Homeless Man, Shoeless Again...

No good deed goes unpunished:

The New York City homeless man — whose gift of boots from an NYPD police officer became an online sensation — is back on the streets with no shoes.

The man, Jeffrey Hillman, formerly of South Plainfield, NJ was found Sunday night wandering barefoot in Manhattan, The New York Times reported.

Asked about the $100 all-weather boots Officer Larry DePrimo gave him on Nov. 14, Hillman says he's hidden them because "they are worth a lot of money."


I don't think anybody has made any money from the photo of Officer DePrimo's concern for Mr. Hillman.  But ti does appear as if DePrimo has in fact wasted the money he spent trying to help Mr. Hillman stay alive.

It's a small example, with a small amount of money involved.  But it appears as if Mr. Hillman is beyond any kind of help a rational society can provide him.  Which makes me wonder how much money we waste as a nation, both on local and national services, on these homelessness "outreach groups"

Need an idea?  Here's a press release from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, complaining that a mere $104 million dollar 2012-2013 funding increase - increase! - would actually curtail their ability to provide services.  Apparently, the federal government funds over 50 of these groups; the number on the local levels are too numerous to count.

Hate to sound like a cruel, heartless conservative, but perhaps it is best to heed and recognize the words of a famous philosopher - "For you always have the poor with you" - and spend our ever-diminishing wealth on those who actually have a prayer of being saved...