Has begging got out of hand?

The word ‘Begging’ is generally linked with pleading or ‘demanding’, particularly money. Generally beggars appear on the streets. Begging is also referred to as ‘Panhandling’.

Apart from the common type of street begging in public, there are more advanced and sophisticated methods adopted today in a somewhat glorified manner. Internet begging, cyber-begging, or Internet panhandling is the ‘online version’ of traditional begging, seeking money to meet numerous needs. This type of supplication has a clear advantage over face-to-face street panhandling because of its ability to eliminate the shame or the apparent disgrace practised incognito.

Cyber-begging became evident, in the form of personal advertisements, during early phase of the internet with personal web sites becoming popular and individuals taking advantage of the features available therein. ISPs (Internet Service Providers) offering free home pages with a basic dial up connection service to the internet helped many desperados ‘to make hay while the sun shone’. For some fraudulent organizations who managed to raise funds ingeniously from snail mail, the World Wide Web offered a more elaborate from by utilising the new found internet techniques.

Google exposes how ‘the Internet Begging’ gained notoriety and momentum after June 2002 quoting Karyn Bosnak’s website, ‘SaveKaryn.com’, where ‘she was alleged to have used the Internet to seek public assistance to pay off her credit card debts’.

Beggar using an IPhone in Colombo

Begging letters are another form of foul play where rich individuals are approached with prayerful letters, usually when lottery winners are exposed publicly. Such letters written by someone can also reach an organization claiming to be ‘poor ‘and seeking help with a variety of human needs to very humorous.

Spiritual dimention

‘Nigerian 419 scam’ is an example of begging letters where 419 communications were sent to wealthy persons asking for financial assistance for orphaned children, emergency surgery, etc. The May 1850 edition of Household Words contained an article entitled The Begging-Letter Writer, noted down by Charles Dickens. In the article Dickens described examples of the many begging letters he received over the years and the ploys adopted by writers to gain funds.

Apart from a vast array of practices of begging, a different dimension takes place with many religious orders to mendicant way of life. ‘In the Catholic Church, followers of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Dominic became known as mendicants, as they would beg for food while they preached to the villagers’. In traditional Christianity rich are encouraged to serve the poor. In many Hindu traditions, spiritual seekers begging for food is regarded as a materialistic distraction from the search for Moksha (spiritual liberation). Begging, they believe, promotes humility and gratitude, not only towards those who give food, but towards the Universe in general. Dervishes of Islam makes Zakat (similar to a wealth tax) which is compulsory for every Muslim during one’s life time and another type of charity which is open ended to one’s heart’s content. It is also found in the monastic orders of Buddhism called Pindapatha. In every such case meritorious deed and generosity of contributors seem naturally to fulfill another dimension of their spiritual self-advancement ‘to seek’ a better spiritual station after death.

Modern tactics

A fast growing practice in Sri Lanka is ‘visiting beggars’ seeking financial support with an array of beseeching. Poverty and destituteness is a different kettle of fish altogether as long as it is credible, but should those who with compassionate hearts become suckers to such tricksters who seem to take one’s sincerity as a weakness?

The other side of the coin is that every human being is born with a certain amount of self-respect. No one would like to stoop to a degrading level of humiliating by visiting house to house if they are able to manage their livelihoods, in the absence of a well designed social security system.

In such a backdrop how can people identify a bona-fide case unless a beseecher is known personally? In a world of fraudsters and tricksters who are hell-bent on making a quick buck by hook or by crook, at the expense of the sympathetic folk it becomes very difficult to trust anyone at present times.

This issue has become very complex in Sri Lanka. The moment one gets out of the house or opens the door or keeps the front gate open, beggars of different kind keep on approaching. When a vehicle comes to a stop at red traffic light signals what do we come across? Beggars bombarding you!

Certain type of ‘begging’ families have turned imploring as a profession for generations to accumulate sizable wealth by ‘employing’ other newer beggars. These groups claim to have marked territories and, if unknown beggars approach such areas it might end up in verbal and/or physical abuse.

Some advise the general public not to give a cent to beggars who come across on a daily basis as they are ‘supposed to be employees’ of big villains behind, who make use of destitute people to spin money. Here the ‘employer’ is supposed to drop men and women at various allocated points and collect them in the evening giving them a percentage of day’s return as their commission or daily wage!

‘Aggressive panhandling’ generally involves solicitation of donations in an intimidating or intrusive manner especially from foreign tourists where individuals are seen following foreigners in a Pied Piper fashion and not taking ‘NO’ for an answer. In certain cases supplicating can be in a loud voice often accompanied with wild gesticulations and use of insults, curse or veiled threats.

Sophistication has become the term to be used with beggars in this technological age. The attached email picture shows a beggar outside the Colombo Town Hall engaged in his routine business........ doing what? Have a good look ... ...... Using an IPhone! Who is taking whom for a ride.....?

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