TR> DB> Most of them know how to take care of themselves at a level I'm sure
  > DB> you wouldn't understand... dumpster diving can reap great rewards to
  > DB> someone determined to live on the fringes. Decent sleeping gear can
  > DB> be very cheap, and last a long time when LEO doesn't confiscate and
  > DB> destroy it. If they came from a family like mine, I would very well
  > DB> understand why they wanted no relations with them. Keeping warm and
  > DB> dry is no problem to experienced "campers," even in the colder
  > DB> latitudes.
I've requoted part of Don's post because my feeling on the subject apply
to both your perspectives.
My comments are directed toward the issue of living on the street by
choice, not one who finds himself there because of circumstances beyond
his control (even though I feel that to a certain degree, the vast
majority of homeless folks are there by choice).
TR>You will receive another message from me indicating a little bit more
  >understanding in this matter. You are giving me a different perspective 
nd
  >information that nobody else has cared to share with me.
Coming from someone who has `been there - done that' does help to
understand why someone would live on the street as a personal choice.
  > The relationship
  >between street people and officers in my community is friendly, unless the
  >street person commits crimes.
Do you find that street people tend to feel that they have a _right_ to
a bit more latitude to "borrow" because of their plight?
  > Many of our officers even contribute their own
  >money to the street people for food and otherwise do the best they can to
  >help them.
I have a tad of a problem here.  I'm not uncharitable... not at all, but
when someone _chooses_ to live a particular lifestyle, it behooves him
to _support_ that lifestyle.  I think maybe that is what Charles meant
by "responsibility".  Freedom to march to the beat of your own drum
doesn't obligate me to feed you... that remains YOUR responsibility.
Don didn't say how he supported himself during those months that he
lived on the streets.  He mentioned dumpster diving.  Perfectly alright
with me... if I throw away half a burger, you are welcome to it,
regardless of your ability to provide for yourself.  He mentioned public
showers.  I can live with that, but my charity is getting thinner.
"Public" means "Provided by tax money"... taxes that you are unwilling
to pay, but feel welcomed to spend.  If you truly want "freedom", bath
in a creek!  If you are running from the system, don't expect it to pick
you up and dust you off when you fall.
I have no problem at all with one who wants to "stop the world and get
off" for a while.  Actually I've done that myself once.  My buddy and I
wanted to see the world so we headed for California almost penniless.
Made it there and back and had a grand time.  That was back in the days
of 5-6 cent deposit return on pop bottles.  We more than paid for gas
for our bikes picking up bottles along the way... but the price for gas
was 35 cents a gallon back then :).  We picked up a bit of cash here and
there doing odd jobs... maybe that was through the charity of some store
keeper's heart, but nevertheless, we DID work for what we got.
Our one discretion was stopping at closed stations and draining the gas
out of the hose on the pumps.  Actually that was stealing, but we didn't
see it as such then.
TR> DB> I keep hearing this word responsibility... it makes me want to puke!
It was Christmas day.  I stopped at a convenience store for something
and a young man was sitting on the curb.  When I approached, he asked me
if I could give him some money so he could call home.  As I reached into
my pocket, he opened a brand new pack of cigarettes and lit one up.  My
hand stopped in mid-air.  I said, "No, you can afford to smoke, I
can't".  I think the word "responsibility" would fit pretty well.
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