Blue Flypaper Says Let's Eliminate "Crime" Right Now!
So there is no misunderstanding, I am not soft on crime, and I very much believe in law and order. That should please the conservative trolls who sometimes come to my blog with seemingly the sole intent of upsetting my chi.
However, I believe it achieving it in a different way than throwing every person of color into the local Gitmo--which by the way isn't working!
So how to we solve crime and not put people in prison?
First we have to loosen the definition of property rights so that much of what people would call theft simply goes away. Let's bring back the concept of 'sharing'.
Second, if the government would just give people not only what they need to live but also some of the nice things in life then the motivation to steal would drop dramatically. Why include Plasma TV's and complementary subscriptions to Netflix with income housing? Wouldn't we rather have people watching the director's Cut of "Cinema Paradiso" than out on the streets where circumstances might have them end up doing something misguided like selling crack?
Neither of these recommendations would cost that much and they would probably pay for themselves via lower insurance rates. Regardless, the government could probably get a price break with Netflix if they bought in bulk, say 75 million households. Also, the flat panels TV's could probably be paid for by just applying a small surcharge on the sets purchased by rich people. Once again, a small price to pay to see crime go away.
Believe in the Black List, Shop at T-Shirt Hell!
technorati: crime The Law poverty
posted by True Blue @ 3:10 AM
18 comments
18 Comments:
BlueBabe, dearest little one,
Aren't you glad I'm not a conservative troll? Thought you might be.
If I were a troll, I might try to discuss the points you've made here, and give you my point of view on them.
But I won't.
Perhaps you can give all the T-shirts you hawk on this blog for money to those people in New Orleans that lost everything from their homes. That would be a good way to show that you don't worry about property rights, or profits, and that you support people who were so obviously discriminated against during the storm, by their Mayor and Governor?
Oh, and if you are serious about the points you raise here, why not conduct a little experiment at your university, to prove your points? You could "share" everything you have with you in your dorm room (assuming you live on campus; if not, then "share" with your classmates everything that you have in your bedroom at home). If they equally let you "share" in all of their belongings, and they stop selling illicit drugs, or conducting any criminal activities that they were involved in before you "shared" with them, I will be the first to admit that you are right.
Just try it for a couple weeks, and see if you can get your belongings back in the end.
Anyone from her university reading this...? If so, she's ready to share...dare ya :)
-Wanderlust
p.s.: before you begin telling me all about the people in New Orleans, btw, thought I should warn you: I am from there, grew up there, and lived there again as an adult. So unless you can say the same, because of having your having lived in New Orleans (other than visiting as a tourist), perhaps discretion really is the better part of valor, as the saying goes.
I had an ethnic studies (well comparative non-western culture lit. actually) TA tell me that he and his mom lived on a commune in the early 70s when he was a kid and that it was a beautiful thing. Everyone helped in the chores, planted crops, weaved baskets, etc. There were no arguments, fights or jealousy. Made me wonder why it couldn't work on a bigger scale.
From what I understant most other examples of commune living have also been documented to have been beautiful.
As for New Orleans, who really knows what happened there (other than maybe celebs like Sean Penn who went down there to solve problems) since the media so distorted the whole story. People of color were made to look like looters while people of non-color were "finders."
So what happened to the commune back in the '70's? Is it still there?
I know this is all parody, but that suggestion actually makes some sense. It probably would be cheaper to buy a couple of hundred thousand Netflicks subscriptions than to pay for trials, jails, therapy, parole officers, blah blah blah blah.
Parody? I find absolutely nothing funny about crime and am surprised and disappointed that you do. Would you drive by a bad accident and start chuckling? Then what's funny about this?
The more you give a lazy bum who won't work, the more he wants. No matter how he gets it. A person who is given everything his whole life begins to believe they are OWED the handouts and will never get up off his lazy white, black, etc. butt and get a job.
I say lets start with parents teaching wrong and right, respect for others and their property and a respect for the law.
And as far as looting etc goes, I can think of several ways to stop it:
1. Hold manditory classes in middle/high schools to teach kids how to raise a child properly and have a respect for the law, other people and their property.
