How to be a better street salesman?

How would you oppose the view - street children are better off on the street than in a place of safety?

• Answer:

  I presume (unlike the previous respondents) that you don't wish to oppose the view, but that you have been asked to for a debate, or perhaps you're looking for counter-arguments for a paper. Why not consider these (obviously controversial) hypothetical points? 1. Children removed from the street may have to be separated from their siblings. 2. Children may endanger themselves if measures to remove them from the street resort to roundups by police. 3. In certain cases there is the possibility that removing a child from the street could have a detrimental effect on the family for whom he is providing a small but very valuable income. This is a useful passage from The Consortium for Street Children: Many images and stories portray street children either as helpless victims, dangerous criminals or heroic survivors. The reality is usually somewhere in between. They show incredible resiliency and initiative in the face of desperate circumstances. They have to be resourceful and strong in order to survive. But some do not survive. Others can only do so by breaking the law. We should respect their individual stories and characteristics. Each child is unique.