Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Give Panhandlers Jobs

I do wonder what would happen to panhandlers if we gave them all jobs.

Salt Lake City is revamping its law on panhandlers. The Deseret News today reports they won't be allowed within 10 feet of outdoor cafes, theater lines, churches, and public transit stops. They will also be in violation if they follow a person after a solicitation or make threatening gestures.

What if we just gave them all jobs? What if every couple hours a man came out from a small factory, offering every panhandler within sight to come with him to the pasta plant and work for a few hours?

It doesn't even need to be the government doing this, lest you fear I'm advocating an act of socialism. We already have a world full of philanthropists, and they are as abundant in Utah as most anywhere.

Why not encourage them to philanthropically create small companies for the panhandlers? This will take philanthropy into new territory, as I really don't hear about philanthropists doing this. I hear about them giving to cancer research, to education, and to one thing and another.

I see charity organizations geared to feeding the homeless, providing relief to disaster victims, and helpiing people medically.

But, I don't see many charities creating small companies just to give people jobs.

Why not?

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