There Are Better Ways to Help the Homeless

* Andrea Hecht’s article about the callousness shown to beggars in the Valley (June 13) distorts the relationship of residents and the transient homeless in its use of the term neighbor .

In my community, that term is reserved for people who reside in homes in our neighborhood, not those passing through, either liked or not by us.

I think she and all those who make such a point of giving money or goods to beggars on the street do a great disservice to them by rewarding their efforts at obtaining their next meal, one more fix or another bottle.

Our taxes already are being spent on programs to support the indigent. To answer her question of what values we are teaching our children when we refuse to support street begging:

All people, including our children, should get jobs and training for employment, work hard every day of their lives, never adopt values or habits that would impair their worth to the community, and never, ever think that they might sustain themselves by begging at a freeway exit.

To those who are in dire need, I urge them to give up their bad habits and go to the homeless facilities that already are provided.

I realize that these aren’t original ideas and may disconcert persons with such noble feelings such as Ms. Hecht. But she needs to see that there are traditional methods for her to help those she feels compassion for rather than perpetuating their plight.

JAMES PAVIK

Granada Hills