BE CONSIDERATE

ON MANY street corners we see people trying to give out pamphlets advertising different things. While some consider them a nuisance, have you ever considered how demoralising it must be for them when almost nobody wants what they are trying to distribute?

It cannot be easy when they have to stand all day, often in adverse weather conditions, trying to eke out a living and having to dodge passing vehicles. Watch how their faces sometimes light up when you call them over to accept a pamphlet. And this kindness costs you nothing.

I’m not suggesting that you open your windows widely when there is a group of strangers near the car. It is good to be streetwise, but a slight opening to an individual during the day should be okay, especially when you are not alone in the car.

When it comes to beggars (and these are not beggars), some people say they should just get a job, as if it is so easy. There are high levels of unemployment. Nevertheless the pamphleteers did get this (low-paying) job.

Others sit in judgment and believe that the beggars will use the money for drugs, without any evidence to prove this. Even if some do use part of the money for drugs, it should not be a reason to deprive those who genuinely need it to feed themselves and their children.

Martin Zagnoev