I give to anyone who asks if I happen to have cash on me. If they want to use it to buy lquor or drugs, that's none of my business if that's what they need to get by.

Chiming in late on this. Not a fan of panhandling. I'm not opposed to helping people, but its impossible to separate the legit "down on their luck" people from the career panhandlers. I work too hard for my money to support someone else's lazy lifestyle. That said, I have no problem whatsoever helping someone I know is really trying to help themselves, and have done so more than once.

There are several panhandlers around Chattanooga. They are becoming more difficult to find because our government doesn't want them around f***ing up the scenery and I'm sure they can be a bother for tourists. I think the number of panhandlers is a viable source for the true dynamics of a town or city. Perhaps their situations would change if they were more visible. People might actually see the problem and try to do something to fix their plight.

If you actually are poor and need it...

I don't know the story of another. I have been nearly homeless but I was lucky to fall into a situation that allowed me to better myself. Not everyone has that luxury.

I find it annoying, but I would not deny a person any legal means to try to make ends meets. Some pan handlers are just unlucky in ending up as they are.

I’ve given money to people where they’ve immediately taken it and bought liquor. That makes a guy or girl less likely to give the next time but I know that when the occasion arises I don’t have time to monitor and if I make the decision to give them money I need to feel I did the right thing. I can’t imagine prohibiting it as a lot of people have a difficult time in their lives and I wouldn’t want to deprive someone actually in need. It would be better if government was generous enough to take care of such folk.

Aggressive panhandling should be prohibited. I've seen people who were clearly in need of help and were ashamed to be asking and I've seen people who were loud and abusive trying to coerce donations.

Freedom of speech.

I voted NO. I want all people to have food and healthcare, and shelter. No one should ever have to beg. No one should have to give up their dignity in order to meet basic needs. I'm talking about a perfect world of course. I will buy someone food before giving them money. I rather feed them that pay for drugs or alcohol. That's just me.

Under certain conditions, I think it should be allowed.
Some people really need whatever money they can get from panhandling. We just can't have people everywhere asking everyone for money.

I'll give street people money before charities as they always have 6 comparatively rich people sitting round a table collecting a wage or i'll tip the fast food servers as they really need it. I go round all the walmarts telling the workers of the store in quebec that unionized and then was shut down by walmart but reopened nearby unionized !

Not heard the term before, here in the UK if it's the homeless, they're called beggers, if it's for charities or churches they're called street collectors. I think it is OK, so long as they don't accost you. Street collectors are more of a nuiscance, I am more likely to give to a beggar or busker.

If someone is physically disabled I have no problem seeing them panhandling. If they are healthy and are panhandling on a busy street or highway with "Now Hiring" signs all over the place, that is a really bad look and I don't trust it. But at the same time its not really good to judge people just based on how it looks. They may be going through some crazy shit that we couldn't even imagine that caused them to take up panhandling even if just short-term. It sucks because there are those frauds out there that get in groups and run street corners like little panhandling crews and make good money hustling people when they are not really struggling like that - at least I've seen stuff like that on documentaries and YouTube. IDK how to answer directly on this one.

I think it should be OK. as a start for musos, it is a good way for youngsters to get both practice and the experience of playing to an audience.

As long as it is voluntary it's OK imo.