The Making of a Beggar

Nick Buckley

Description

Nick Buckley MBE explores the relationship between “givers” and “takers,” and the damaging symbiotic relationship between them. He examines the motivation of disheveled individuals sitting on street corners holding out paper cups, as well as the intergenerational problem of poverty and welfare dependency. Different types of beggars are highlighted, such as politicians begging for votes, charities begging for donations, and even the woke begging for validation and attention. Buckley shows that begging is a complicated topic, part nature and part nurture, and that many engage in such behavior unknowingly. Unlike most authors on this topic, Buckley explores his own history of begging from being raised in a workless household on benefits, to claiming unemployment benefits as an adult, and the journey that eventually led him to found an award-winning charity. Buckley offers us an antidote to such unbecoming behavior: personal responsibility.

Sujets

• Public Policy
• Political Science
• Sociology
• Begging
• General officer
• Psychology
• General

Informations

• Publié par: Academica Press
• Date de parution: 04 octobre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781680536812
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

The Making of A Beggar:
Rejecting Personal Responsibility
Nick Buckley MBE
Academica Press
Washington~London
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Buckley, Nick (author)
Title: The making of a beggar : rejecting personal responsibility | Buckley, Nick
Description: Washington : Academica Press, 2022. | Includes references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022944781 | ISBN 9781680536799 (hardcover) | 9781680536805 (paperback) | 9781680536812 (e-book)
Copyright 2022 Nick Buckley
Also by the author:
Lessons in Courage:
How I Fought Back
Against Cancel Culture and Won
The author also writes articles on many social topics and publishes them online at substack .com , where you can sign up for free.
Dedicated to my wife
When I am consumed by logic in the pursuit of a better tomorrow she always reminds me that the individual is the most important aspect of my work.
She helps me walk the narrow line of achieving the greatest good while protecting the voiceless and vulnerable.
Contents I. Introduction II. The Conversation Chapter 1 The Beggar’s Narrative Chapter 2 A recovering beggar Chapter 3 The Begging Trinity Chapter 4 A Lack Of Shame Chapter 5 A Political Beggar Chapter 6 The Damage Chapter 7 Personal Responsibility Chapter 8 The Antidote III. Final Words
You cannot hold your head high with your hand out.
- proverb
I. Introduction
My first book was easy to write, it just flowed. The last two chapters took a while to formulate, but they came together naturally as the book developed. Starting to write on day one was easy because I had a story to tell and I wanted to tell it. The words tumbled out of me as I typed. It was therapeutic. I had been traumatised. My life had changed forever. I had been betrayed. The book was my way of seeking cheap psychiatric help to overcome my life falling apart. I wrote partly out of anger and partly to understand what had happened.
Writing this book was different. There was no anger inside me. No story that desperately needed to be told. Just me and my opinions. I knew I wanted the book to explore begging and how this act permeates throughout society, but I did not know how to start.
I made some notes on potential chapter headings, real-life case studies and my own personal experience. But a spark was missing that was needed to ignite the story. The book must be a story if I expect people to read it.
It was a cold afternoon when I found the spark. I visited my mum in South Manchester, as I do on a weekly basis - hey, I am a good son! This was always a good opportunity to call into Lidl supermarket for some shopping and to stock up on everyday items and alcohol. I live in the city centre so stocking up when possible saves me a small fortune.
I drove to Lidl. I stopped at the traffic lights as they were on red. I could see the supermarket opposite. A petite white woman dressed in black tracksuit bottoms and a coat was weaving in and out of the waiting cars. She had a paper cup in her hand. She walked up to the driver’s windows and shook the cup while looking pitiful. I would guess she was in her late twenties, which means she was probably very early twenties or late teens. This lifestyle has an ageing effect. Begging at traffic lights was something new in Manchester. I had started to notice it about a year before. Had fewer people walking around on the streets due to Covid led to this new practice? Unintended consequences .
I remember at one of my old jobs arranging for the police to clamp down on Eastern Europeans cleaning windscreens at traffic lights in the city centre. We called them ‘ squeegees ’ after the handheld rubber tool that was used to wipe the cleaning liquid off windscreens. They were a problem and an accident waiting to happen. The police confiscated their buckets and squeezy bottles. At this time, we never had issues with people simply begging at traffic lights.
When this young woman came alongside my car window I politely shook my head and smiled. She wandered off with her paper cup to another car. I felt sad for her current situation and what she had become in life - a beggar.
