Tokens as Legal Tender

[jtf1972]

Why is it that people immediately assume people are going to buy drugs when they try to do something like this. You can't buy everything with a Bridge card. People with Bridge cards still need toilet paper, soap, deoderant, toothpaste and other non-food essentials. A little empathy goes a long way...try it.

Perhaps a Bridge card was not designed to buy non-food essentials. There is a reason that the Bridge card is designed as it is and that they just don't hand out cash to people. Perhaps this lady was trying to get money together to take the bus. Perhaps she was trying to get money together to buy a bar of soap & roll of toilet paper. Perhaps she is trying to get money together to go to Fedex Office & print additional copies of her resume for the next job fair. Whatever she is doing, it is subsidized by taxpayers who are paying for people to have a Bridge card to be able to eat. That, she is not doing.

I can empathize with people in need... I need a job myself. I will not however apply for a Bridge card & use it for anything other than its intent. I will also not bother you, nor anybody else for "bus fare."

I'm glad that there are kind souls like you who would obviously tell this lady to use her tokens for food, then give her a couple $20 bills so she can get her non-food essentials and have money for transportation. Hope you're ready for the line of people who need empathy.

PS. I was a lot more empathetic before living in NYC. When you see the same couple on the train for several years, pleading for assistance to help bury their child that died in a fire... See a guy in a wheelchair crying about how hungry he is, then throw the food people gave him under a seat, watch a guy begging for money for food, then sit down & pull out a wad of cash & count it [[almost $200)... you tend to lose a bit of faith in mankind & realize how many people are out there hustling you, taking advantage of kindness and empathy. If you want to do something to battle the problems of society, giving money to someone who is trying to beat the system is probably not the answer.

[MidTownMs]

Perhaps a Bridge card was not designed to buy non-food essentials. There is a reason that the Bridge card is designed as it is and that they just don't hand out cash to people. Perhaps this lady was trying to get money together to take the bus. Perhaps she was trying to get money together to buy a bar of soap & roll of toilet paper. Perhaps she is trying to get money together to go to Fedex Office & print additional copies of her resume for the next job fair. Whatever she is doing, it is subsidized by taxpayers who are paying for people to have a Bridge card to be able to eat. That, she is not doing.

I can empathize with people in need... I need a job myself. I will not however apply for a Bridge card & use it for anything other than its intent. I will also not bother you, nor anybody else for "bus fare."

I'm glad that there are kind souls like you who would obviously tell this lady to use her tokens for food, then give her a couple $20 bills so she can get her non-food essentials and have money for transportation. Hope you're ready for the line of people who need empathy.

PS. I was a lot more empathetic before living in NYC. When you see the same couple on the train for several years, pleading for assistance to help bury their child that died in a fire... See a guy in a wheelchair crying about how hungry he is, then throw the food people gave him under a seat, watch a guy begging for money for food, then sit down & pull out a wad of cash & count it [[almost $200)... you tend to lose a bit of faith in mankind & realize how many people are out there hustling you, taking advantage of kindness and empathy. If you want to do something to battle the problems of society, giving money to someone who is trying to beat the system is probably not the answer.

You're right I am kind. However, I do not give money away because like many people in this city I am probably a few meals away from a Bridge card myself.. There are many other ways to help people in need.