2. Arrest them and put them in jail to be held accountable for their actions that they clearly knew were wrong.
3. Cut off their hands.
4. Shoot them dead.
I personally prefer #4.
Oh and by the way, the previous commenter wasn't making fun of stealing, just your warped view of the issue.
You would be right at home in Iran. Not that there is anything wrong with their non-Western culture and that it is wrong to judge non-Western cultures through our western eyes and mores.
If giving people nicer things makes them less likely to commit crimes, then why are you upset when massive tax cuts are given to the rich? Using your logic, those tax cuts are the only thing keeping them out of trouble.
well you can start by sending me a check every month for a couple hundred bucks... that might keep me from going out and commiting some crimes, by that i mean i would be spending it all on booze and be too drunk all the time to even think about leaving my house to do anything illegal ... should i send you my mailing address ?
Well, Wildcard I'm glad to say that we agree on something. Throwing enough money at this problem sovles it. If we tax the super wealthy (some of whom like Hollywood liberals want higher taxes) and pull out of Iraq we can afford all of the social problems that we have.
It took awhile but I'm glad to see you coming around. Welcome aboard.
G wrote: "...why are you upset when massive tax cuts are given to the rich? Using your logic, those tax cuts are the only thing keeping them out of trouble."
No, money is what keeps people out of trouble (I'm sure you agree). If we tax the rich (believe me they'll still have a lot of money) and give it to the poor we've solved our problems.
Why is this so hard to understand or is it that you understand it but don't like it?
Hi Brad,
The early Christians had a class-free society. The idea of "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need" actually originated with St. Paul, not Karl Marx. Unfortunately, it seems like once a group of people hits a certain critical mass you start seeing haves and have-nots.
--next to Last Samurai
I have been playing Grand Theft Auto:San Andreas, and let me tell you, it has been a real eye opener.
For instance, when the protagonist beats up someone to take their money, hey says "I try to be good". Sometimes he says "I blame society".
I never really thought about it, but maybe he is right. Maybe it is societies' fault. After all, the people he's beating up obviously have more money than him. If all that money was gained on the backs of the poor and oppressed, isn't "crime" just an equalizer then?
Man, this is blowing my mind. I better go listen to my Republicakkkan corresondance course on properly hating minorities before I get booted off the blacklist!
oh I almost forgot. A guy I worked with at my last job said he had roomates that "shared" all of his food. When he asked his roomates to buy food, he said "you don't understand, I'm a communist, I believe in collective ownership. The fact that you don't want to share says you are selfish."
My friend, a Republikkkan like me, thinks it is called "stealing"
Who can say who is right? All my friend knew was his food kept dissapearing into the stomach of his roomate-without-a-job.
With regard to the food stealing, the problem would have been resolved if you had grown most of your own food. Healthier too because you don't get all of those chemicals that that food companies put in to make you hungrier (and sicker too).
As for Grand Theft Auto and the issue of the poor, a story in today's LA Times shows the incredible bias against the poor on TV. I think it'll be a good post which I'll try to do later today (if I don't have to cat site Che again that is!). Anyway, suffice to say that poor people get the shaft on TV as well as in real life.
Once again the man wants to keep em down.
Thanks Sister BOW. I haven't seen you around the coffe house poetry readings. What's up?
You're a fucking idiot. ANd this is coming from a liberal. You give some bum a plasma and a netflix subscription?!?! You want to give him something?! How bout a job you dumbass.
I just can't believe people in the world think like this? Lts spend 3000 on every welfare bum who doesn't want to work!!!
Unbefuckinglievable...
I agree that we should give them jobs too. And if the government bought in bulk the TVs would be less than $3,000. I'm not sure the price break that one would get on 25-35 million sets but I bet it'd be pretty sizable. Of course, we'd have to make sure that that those TV sets were made by American union workers and that might drive up the cost a bit but that'd be worth it.
Ah yes...From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.
Worked so well all over the world it really is a wonder we haven't adopted it (more) here. Oh wait, it was that philosophy that lead to the Gulags. Right. Never mind.
Now, where are the child laborers. I'm feeling exploitive.
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