panhandlers.



'They just take the money and buy drugs, blah, blah, blah...' It's an easy assumption to make, but to throw it up on screen at the chi-chi rep cinema just scares the yuppies even more and blows the problem more out of proportion.



Living just up the hill from The Downtown Eastside (tm), I can say with some authourity that people who are panhandling are looking for a cup of coffee or a 99 cent pizza slice. It's the guys breaking into the storage locker in your apartment building and cashing in your possessions who are looking to buy drugs, and they don't take no for an answer.



Of course it's interesting what happens when you try to spellcheck the world 'panhandle' on this thing....