I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, but when I read that Matthew Shepard's "alleged" killers might not be tried for kidnapping because he went with them willingly, I was pretty pissed off. I don't know every little legality, but common sense dictates that it's still kidnapping if you are lured away. The moment those creeps started beating him in their pick-up truck, it was kidnapping. I hope those two are put away for life. As tempting as it is to yearn for the death penalty at times like this, their suffering in jail is what is most important. Suffering, and perhaps penitance. Their becoming penitant is the only good outcome that is possible. Penitant, and punished.
Meanwhile, en route home, I passed the usual guy who begs outside the BBQ place across the street from me. I gave him some change, and we got to talking, and he asked me if I could go get him some cheese. I told him now. Then I thought better of it, and I went to Gristede's and bought a big brick of American cheese, a big bottle of water, and some yogurt. He said he had a loaf of bread. I had to take into account that he might be a heroin addict, and they usually have tooth trouble, so crunchy, hard foods are out of the question.
He used to live in the sheltered area under the cement awning of the private school extension next door to me. He remembered me, and he told me that he has found a place up around 137th Street. I have a very ambiguous feeling about street people. On the one hand, I don't want to be inhumane; but I don't want to form obligations and attachments to them either. It's difficult. All I can really do is give change and food when I can. It's a difficult situation, because every time I see a homeless person I have to imagine their childhoods and wonder what happened. There must have been someone there when they were born, someone who never would have wanted to have seen these babies grow up to beg on the streets. To beg passersby for American cheese. There's humanity and then there's reality. No one person is equipped to deal with this situation, but we all can do better by these people. Yes, there are people who are never going to be reachable. Shelters are often more dangerous than the streets. But we can all do our part in the form of food drives, charity, actual handouts, and political choices.
According to Jewish law, telling you all about this, my having bought him some groceries, cheapens the act of charity. The best charity is done anonymously. The obligatory thanks, the awe or glory we might get from onlookers, are contrary to the true spirit of giving. The giver is not supposed to receive any glory, and the person who receives should not feel belittled or groveling.
So, I am guilty here. But I would like to point out that there is always more than we can be doing. There cannot be so much you are doing, if you have net access, that you cannot do a little more. So be touched by what you see happening around you, and do more. Don't just feel uncomfortable when you see true-life tragedies on TV. Do more.
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