It was an almost stop the presses moment for me when EYEWITNESS NEWS reported that Bishop Thomas Tobin suggested we NOT give to panhandlers. Frankly, that was the LAST thing I would expected the head of the Rhode Island Catholic Diocese to say, but when I checked out his reasons on his fACEBOOK page, my position changed. The Bishop giving three reasons why he feels this way:
1) Throwing some loose change at a panhandler while passing by is demeaning of his or her human dignity. While it might make us feel better, in sustains a very unhealthy and degrading lifestyle.
2) It can be a real safety hazard, endangering the individuals on the curb or in the street asking for help, as well as for passing motorists and pedestrians. ( HEY, isn't THAT what this ordinance is all about)
3) It is a practice that enables a few dishonest individuals to prey upon the compassion of others to ask for money, even when they don't have legitimate needs.
As for thinking this is a lack of compassion on the Bishop's part, he quick to point out that Pope Francis has said "the great danger, or temptation, when aiding the poor, is falling into an attitude of protective paternalism that, at the end of the day, does not allow them to grow." Smart man, the Pope.