I Am The Reason There's All This Hate In The World

Yes -- now you know -- I'm the reason there's all this hate in the world. At least, that's what a panhandler told me the other day. Just because I wouldn't engage him and respond to his request for my name, or how I was doing, now I'm responsible for hate. All of it.

He was standing outside Kinko's with a paint can with a label on it (presumably for collecting money for some sort of charity/keg party), and he started walking with me as I walked by, and wouldn't you know it, the light changed and I couldn't cross the street. He introduced himself, asked me how I was doing and stuck his bandaged hand out for me to shake it. Ewwww. I responded that I had to get to work. Traffic (thankfully) cleared and I took off across the street. He followed me for a few steps and informed me that my response was uncalled for and disrespectful and that I was the reason there's so much hate in the world. He continued on with the lecture, but from the other side of the street, and I walked on to my office building.

So now you know where to place the blame for all the hate in the world, which is really amazing considering I've only been here a relatively short time in the history of the world.

Now before you go thinking that I'm being all judgmental, rest assured that I have much compassion for those who are homeless or in desperate financial straits. I truly believe that most homeless people are homeless due to circumstances beyond their control, either due to mental illness or other reasons. I think that our leaders do a terrible job providing for those less fortunate, which is a product of the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" mentality of this country. I believe these people have problems that prevent them from taking care of themselves, and those problems are not being addressed, and the thinking that "those people just need to go out and get a job and become productive members of society" is ignoring the source of the problem, whatever it is -- mental, medical, financial. Try keeping a job if you can't afford the medicine it takes to treat your mental illness.

Anyway, I was amused that I have been labeled the reason for hate. I also did not have any cash on me, so he would have been doubly disappointed. I did not see the guy again, so I guess he found a more profitable street corner with less hateful people.