I saw a man steal food today.....

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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:49 pm

good point thefife. its an unfortunate fact that many people simply can't afford morals. i'm not being a smartarse, it's the truth.

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:19 pm

"Les Misérables" isn't just a musical, it's also an important socially critical novel (Victor Hugo).

It's easy to shake one's head about another country in another time and be blind to one's own surroundings.

Btw, judging by past threads on this site, if the event depicted in the OP had happened in Lagos and not in NYC and the thief had fallen and broken his neck while running away, how many people would have answered "served him right"?

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:35 pm

^^ If he had stolen the lady's purse I'd have both hands raised. People in Lagos get hungry too & if they steal food so they can eat, that is as sad as someone in NYC having to do it.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 41

I think that KD's point is valid.

We see threads all of the time about some normal event that gets special consideration because it happened in an African country.

Elite Baiter Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 1702

@ Tsnerd, I think you have a point but i disagree to the aspect in regards to why they post those threads all the time.

Part of being at eater is a learning process.
When we all first join we quickly learn the most common scams lads use.

One of these is airline disasters, its my guess people post these directly in relation to lads around the globe using them as dead relative scams.

In regards to accidents etc, many will post those too in direct connection to the scam aspect, but in fairness to the members - many will express there condolences to the victims and there families.

I dont dispute there might be one or two posts regarding events for different reasons, but I think on the whole the members here dont go down that road, they would actually be quite upset people may suggest they do.

Nearly all the members have a good sense of ethics and morality, I think the reason the posts exist is sometimes mixed up because of lads themselves - yet another reason to dislike lads.

When people post "15 arrested" there sharing the victory, again that sometimes can be mis-interpreted.

But on the whole its very few posts that actually ever end up negative. And you mods normally deal with those incredibly quickly.

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 1:09 pm

Shoplifting is done by people for many reasons, even with food, it's not just hunger. (Bologna) Thrills, challenge, mental wierdness.

(somewhat related) Years ago I worked in a business that was in skid row area of a large city. One bum was known as the 'meatman'.
He would take orders for certain type of meat, then go to supermarkets and 'procure' it.
Of course, his profits went into alcohol.......

As far as having the person arrested, sometimes police contact is the only chance the person has in getting directed to the services he needs.....

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 720

Quote:

if the event depicted in the OP had happened in Lagos and not in NYC and the thief had fallen and broken his neck while running away, how many people would have answered "served him right"?

If fit enough to run away, in my humble opinion you are not at deaths door of Starvation
But I take your point that some get Target fixated when it comes to the Geography

Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:45 pm

kleindoofy wrote:

Btw, judging by past threads on this site, if the event depicted in the OP had happened in Lagos and not in NYC and the thief had fallen and broken his neck while running away, how many people would have answered "served him right"?

I would say there is a slight difference. If a person steals because of a handicap, then one cannot be held accountable to the same extent as another who is not. Lads reason that Western Culture is responsible for their actions, not them.

If a lad ran up and stole food, fell and broke their neck, I would not cry. If a crackhead in NY did the same, I would not cry. But I think the difference would be the type of person that is being portrayed here.

I don't know if this person had a disability or whatever. That's just the distinction that I see there.

Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:16 pm

Did I mention lads?

I'm referring to (the many) threads about people in Nigeria who, for instance, steal gasoline - one or two gallons - from a leak in a pipeline which was made by other people (= the real thieves) and end up dying in a fire when the leak ignites.

Go read those threads, you'll read all the posts from people applauding the deaths, saying "served them right." As far as I know, even in Texas they don't give people capital punishment for stealing a few dollars worth of gas.

On the other hand, when told in another thread about a woman in America who conspired with her boyfriend to murder her mother just for the money, and who was caught red handed and confessed, everybody writes "poor girl, I hope she gets off, get her a good lawyer."

Is it just me, or is there something strange about that?

Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:19 pm

^^^^

Sorry, I thought the implication was that they were lads. My mistake. As I said, a thief is a thief, as long as they are mentally capable.

Indeed, something is strange about that logic KD.

Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:34 pm

^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^
ive noticed it too. strange and shocking, imo.
in a way. its normal to dehumanize the enemy, though.
even if its only a percieved enemy. not every Nigerian is a lad (or lass?)

Baiting Guru Joined: 07 Jul 2006 Posts: 5727

For what it's worth, the description you gave of the gentleman makes it sound as if he is mentally disabled. Not the stealing of food, but the stopping to get a straw and napkins. I am not a mental health expert, but those two actions don't jive with each other. If you steal something in the manner in which that man stole you don't stop and get napkins and a straw. You get out of there as quickly as possible.

Just my two cents worth.

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