Anyway, Jon has had an impressive first year. I want to see this team keep it going, but if not, it's been a helluva year and we're in good hands for the future.
The New Lounge
- Thread starter hpnole
- Start date
I’m assuming you’re a man then, because you definitely did assign gender without consent and refuse to own up to it. Believe it or not, this isn’t a joke to some of us. Thanks for the mansplanation though. Yikes.
Geez two new accounts just to debate/argue/call people out. Wouldn't be surprised this thread gonna be locked soon
Well, if the guy who made it about Jon's Jewish heritage had been banned and the comment had been deleted like it should have been, all of this could have been avoided. But it's all okay to make those comments apparently.
Be careful, you'll be branded "soft" or a "pussy" for agreeing.
I'm Asian and retired law enforcement near the DC area. I've been called far far worse.
I can only imagine. Thank you for your service in law enforcement—a tough job. My cousin is the sheriff in my county, and he has told me so many crazy stories. I can't imagine being near DC. We're just a tiny rural area dominated by drug use, sales, and ODs, though. Vast unemployment and a newly developing homeless population here too. ,
We've got two homeless camps here now. How badly unemployment has risen here in the last ten years is pitiful. Drug use, opioid overdoses, and we've even started seeing human trafficking tick up here too. I never thought I would see the day. But, when you have shitty governments being cycled through, no matter the party over and over again, nothing ever improves. It only worsens. Our local government doesn't believe it is that big of an issue. They're more interested in building a new arts center and extending the walking trail than building a homeless shelter or a rehab facility.
I get that for sure. We did luckily build a shelter about a decade back but it was done by local church’s and non-profit stuff not the local government. But it seems like once the shelter came in our homeless population on the streets more than tripled. So many cycle through but the shelter drug test so tons of them won’t go so they just set up camp. We had one county commissioner that was actually wanting to do some serious stuff and get things taken care of but he decided to run for NC House and said basically the county level sucked and they couldnt get anything done. We just got a new sheriff though too and he’s busting dealers left and right so hopefully they can at least put a dent in the supply chain
I don't know the correct answers, but doing nothing won't help either. And yet, that's what our local government has elected to do. It's sad, man. I manage a retail chain where people are stealing carts left and right. I've caught more people stealing food in the last 5-7 years than ever before. I always tell people to tell me your hungry, and i'll buy them some food. I never give out money, but I'll buy people food if they ask me before trying to steal. This has happened a few times, but most people are embarrassed to ask so they steal, which is more embarrassing when I catch them. Anything over $15, and we have to report it to the local PD—a part of my job I despise.
Oh well, the thread is off kilter anyway so I will join in. I usually have to get a shopping cart, usually Food Lion, out of my driveway about every week. I wheel them back to the main street and I guess they eventually get back to point of origin. I know where the homeless encampment is in some nearby woods but nothing to do about it. They will eventually be forced to move of course. No easy answer as there are many causes. High Point, NC
Like mentioned. Homelessness has many causes and few effective solutions. It's a choice in most cases, for various reasons. Mental health is probably at the top of the list. But it has become a culture in our country. Sometimes what seems like compassion is actually enabling.
As far as despising the fact that you have to report shoplifters to the police. Yikes. Thieves are some of the lowest people in society. We can pretend that they are stealing because they have to in order to survive like we're living in the days of Aladdin in order to show empathy. But there are many readily available means to get free food and survive. They choose to steal which effects everyone down the line. Plus, the vast majority of the people who are stealing are capable of finding ways to provide themselves with meals. Again, they just choose to take the low route.
As far as despising the fact that you have to report shoplifters to the police. Yikes. Thieves are some of the lowest people in society. We can pretend that they are stealing because they have to in order to survive like we're living in the days of Aladdin in order to show empathy. But there are many readily available means to get free food and survive. They choose to steal which effects everyone down the line. Plus, the vast majority of the people who are stealing are capable of finding ways to provide themselves with meals. Again, they just choose to take the low route.
Oh lord, people always come here for the "Mayberry experience," and they love it. Me? Not so much. It's far from the town shown on the show, and never really has been.
The rest of us shouldn’t have to subsidize their drug addiction. Allowing them to steal with impunity ensures that they won’t have incentive to get clean or get a job. As Ghost mentioned we need to re-examine what compassion means when discussing the homeless. status quo they’re living in the woods in freezing temps. Anything that perpetuates this situation could be seen as cruel. They need mandatory rehab and then job training at a halfway house
A lion never loses sleep over the opinion of a sheep.
I mean, it's their choice, right? Is a lack of affordable options to address their mental health their choice? I guess they should just pull themselves up by their bootstraps and deal with it.
Also, I do despise calling the cops on people when they're stealing food out of hunger. Beer, HBC, meat to sell for drugs, cleaning supplies, etc. Those are items I get pissed about people stealing. A 20 something single mom trying to steal cheap frozen meals and bread & peanut butter for her kids, this just happened, isn't on the top of my list for calling the cops on. When she broke down sobbing in my office, begging for me not to call the police, I decided just to buy her groceries and ban her instead. Or the 14-year-old kid I stopped two days ago stealing stuff to make tacos. It's not so cut and dry.
You are such a saint. Wait a minute while I wipe away my tears while you blow your own horn. What would the world do without you? OFC
You're twisting things here to build your own character. When I acknowledge that there are various reasons for people to choose to live in homeless camps, including due to mental health issues, I am not just just saying, 'it's their choice and they should just deal with it'. I am pointing out a fact that for whatever reason, it is in fact, their choice. I don't have an answer for the solution, that does not mean that I lack empathy. It means that I can't do anything to solve their issues.
When talking about thieves, you like to use outliers to make your arguments for excusing the issue. While ignoring the fact that it is a personal choice to steal when there are options available for people who need help. Stealing is never acceptable and making excuses for it just perpetuates laziness and disregard for the law and it effects everyone in some way or another. The single mother can ignore the options to receive help through multiple outlets, including government assistance and choose to steal. Her sobbing when she gets caught does not excuse her behavior. I do not have empathy for thieves, if this makes me a bad person in your eyes, with all due respect, that means very little to me.
Or we could just continue what we’re doing which is nothing until eventually they either freeze to death or od on fentanyl. My idea seems more compassionate to me, but we’ll just have to agree to disagree. We def need more funding for dual diagnosis patients which applies to at least half the homeless pop Id wager
Alrighty, to the lounge we go. Moving this whole thread on over.
Did you really just refer to yourself as a Lion? 😂😂😂
