I made it a year and a half in New York before I cracked. I have become very, very good at ignoring people on the sidewalk and subway. People handing out fliers, people with clipboards who are petitioning, people with signs asking for money. I steel myself, stare straight ahead, and walk on by. I usually don't feel any guilt about the first group and sometimes feel bad about the second, but I always feel a twinge of guilt with the last. I try not to read the signs (except for the guy by the newspaper stand on Broadway - he offers such gems as 'Trying to pay NYU tuition' and 'Lost light saber. Need $ to buy new one to fight Lord Vader'), because I know I'll only feel worse. I almost caved at the sight of the guy with the mewing kitten in the subway station. I put all my non-quarter change in the donation cup at Housing Works once, and occasionally give to charities, but that's not quite the same thing.

Today I cracked. Walking up Broadway, crossing Houston, I see a woman sitting on the sidewalk. As I pass her, I see her sign out of the corner of my eye. 'Left abusive husband'. I continued walking. After about 10 feet, I stop and turn halfway around. I stare into the window of Crate and Barrel for a second, reach for my wallet, go back, and give her some money. I couldn't ignore her.

I wish I could help more of the people I see on the streets, but I really wish they weren't there in the first place. I don't completely hate capitalism (I like money, I like stuff, I enjoy buying stuff with my money), but come on. Athletes and entertainers make millions of dollars while teachers are underpaid, people starve while food sits untouched on grocery store shelves, people freeze on the streets while houses sit empty, and people get sick and die because they don't have insurance and can't afford to go to the doctor or buy their medicine. It's not right. During the presidential race, Sarah Palin said that now is not the time to experiment with socialism. I disagree - it's the perfect time. I am fully aware that I don't know a ton about economics and politics, but the resources exist to make serious improvements in the world. They're just not being used right.