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| Thread: Good people come in all colors and shapes... |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 3 4 · NEXT» |
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smithey
Promising
Supreme Hero
Yes im red, choke on it !!!
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posted May 15, 2011 04:07 PM |
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Good people come in all colors and shapes...
Chicago - A year ago, everything was going right for a woman we'll call Sandy.
She had a good job at a bank in the suburbs.
She and her 10-year-old son had a safe home.
But then the world came crashing down around the 39-year-old. She lost her job. She lost her house. And she and her son moved into her truck. Police found her and DCFS threatened to take away her son if she didn't find a safe place to stay.
She moved into a hotel with the help of a social worker who paid for a few nights stay with her own money. That's when Sandy's knight in shining armor showed up. And he's kept showing up, every day, paying her hotel bill, so she and her son can stay off the streets.
But Sandy's Good Samaritan isn't a Chicago big shot. He isn't living in a Loop highrise. He doesn't even have a job.
Sandy's Good Samaritan is Curtis Jackson, who's been homeless since 2004. He pays for Sandy's hotel room because she used to treat him with dignity and kindness when she did have a house -- and he pays for it by panhandling and giving the money to her.
"All I can do is get out there and put a sign in my hand, or put a cup in my hand and ask people to help me out, and everything I get, except maybe bus fare and something to eat, I give it to her," Jackson said as he stood at the corner of 55th and Harlem.
Jackson pays the nightly bill by pouring his bucket of change on the hotel counter. Since December, he's raised $9,000, and he's given it all to Sandy. He said sometimes 40, 70, a hundred cars go by before someone gives him a few pennies or a few bucks.
Sandy can't believe it.
"I've donated to charities, I've helped other homeless families -- never realizing that one day we'd be in this situation," she said. "So thank God that we did have an angel waiting for us."
Jackson said he's a man of faith; homeless, but not hopeless, and he's got some words of wisdom for the people he sees bustling by every day.
"I have God. I'm one of the richest men on this earth, 'cause I have God," he said. "Money is not my master. That's what's wrong with this world: money is its master."
Sandy said she doesn't think she'll ever be able to repay Jackson, who's become like a brother.
"I'm out here for a purpose: to help someone, and that's all I'm trying to do is help someone that needs help right at this moment," he said. "And once she doesn't need help anymore, I'll move on to something else."
Nicely done !
Thumbs up, that's all I can say.... 
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Aculias
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
Pretty Boy Angel Sacraficer
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posted May 16, 2011 06:21 AM |
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It is a Messed up world out there where the rich takes advantage of the poor.
It is great to see good people help each other out with returned favors.
I wish people would of helped me when i was homeless.
I was still young & picked my own self up & earned everything i got right now & hopefully more.
It is sad how screwed up people can be, it seems the nicer you are in this world, the more people exploit it.
Good to see good people!
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Dreaming of a Better World
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shyranis
Promising
Supreme Hero
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posted May 16, 2011 06:38 AM |
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Agreed. My hubby for his entire life has been of the "good person constantly exploited by people" people. I see it all the time.
Good to see somebody so genuinely good returning the kindness he was given.
____________
Youtube has terminated my account without reason.
Please express why it should be reinstated on
Twitter.
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Adrius
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Stand and fight!
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posted May 16, 2011 08:02 AM |
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Happiness? In the OSM? Madness!
Beautiful story though 
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Elodin
Promising
Legendary Hero
Free Thinker
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posted May 16, 2011 08:30 AM |
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Quote:
It is a Messed up world out there where the rich takes advantage of the poor.
How are the rich sticking it to the poor?
Would you say that any poor folks take advantage of the rich? For example by voting for politicians that will steal money from "the rich" and give it to the poor in exchange for their votes? How about fake accidents where a person "falls down" in a store and claim their back hurts and sue the store? Or a person calls in sick when they are not sick or take extended breaks/lunches or steal office supplies or take some money out of the register?
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Revelation
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baklava
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Mostly harmless
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posted May 16, 2011 10:32 AM |
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I agree. This discrimination has to stop. The rich folks have suffered enough at the hands of their vile, impoverished overlords and their "minimum wages" and "public schooling" and "protesting against getting slaughtered in senseless wars".
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"Let me tell you what the blues
is. When you ain't got no
money,
you got the blues."
Howlin Wolf
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shyranis
Promising
Supreme Hero
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posted May 16, 2011 12:24 PM |
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The homeless generally cannot vote as they cannot register...
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Youtube has terminated my account without reason.
Please express why it should be reinstated on
Twitter.
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Insanity
Known Hero
Brain cells killa
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posted May 16, 2011 12:34 PM |
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Quote:
How are the rich sticking it to the poor?
Would you say that any poor folks take advantage of the rich? For example by voting for politicians that will steal money from "the rich" and give it to the poor in exchange for their votes? How about fake accidents where a person "falls down" in a store and claim their back hurts and sue the store? Or a person calls in sick when they are not sick or take extended breaks/lunches or steal office supplies or take some money out of the register?
