You’re leaving Dunkin Donuts, coffee and cruiller in hand, and a man who looks as though he has not seen the inside of a shower in quite a few days asks you to spare some change so that he can get a ride. You fumble through your pockets—only large bills. So, you avert your eyes, give the man a simple ‘Sorry’ and go on with your day. It is a situation that we have all faced at one time or another. As Wesleyan students we are nationally renowned for our seemingly limitless supply of activist energy, but many of us balk at the panhandlers on Middletown’s sidewalks.
Last Thursday, Princeton University Professor of Bioethics Peter Singer spoke on the ethical responsibility that the wealthy have towards the less fortunate. Singer asserted that social reforms on the global scale require systemic changes in the form of international cooperation. This approach to activism can help us reconcile our uncertainty as to how we should act on local issues, such as homelessness.
If you’re interested in helping out, follow Singer’s advice and lend your support to the organizations that can use it most effectively. Write a letter to city and state elected officials; lobbyists of all levels hold a great deal of influence in lawmaking. If you don’t trust your skills in letter composition, volunteer at the Amazing Grace Food Pantry, the Red Cross or any of the other dozen outlets for the city’s homeless. If you can’t spare your time, give some of your excess points at the end of the year. Donating points to the homeless has raised thousands of dollars for the homeless in past years.
Fifty cents here and a dollar there may help a homeless individual purchase a sandwich—but it won’t solve the larger problem. We can never be certain as to whether our well-intentioned donations will help a struggling person to get back on his feet or perpetuate the habits that landed him in destitution. Instead of gambling on a panhandler’s intentions, write a letter, volunteer for an afternoon or donate excess points to a reputable charity. The next time you run into someone asking for spare change you might not be able to give him any money, but at least you’ll be able to look him in the eye.
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