Ban the beggars | The Salt Lake Tribune

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If you didn't like Melanie Clark's idea of giving street beggars gift cards to McDonald's ("Helping beggars," Forum, May 15), I have a better idea: Don't give them anything. Tell them to get a job at McDonald's instead. (Have you seen how young and physically able some look?)

They think street begging is their job. They could get a real job if they wanted to.

Some of their signs even proclaim the truth, that they are seeking cash for beer and drugs. One young lady's sign said she was "homeless with young kids," while her apparent boyfriend was across the street also begging. Don't know where her kids were.

Since street begging is apparently legal and prostitution is not, look for those ladies of the night to join the street crew. Can you imagine the sign, "Sex for food"?

Memo to Salt Lake City: Get the freeloaders off the street.

Memo to the public: Don't patronize the beggars. Don't feel sorry for them, because some of them are probably making more money than you are.

Marty Bernstein

Midvale