The traffic lights changed to green and I moved on. I turned into the supermarket car park and found a car park space. I grabbed my heavy-duty shopping bags and made my way to the shop entrance. As usual, sitting on either side of the door were two beggars. This did not surprise me, as this was normal at almost every supermarket in Manchester. Two white males with paper cups and blankets. They did not speak so I ignored them. If they would have asked for money I would have politely refused. I never ignore someone begging. I always answer their request with a polite No. They are my fellow citizens and deserve an answer, for they are human. But they do not deserve my or your money.
I purchased my items. I gave myself a stiff talking to concerning the amount of alcohol purchased. I placed the bags of shopping in my car and walked around the corner to my favourite takeaway to get a kebab. I need to be honest with everyone here. If it was not for the convenience of this kebab shop then I may not be so dedicated to visiting my mum every week. I am just being honest. Please do not tell her.
I walked along the main road to reach my spicy destination. I walk past four white men begging outside four different shops. I recognised some faces as they are regulars in this location. This neighbourhood is predominately an Asian community. Yet I see no Asian beggars, only white ones.
Back to my car with my kebab and I headed home. I realised I needed fuel so popped into a garage to fill up. It is my usual garage on the outskirts of the city centre, it is always one of the cheapest for fuel. I also earn points on purchases which is a bonus. I drove into an empty space next to a petrol pump.
Almost immediately I was approached by a white man with a paper cup. “ Spare change, please. ” I politely shook my head and smiled. He walked away.
This was the first time I had been approached by a beggar while trying to fill my car with fuel. I had noticed that this petrol station had gained a few beggars sitting outside the kiosk entrance over the last year. The petrol station also had a cash point, so a beggar was always sitting there. On one occasion, I witnessed a beggar buying alcohol and then sitting back down outside to continue their trade. I mentioned the increase in this activity to the cashier as I paid for my fuel. She was apologetic. She explained that since the Covid lockdown fewer people were visiting the city centre, so beggars have found other places to beg. She also pointed out that a homeless hostel was only around the corner, so this location was convenient.
I drove the rest of the way home thinking about my experience that afternoon. Begging had become completely normalised and accepted. The general public did not seem to notice, or if they did, they did not care. Businesses accepted beggars as a new everyday problem that they were helpless to combat, so must be put up with.
I became angry as I drove home. Angry at the individuals who were too pathetic and weak to make a success of living in the UK. Angry at the police for not enforcing begging laws. Angry at the local government for allowing our fellow citizens to fall so low into despair.
Most of all, I was angry at society. Angry at the fools who think they are helping by handing over a few coins and sandwiches to people on the streets. Angry at people for not demanding action from the government. Where are the protests? Why does no one care about beggars, rough sleepers and the homeless?
I needed a spark to start the book, on a winter’s Sunday afternoon I found it.
The spark was anger. Not necessarily at the individuals begging for they are broken individuals. But our willingness to help continue a negative lifestyle that damages the body and mind. A lifestyle that ruins lives.
A flurry of questions popped into my head. Do we not care? Do we see ourselves in the faces of beggars for we are also beggars? Do we envy those who have rejected their personal responsibility? Is there a difference between holding out a paper cup and receiving Universal Credit? Did the government’s furlough scheme give us a taste of the life of a beggar? Or have we been going down this path for decades without ever noticing?
I started typing. I had a lot to say.
II. The Conversation
Before you jump into this book, allow me to explain my thoughts on street begging. I have two decades of hands-on experience with this topic. I previously chaired a multi-agency panel to seek solutions for individuals who were rough sleeping or begging. This panel consisted of the police, council, NHS, drug support services and other organisations. At the same time, I was responsible for reducing antisocial behaviour in Manchester city centre - this included begging, street drinking and rough sleeping. After I left the council, I set up charity projects that supported people off the streets and into accommodation. I also created a project that secured paid employment for homeless individuals. I have spoken at conferences and appeared on national media to discuss this topic. I am somewhat of an expert when it comes to rough sleeping and begging in Manchester.
Due to the above experience, people regularly asked me many questions on this topic. How should they help the dishevelled individuals they see sitting on street corners? I have answered every question you could possibly ask. I have debunked every excuse and every urban myth. I have looked into the eyes of wonderful individuals who just want to help their fellow man and told them they are part of the problem.
Allow me to share these questions and my answers with you in a form of a conversation for ease.
Instructions on how to help people
You see begging on a street corner: Surely, it is a good thing to give a beggar a couple of coins?
Unfortunately, the vast majority of beggars are d