I think the article writer's issues were more along the lines that these ‘begpackers’ are taking advantage of the people who can least afford to do so.

Note the picture taken across from a soup kitchen? People who go to a soup kitchen to eat don’t have a lot of spare income. But we all have the urge to help someone out — and my experience is that someone on his last couple of bucks is more likely to share with a panhandler rather than less.

I can see how that would push someone’s buttons. I suspect he’d be fine if they targeted some rich neighborhoods.