begging in Denmark.

When I was a kid, we used to have a running joke about begging. Where you'd tap yourself on the arm, while asking for a dollar for a cup of coffee. (You know, like for a shot of heroin.) That was the only type of person, we could imagine to be a beggar. Someone with a drug problem. So we sort of made fun of them.

• In reality though. There are a thousand different reasons, for why people become beggars. Some did drugs beforehand, while others started afterwards, as to be able to live with the humiliation. And some again don't touch drugs at all.

I used to be addicted to amphetamin, and spend a couple of years in rehab because of it. But thanks to that, I've met a good amount of people, that had spent a good deal of their life, asking for help from total strangers. Sure, once in a while the money would go to drugs. But you never saw them or their pets starve to death.

As to move on, to how it is in Denmark.

It's illegal to "beg" for money in Denmark. You know, "ask a stranger for help on the street". Though not many people get assaulted by the cops for doing so, they still risk getting punished with a fine. (Not a prison. just a fine to make their lives even harder)

While eastern europeans have been comming to Denmark to do exactly that, for many years, the recent media propaganda on the "immigrant crisis", have resulted in more talk about them begging as well. Sure, some of them, do it for the hustling. Where they steal from people. But most of them actually behave. Though, you know mainstream media, if it can use something to make people emotional and fearful, to get more clicks, they will. So while it's only a tiny amount who steal and rob, they will cover it, as if it was the majority.

This have resulted in enough fear in the general population, that politicians are now acting on it. They want to make it more punishable, and to do so, they need more police. - Yeah, funny how that works. Media blows something out of proportion, population fear it, politicians get more power. - But what no one talks about, since it's all about the evil immigrants is that it's everyone, that gets punished for it. Not just the thieves, and violent. But everyone else as well.

• So the people in desperat need of help, will have no other choice but to start finding other methods. Which like we see everywhere else, will end up with even more violent crime. - Really desperate people with no other way of surviving, tends to do that, when you drag them in a corner, where it's either "starve, or steal".

Now. I don't generally give beggars any money. I really don't want to reward people for giving up, so I prefer the people playing music, juggling, or what ever skills they use to catch my attention. - Some of the best music I've ever heard, have been from street performers, just trying to earn a tiny amount to survive.
However. I have had some really great conversations before, with beggars. Where I ended up coming back with food, a six-pack of beer, heck, even an actual cup of coffee. Different circumstances takes people to the same place in life. And I try not to judge people, before having heard their story. And even then, I try not to judge them. It's not like there's only my, or someone elses way to live.

Anyway. Just wanted to make a short rant about it, as I've seen the subject brought up a bit too much lately.
-Take care, Michael.