This letter is in response to Jennifer Marin’s guest column, “Homeless starved for attention,” in Friday’s Lantern. In it, she encouraged students to stop thinking of themselves and give generously to the homeless that pander around campus. While her heart is in the right place, her method is flawed. Many, if not most, of the beggars around the OSU campus do not deserve our handouts. They are con men preying on the kind nature of people. What better place to score quick cash than a liberal college containing thousands of students who have never lived in a large city, or seen a homeless person?
Others who are not scamming will abuse the money they receive on drugs or alcohol. The chances of the money ending up in the hands of someone who really needs and deserves it are minuscule. We cannot help the real homeless without throwing money away. Buy lunch for the beggar you see and that way there is no possibility of your money being misused. If you want to give money, there are many charities in Columbus. The Faith Mission, United Way and Salvation Army all help at a much more organized level. Watchdog groups make sure these charities do not abuse your donations. This is a far better idea than gambling your money on an individual. Jennifer is right, we should be active with domestic humanitarian efforts. But we should do so in a sensible manner.
Scott R. HaworthFreshmanHistory
