Comments on: Ocean Beach California: ‘Please Don’t Feed Our Bums’

By: colt tripp

colt tripp — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:38:38 +0000

i c some things that are true and i c some things that are just ungodley!i live in tennennesse,and at 1 time i was one of the lost soles that wondered ocean beach,it was 1 of the best things that could have happened 2 me,now i am 36,i own a house n tenn,and several in lousiana,ihave nothing bad 2 say,and i wish i could do it again before age gets me,but i wont turn my head away from anyone,i love you ocean beach,sorry some of you feel the way you do about it,maybe you need to go somewhereinstead of running the homeless off if yall dont like what goes on there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: mike

mike — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 03:50:41 +0000

I never give em a cent. Fk em. I saw cops rousting homeless by the pier in OB, first Id ever seen that.

By: MollieWop

MollieWop — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 05:52:42 +0000

4th generation SD, 3rd OB. pops grew up with Mike Hodad. old homeless people that have always been around? please. a lot of them are drunks (i know, i’ve drank with them). they need mental help. i’ve had a job. guess what? i’d rather hitch-hike and hop freight across the counrty and in other counrties while i still have the strength to do it. that makes it VERY difficult to hold down a job (tho admittedly not impossible). the young male AND females playing banjos for money are doing it to eat and drink some beer before continuing on to experience the rest of the counrty. they are not FAKE. you try to hop a freight while its moving with a 45 pound pack. and yeah some have cellphones because their parents know they can’t stop a true free spirit traveler and so they want to make sure they have a way to get a hold of them.
now, that being said, there have been a few bad waves of ‘kids’ or ‘travelers’ as we call ourselves. i’m talking about the ones who try to act the toughest, the drunkest, and see who can break more bottles and harass more people. and you know what? me and my friends have chased these people off. told them they can cut it out or kick rocks. tweakers? yeah okay. we all know who the real tweakers are. and the heroin users. sorry buddy. we may be easy to blame, but you can’t go that far. we like beer and bud and music that doesn’t come from the radio that all you zombies listen to. Locals don’t know we got rules of our own. You break a bottle (accident or not) you clean it up. You bring hard drugs or violence to the firepit, you WILL get run off. You treat somebody (traveler, local, police) with disrespect, you ruin it for all of us. I’m in Seattle with some really good bands and friends of mine. i met them on the road. that’s the beauty that some people can’t see. and i keep getting hit up for change (even though I’M struggling). but guess what? not by other travelers. they won’t hit people up who have kids or look poor. No, they don’t. I got hit up by decrepit crackheads who can’t even hold a conversation. Have you ever tried to have one with a TRAVELER? ask em what it’s like to hop freight? bet not.
i just got back from NY and I’m coming San Diego. I’m coming back. And I will have something to say. So go ahead. call us trolls. it makes us laugh. reminds of the rich kids pickin on the poor one in school.
and if someone aggressively panhandles or harrasses you, turn around and say “you’re ruining it for others who like to traveler and ‘busk’ (play music for money)” because they are and that’s what I’d tell them. even if it were a friend of mine being drunk and stupid. use your words. not some stupid sticker. and I love the Black. went there from the time I was a babe in my hippie mama’s arms. she loved the Black Bead for her jewelry. and even she is disgusted.
ps: while your dog’s couped up for hours while you’re at work, our dogs cross the counrty with us. our dog’s eat before us. some rich assholse don’t even know that name brand dog food is actually BAD for your pet. idiots.

By: bobby johnson

bobby johnson — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:38:02 +0000

I live in ob and the young ones need to go. I dont know what kind of character they bring but its nothing I wanna be around. None of them have ever been rude to me directly, I guess I dont look like someone who would take it, but Ive definitely seen them harrass others. I saw round em up and send them into the desert somewhere.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 05:00:25 +0000

I’m from ob and I honestly have no problem with the towns ” trolls”. Every town has it’s share of homeless people and it’s nothing new. The trolls do not harass anyone and if they do talk to ask for money all you have to do is say no. It’s not as big a deal as some people have made it out to be. I have found some trolls to be just happy and lively. I feel like they bring a certain character to ob and the DFOB campaign is a little ridiculous.

By: Chuckie

Chuckie — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 05:34:54 +0000

I understand their point.

The homeless congregating in OB is nothing new. The “Please Don’t Feed Our Bums” campaign appears to have been brought about by small sect of the homeless population on OB.

Based on my own personal observations, there appears to be a considerable amount of homeless folks, mostly 25 and younger, who are homeless by choice. In the handful of conversations I’ve had with these “homeless” folks, I have found that they seem to approach homelessness as a trendy way to stick it to the man and live off the land. Simply put: I’m certain they’re faking it.

These folks do not appear to be hungry. Mental illness is not readily apparent. They flash pearly white smiles full of well cared for teeth. They have amenities like mobile phones, surfboards, percussion instruments, credit cards, etc., which are not something a needy homeless person would be able to possess.

I understand the community’s frustration with handouts being given to fake bums. These “bums” have no respect for their surroundings because they are not in dire straights. They can quit being homeless any time they like.

The biggest bummer (pun intended) with this whole DFOB stickers is that it is underscores the larger problem. The OB community or a portion thereof, are at odds with charity organizations who reach out to the homeless who congregate at the end of Newport Ave. Those genuinely interested in helping folks out are now an extension of the “enemy” in OB. Such a shame that a few misguided and simple minded asses thought it would be fun to be “homeless” are putting such a strain on such a cool community.

By: JoAnne Thomas

JoAnne Thomas — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 11:42:43 +0000

I have very mixed feelings. While I realize there’s many a scam artist,I also know that many folks go hungry through no fault of their own.
My grandma had so very little, yet if anyone turned up at her door, she fed them—always said it could be Jesus in disguise, and I believed her….always did the same.

Sadly, we can no longer allow strangers in our homes, but if someone looks hungry,I’m still going to help regardless of any signs or bumper stickers.
Easy for me to say…I don’t live there ;-p