LOLZZZ I didnt have the chance to speak to u elodin but u iz already insane ? how is diz possible ? my mind just got blown to thirty six and a half pieces  or maybe i needzzz to fix my sarcasm detector ASAPation
nice smithey
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Elodin
Promising
Legendary Hero
Free Thinker
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posted May 16, 2011 03:47 PM |
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Quote:
The homeless generally cannot vote as they cannot register...
Someone commented on the poor in general being oppressed by the rich. I disputed that claim.
Also, you are wrong about the homeless not being able to vote if you are referring to the US. Perhaps in Canada homeless people can't vote? In the US they can.
Clicky
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Revelation
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bixie
Promising
Legendary Hero
my common sense is tingling!
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posted May 16, 2011 07:16 PM |
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Elodin, where do you live where the poor solely oppress the rich so, Bizarro world?! Russia of reversal?!
as far as I'm concerned, there are good and ill in all people. there are hard-working poor people who are willing to do everything they can in order to benefit their lives, and there are also benefit scroungers who don't do a damn thing and just live off the taxes (with the latter being in the minority). similarly, there are hardworking rich people who do everything they can to benefit everyone elses lives, and there are also greedy arseholes who have to mess everything up (with the latter being in the minority).
Unfortunately, the minority create more of an impact. the benefit scroungers invariable are the focus of alot of the media attention, attempting to paint everyone in a bad light, as well as being a big source for minor crimes, and the greedy arsholes are often given the reigns of power and end up screwing everyone over.
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Love, Laugh, Learn, Live.
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Fauch
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted May 19, 2011 05:34 PM |
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so she got helped by the guy who should be the most begging for help?
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MacMasterMC
Known Hero
Resurrected Loreweaver
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posted May 20, 2011 07:47 AM |
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In this life, it is most often those who have the least, or who have been through the worst, that are most able to sacrifice for other's needs, in spite of their own suffering.
That is the kind of sacrifice that is akin to the widow's mite. No riches can compare to those who offer all they have
No thread derailment can override or eliminate the actions of this noble soul.
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...a shimmer in the woods, with
an expectant feel to the air...
...a figure takes shape...
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xerox
Promising
Undefeatable Hero
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posted May 20, 2011 07:02 PM |
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So the conclusion is that the US needs more socialism in order to get a government which actually cares about its people?
But oh noes, socialism equals evul for many in the US!
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Over himself, over his own
body and
mind, the individual is
sovereign.
- John Stuart Mill
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Doomforge
Admirable
Undefeatable Hero
Retired Hero
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posted May 20, 2011 07:08 PM |
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Quote:
Elodin, where do you live where the poor solely oppress the rich so, Bizarro world?! Russia of reversal?!
Just a country where's ok for Gov to steal money for tanks
but not ok for the gov to steal money to help the poor.
Easy.
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We reached to the stars and everything is now ours
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Fauch
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted May 20, 2011 07:53 PM |
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doesn't sound hard to locate 
that must constitute about the whole surface of earth without international waters, no?
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Seraphim
Supreme Hero
Knowledge Reaper
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posted May 20, 2011 09:45 PM |
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It is good to hear about the quote "Good paysoff" and stories such as this.
But imo,its a rarity.Empathy is not really rewrded or something.
I did help people,sometimes more,sometimes less,all I asked for was thankfulness.Those people never thanked me,worse they behaved as nothing had happened and snubbed me sometimes.Not all of them,but the majority of people I helped.What I mean with helping,since it is a broad term,I mean things like lending some money,helping with a project,sparing a meal to a friend.Still,it jsut did nothing to me.
In some rare cases,it really helps.
Is it worth doing?Depends on the wind direction...
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Fauch
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted May 21, 2011 12:33 AM |
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well, but in this case, the woman really needed the help, I guess that wasn't the case of those people who just found someone to take advantage of.
it's not like the woman can even afford to behave that way, because if his guardian angel gets pissed off, she is going to have serious problems
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markkur
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Once upon a time
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posted May 21, 2011 07:16 PM |
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Edited by markkur at 02:45, 22 May 2011.
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Good story smithey. Thank you for sharing it. <IMO> That man knows the truth but better yet..."lives it".
Edit = the following.
When I was seventeen I set out on my first real adventure in life. Dan, a thirty year old, had recently been released from prison and wanted to go to New York to see his old girlfriend and the son he’d never seen.
Billy, a few years Dan’s junior and his sidekick, sat up front with him as the navigator of the trip. My fast friends were both very exited about making this journey while I sat in the back of the VW and wondered what lay ahead.
The trip itself was uneventful and as the miles passed by the windows I relaxed. When we made it to “The Big Apple” things began to change for the worse. Dan’s girlfriend was not happy to see him, I had not heard of the abuse. The meeting with his son was painful for me to watch, as the little boy wanted nothing to do with this stranger. Dan and Billy began drinking heavily and within a week Billy was arrested. That’s when I discovered he had fled his wife and kids in St. Paul. In his drunken state the guilt was very strong and he became dangerously angry. He landed in jail after breaking into a grocery store at the end of his alcoholic binge. I watched from a street corner as they took Billy away in a police cruiser and I never saw him again.
