Monthly Debate: September

[Mausey]

Hear ye, Hear Ye. Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls. May I present your your debating pleasure ..... the new and improved MONTHLY DEBATE!
*okay so it's not improved, but it is new.:D *

We all know it's wrong to take things that don't belong to us. Do you think that applies in all circumstances? We've all seen the pictures from New Orleans of people going down the streets towing big screen tvs and boat loads of electronics. We've also seen the pictures of people taking food from stores. Are the situations the same? It taking food stuffs from a store with no electricity (it's going to go bad fast anyway) the same as taking a suitcase full of jewelry or clothes from a flooded store? Some people I've talked to, say theft is theft no matter the circumstances. Others say that in a survival situation, it's fine. Where is the line drawn, food is okay to take, but not clothing. Clothing is alright to take if you need it but nothing else.

[Mary]

When you are in a survival situation only a few things matter.

Water - most important
Food
Shelter
Comfort - no point being warm, dry, fed and watered if you are so down that nothing matters.

So I guess it is the mental attitude of the people doing the looting. If this is necessary for my survival I will take it, if is not necessary I wouldn't even bother thinking about it, I need all my energy to survive.

Now if this happened in my neighbourhood I am sure the owners of the shop will return eventually and I will go in and say, sorry but I took all this stuff without paying, let me make it up to you. And I would help out my neighbours who might be stuck in the same situation as well.

[Milo]

Hmm... this topic came up in another forum but was titled "Should looters be shot on sight/warning" :roll:

Stealing to survive is not immoral. That's my opinion anyway. But in the case of NO it gets even more complicated, because, if nobody takes the goods, how much of it will survive the damage?

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

Well, stealing from a grocery store with no electricity, the doors would still be locked, no? So then you'd need to smash a window, which is unnecessarily costing the store, and not just taking food that's going to go bad anyway. But even if the doors were open, stealing is stealing.

But if a person were literally needing goods to simply stay alive, stealing could be justified. But ONLY if all other alternatives have been tried and failed. If a person is truly in need, usually someone will help out. Unless it's a begger on the side of the street, people usually just pass them by :( But theres usually shelters or food banks that one can go to, and water is easily obtainable just about anywhere.

[Keita]

This is extremely difficult to answer. Speaking purely on my own opinions, yes. I do believe there is a difference. If there was no other alternative for that person, I believe it can be justified. But then, stealing from a person who has as little as you is completely unacceptable. On yet another hand, how can you justify taking something that somebody else worked for? You're stealing THEIR livelihood as well, especially from smaller shops. The whole issue smacks of double standards. :sad:

It gets even more complex when you go into religion. In Christianity, I don't think God made a distinction at all. Stealing of any kind is wrong from that perspective. It's one of the many conflicts between purely human perceptions and religion. :sad:

Personally, if it was MY shop and I knew the person had NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE but to starve or allow his/her family to starve, then I would look the other way.

[Shazza's Back]

Let's see if I can twist this right up.

In the late 1700's young women were arrested and sentenced to transportation. Their crime? Stealing bread with which to feed their children.

Fast forward to 2005 and we have martial law declared in what can only be described as a ravaged land. These people have been promised transport out for four days. They are cut off from the civilisation they are used to. They steal food and water because others are and if the food and water is all stolen and help does not come....what will they feed the children?

To me there is a vast difference between stealing something simply because we can or we WANT it and stealing something for the purpose of survival. When one does not know where their next meal will come from I do believe they can be forgiven for trying to survive.

I do of course draw the line at jewellery and big screen TVs. They are luxuries, not necessities.

[Mausey]

It's tough choice. In the case of Katrina where power isn't expected to come back for months, any kind of fresh food is a write off. It's either use it or loose it and I don't think store owners would begrudge people taking it. Even if they had to break windows to get to it. Insurance companies aren't going to go into a store that's underwater and count loaves of bread before they write an insurance cheque.

In the paper today there was a pic of a fellow floating a bunch of beer down the street in a big plastic bucket. My first thought was the creep, why take beer. The next thought was, at least it's safe to drink. And water is in serious demand.

[AnnMarie]

Being a parent, I cannot condem people for stealing food, diapers, even blankets and dry clothes for their families.

Stealing "goods" like tvs and guns and things like that....

Those slime should be shot.