What about panhandling?

[Aristus]

12. I'm too much of a bleeding-heart to demand regulation of pan-handling.

Although, admittedly, I've never encountered an aggressive panhandler. I was asked for money outside a concert in Seattle last Friday. I gave him a dollar, and he responded: "Hey, how about one for my wife, too?" I declined. But I don't necessarily consider that aggressive.

Still, if someone asks for money, I try to give a little, especially if it looks like they're in desperate straits. I walked by a guy sitting on the sidewalk in the pouring rain one time, and slipped him $5. No way was he trying to scam somebody.

The way I see it, it's better to give the money, even if the possibility exists that it's a scam. One day, I'll stand before God, and He may ask me: "That person was in need, and you didn't help. Why?" If a scam artist gets some money from me panhandling, someday, he will stand before God, and God will ask him: "You didn't need that person's money. Why did you scam him?"