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February 14, 2012
Homeless anger at MPs' sleeping bag charity
Published: 3 Feb 10 08:06 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/24752/20100203/
Stockholm's homeless have reacted in anger at a move by a group of members of parliament to launch a sleeping bag collection on their behalf, Expressen reports.
- Homeless commit crimes to avoid sleeping rough (15 Mar 09)
- Landlords lend helping hand to Stockholm homeless (14 Dec 08)
- Americans cook Thanksgiving meal for Stockholm's homeless (27 Nov 08)
MPs have been urged to collect what they can in the way of sleeping bags and mattresses to donate to the church.
"It is a worthy cause for us MPs to help out with whatever we can," said Annelie Enochson of the Christian Democrats.
But the charitable move has not been met with a chorus of hallelujahs in all quarters with Rolf Nilsson, chairperson of the Stockholm homeless association (Stockholms hemlösa), expressing anger at the move.
"It shows an awful view of human beings - as if were not worth any more," he told the newspaper.
Nilsson has received the backing of Social Democratic MP Monica Green who argues that instead of sleeping bags and floor space in a church, the city's homeless should be offered the possibility of work and a proper home.
According to Stockholm City Council and charitable groups there are between three and five thousand people classified as homeless in Stockholm.
According to a National Welfare Board (Socialstyrelsen) report from 2006, there are 17,800 homeless people across Sweden.
TT/Peter Vinthagen Simpson
news@thelocal.se
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Fin means anyhting from sweet to proper. When someone says, Du är så fin it's quite a compliment.
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Nevermind the folks who are actually making an effort to get by, work and provide for themselves and their families...Give these homeless bums work and a proper home. Now!
JJobs and homes are what would be best to offer the homeless and then they can stand on there own two feet.
They want dignity, not hand outs.
If you are down on your luck you should accept, or at least consider, any help given. Most of the time beggars can not be choosers.
Give them money. That's all they want.
Bullshit.
Go out and talk to some of them. You will find you are very wrong.
I have. Offered two homeless ladies a jersey and jacket and a few items of food from Coop. They got very offended and then continued to ask if they could just have the money....
Maybe they are not all the same...who knows.
The vast majoirty will never amount to anything beyond a frozen statue one winter morning,
Different reaction form what I had.
Sorry you had such a negative response.
Sounds like professional beggars masquerading as homeless. That is a big problem that also needs to be tackled.
I'm from Russia and amount of homeless people there is way bigger since the 90s and their level of life far worse! Therefore i can assure you that compare to Swedish level of life 95 % of Swedish homeless people are bums as a result of their bad choices and not unfortunate circumstances! You really need to try to end up this low in a country like Sweden. And even as bums they live way better then homeless people in 3 world countries!
Those who fall under 2, are desparate for jobs. Government should attempt to creat jobs for them before their status changes to category 3 and become a permanent problem. For those in category 1, government should increase their access to medical care. It is not enough to tell them that medical care for such patients is free. They are mental disturbed patients.
The MP's are responding to an immediate need in a compassionate and caring way. How is this bad??
The Nilsson fellow is complaining about things that require planned, long term solutions.
The people St. Clara has opened its halls need shelter tonight. It is winter.
Biting the hand that is offering you survival is rude and foolish.
As my father taught me with those asking for help. Offer them a warm meal. If they are in need they will gratefully accept. If they are addicts or begging to make money they will reject your offer (ususally rudely). His advice is always been proven right by me.
"It shows an awful view of human beings - as if were not worth any more" - so nothing is worth doing except giving every single homeless person a free apartment and income? That's the ONLY thing that will satisfy Mr. Nilsson?
And note that Mr. Nilsson is an ex-homeless and HAS a place to sleep in the current snowstorm that covers Stockholm.
On another occasion I was walking home from school a couple of years back. It was freezing cold. The same homeless guy sat (still sits) outside a pharmacy I pass. I felt especially bad for him because of the temperature so I bought him a meal at a local hot dog place. I walked up and told him I got him a meal and he said "dont you have any money". He got slightly pissed when I threw the food into the street. I have had similar things happen when I have tried to help homeless people. I am done trying. I will help at a soup kitchen or something similar, but I am done giving random people on the street the benefit of the doubt. 99.9% of them will refuse help and just ask for money.
DavidtheNorseman, "How is this bad?" Because they feel like they are entitled to a free apartment.
Finally if you are a bum - what is the problem? Seriously - let's say you were a bum already as a kid and did not get any education - there is always Mcdonalds, factories, moving companies, cleaning services, post carriers - what not? There is always an option to move to Kiruna and dig in frozen soil. One can always go to Norway and work with fish.
I know a jobeless homeowner here who does not answer the phone because it may be job offers. She wants a VERY specific job with specific colleagues and walking distance from home. Otherwise she is just saying no to the offer. How pathetic is that? ANd I will not be surprised if she becomes homeless. I WILL be surprised if she will still filter giveaways and cry about her horrible faith.