Uneducated view of a story

The Austin Chronicle recently posted a commentary called "Unfair View of the Unfortunate," Written by a man who was previously a downtown Austin business owner. The commentary was in reply to an article written by The Chronicle called "Panhandlers for God" The story was about "panhandlers" harassing people in the streets of Austin. However, it was actually concentrating on people who are not homeless and work for a church; who take to the streets looking for donations.

The Author of the commentary, Paul Silver, claims that story was an "unfair persecution of the unfortunate"; that instead of the city devising some sort of Panhandling Ban that perhaps the City of Austin should instead post signs at heavy Panhandling spots that warn motorist not to give money to the panhandlers. The author holds this belief to be true because he once owned a business downtown and had personally dealt with the panhandlers in the past.


The author would have a very valid point IF the original story was about the regular typical panhandler. But it wasn't. The story was about ARM Restoration Ministries of Austin, a local church that targets drug addicts and alcoholics. ARM supposedly "rehabilitates" them even though they are not a licensed practitioner and sends them out to the streets to help raise money for the church.


I think the author of the commentary, Paul Silver, is a complete idiot! I don't know if he hadn't read the whole story or is an ARM member himself. What I do know is that Ive dealt with homeless panhandlers and Ive dealt with ARM employees and there's a big difference between the two. What the Chronicle had said about ARM is completely true; they are loud, obnoxious, and obtrusive. Unlike, the laid back homeless begger's you usually see out on the streets of Austin. I commend Mr. Silver's Idea of signs about the shelters, its not bad, however his idea is hard to take seriously when it seems that he only read the title of the story he was commenting on.