It wasn’t long after that Dan and I were pulled over by a State Trooper. Dan was DWI, rude, bold and quickly jailed. That was the last time I saw Dan.
It was then that the adventure really started. I was sober and been given the responsibility to get Dan’s son back home to NY. The boy and I were alone in a car with no foot brakes. Dan had been using the hand brake (the days before they locked) and I hadn’t noticed. Then it began to rain, rain hard.
When I realized that the car was a stick shift I found myself wondering why I hadn’t told the trooper that I had never driven a car before. Looking back, I guess it was because he was an authority telling me to get the boy home safely. In the driving rain I had figured out the starting and stopping of a vehicle and turned the car around at the next exit. Then terror struck again. A sign on the interstate stated New York, 80 miles.
Bad windshield wipers made the trip back seem like 800 miles and Dan’s son added his own little tension. Probably because of my visible fear, the boy kept asking me if we were going to crash. Sqaash is the word that he actually used to convey our shared terror.
Nearing the big city it dawned on me that I had no idea how to traverse the roads back to Dan’s girlfriends apartment. I did remember the street name and the neighborhood. So when I saw the street’s name, I exited. It didn’t take long for me to park the car after I realized that your not shifting anymore once you are on an interstate and now I would have to do the herky jerk at every light and stop-sign driving in the city. Thirty years later the final details of how I got that kid home are forgotten.
Now it was time for this worn out adventurer to get back home. I had no car, no money, only a thumb. It was at Newark NJ that getting rides became difficult. The hot august sun forced me to walk down a ramp into the city for a drink of water. This naïve 17-year-old teenager with hair down to the center of his back found himself in the middle of a parade. The streets were filled with bystanders. I had attended an 85% black school so I ventured into the all black event with zero caution. Mine was the only white face present in the crowd.
While I stood on a corner trying to decide where I could get a drink of water, I was spotted by a large group of young men. Fear surfaced in me as I became aware they were making their way to me. It was easy to see their intentions were not good but I had nowhere to go, no quick way back up the ramp.
At about the time the gang was to me a long arm wrapped around me and pulled me close. “He’s with me,” a deep gravelly voice said forcefully. The group stopped dead in their tracks, turned around and went back the way they came.
I turned around to see a very old black man with silver hair and beard. He appeared to me to be a whino wearing a tattered old suit. He asked me “Where are you from boy?” I told him from Missouri. Hey Missurah he said with a deep howl. “I’m James”. Are you hungry? I found myself saying hungry as well as thirsty. James told me to come with him and I followed this stranger to his one room in this dank hotel. Inside he gave me water and opened a can of something and put it on a hot plate. We spent the next couple of hours talking about our lives and in the late afternoon he asked me if I would like to drink a beer with him. I wasn’t much for drinking but it sounded pretty good to me for some reason. James and I walked out of that old hotel and across the street. It was a rough looking tavern from the outside and I started to get uneasy once more. Hey Missurah he said again and we went inside.
It was a small place filled by large angry looking men and my uneasiness increased. The bartender looked at a young white face that I’m sure was whiter than usual. Before he could say a thing, James told me to sit down and informed the man that I was with him. It was like James had made me invisible because no one seemed to notice me anymore. That was the first time that beer tasted good to me. We had talked a little while when James told me I probably needed to get back up the ramp and catch a ride. I could only say yes. As he walked me the short distance back to where we had met, he told me to remember that there are some bad people in the world and with a pat on the back we parted ways. About halfway back up the ramp I heard one last Hey Missurah and looked back to James slowly waving goodbye. Once out on the turnpike, I caught a ride in minutes. In days I made it home and my first adventure was over.
Over the years I’ve regretted not having the wisdom of getting James’ address. I now would love to send him a letter or gift to let him know I’ve never forgotten him. Wanting to be able to tell him that I understand what he did for me that day has never escaped me.
A feeling inside tells me he knew anyway. Years later, I can only repay him when someone needs me.
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"Do your own research"
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Insanity
Known Hero
Brain cells killa
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posted May 22, 2011 04:33 PM |
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nice story Markkur
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Elodin
Promising
Legendary Hero
Free Thinker
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posted May 22, 2011 04:41 PM |
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Quote:
Quote:
Elodin, where do you live where the poor solely oppress the rich so, Bizarro world?! Russia of reversal?!
Just a country where's ok for Gov to steal money for tanks
but not ok for the gov to steal money to help the poor.
Easy.
I live in the land of the free and the home of the brave. A land of opportunity for those who are no afraid to work.
DOOM, one of the few legitimate functions of the US government is to defend the US citizens from all enemies, foreign and domestic. The Constitution authorizes taxes to carry out that legitimate function.
The Constitution does not authorize the government to tax the citizens to redistribute their wealth. The US is not a loony socialist nation.
Like the founding fathers, I believe in CHARITY (a person of his own free will helping someone else.) I don't believe in the government stealing money from person and giving it to another person.
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Revelation
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