Homeless America by Chris Hedges

[old goat]

I don't expect an unarmed security guard or clerk to confront a shoplifter. We're not talking about rich ladies shoplifting silk scarves for the kicks.

[dunfree]

I don't expect an unarmed security guard or clerk to confront a shoplifter. We're not talking about rich ladies shoplifting silk scarves for the kicks.

the security guard and the manager are likely the only people authorized to confront a shoplifter, and only authorized to do so with specific proof - proof being something like saw them take it from a shelf and have continuous chain of contact as they head past the checkouts to the exit

[Core Shot]

Food deserts are racist



It’s going to get worse. So many large retailers giving up and closing shop. Yeah. Progress.

I’m old enough to remember when Walmart had no city stores. Then they expanded. Now they’re contracting. And the city of Chicago wants to open city funded and operated stores. Good luck.

If only they had more salad and fresh produce. Lol.
Offering fresh food is cool. But we’ve gone backwards. You can’t even sell crap food without getting thefted. Then the stores close. And now what’s left. City owned stores? Toothpaste under lock and key?

[californiagrown]

congrats on reaching coreshot racism dumbfuck

how so?

[dunfree]

how so?

Fearmongering about “gangs” and “no go zones” are pure bullshit

anyways, it’s funny to see people like CS blame a failed business model expansion in shoplifting, not it being a business model that could expand there.

[californiagrown]

Fearmongering about “gangs” and “no go zones” are pure bullshit

How is it fear mongering when i say that they dont seem to really exist in a particular city anymore? Isnt that kind of the opposite of fear mongering? Telling you that you dont need to be afraid of that danger anymore?

[Core Shot]

Sadly the business model could expand to poor neighborhoods.

But when the police and the district attorney condone theft under $1k it’s amazing what the end result is. And these are large corporations that can absorb a lot of shrinkage.

Everyone loves to make fun of apu and all the other southeast Asian immigrants that work 18 hour days to run a bodega in shithole neighborhoods. Trying to live the American dream. And indirectly serving the community.
But what if they leave? Why would you bother running a quickee mart in Philly when you could move out to western PA and feel safe and not be thefted and robbed.

PS. Thanks dumbfree for derailing a homeless thread into a racist retail theft thread.

[old goat]

Spectacular article from The New Yorker about "housing first" that personalizes a number of homeless people.
It seems that with enough money--but far less than we spend today in a myriad of ways dealing with the problem--most homeless people can be housed. When most people say they want to solve the homeless problem what they mean is they want someone to get rid of them.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2...om-of-ones-own

[Gravity's Gone]

I see we are back to crusty old assholes wanting to forcibly incarcerate the poor. Yeah, just because you worked as a nurse or whatever the fuck doesn’t mean that’s not a stupid minefield of civil rights violations.

The nurse [ER nurse, particularly] actually does get a little latitude to opine, in my opinion. Just like any other person who interacts with the population on a regular basis. Several will crush Core Shot on principle, but his division of folks into the reasons behind homeless -- *economics vs mental illness vs addiction* -- actually is a great first step. The first group is receptive and most easily helped. The latter two groups take a toll on folks in the real world. So come on down from the ivory tower and get your hands dirty before you claim how easy it is to fix those problems.

[californiagrown]

[QUOTE=Gravity's Gone;6941036]his division of folks into the reasons behind homeless -- *economics vs mental illness vs addiction* -- actually is a great first step. The first group is receptive and most easily helped. /QUOTE]

The first reason often goes hand-in-hand with the other two reasons. Its pretty rare for someone to not have a substance abuse issue, not have a mental health issue, and also be homeless for more than a month or two.

[Gravity's Gone]

[QUOTE=californiagrown;6941059]

his division of folks into the reasons behind homeless -- *economics vs mental illness vs addiction* -- actually is a great first step. The first group is receptive and most easily helped. /QUOTE]

The first reason often goes hand-in-hand with the other two reasons. Its pretty rare for someone to not have a substance abuse issue, not have a mental health issue, and also be homeless for more than a month or two.

Duh. My point is people are jumping on his shit and ignoring his otherwise valid points. Mental health -- serious issues may require something along the lines of a locked facility. The institutions that have gone away. The circle back to the jail, yeah, jail doesn't fix these things, but then what does? Something more than platitudes about rights and stuff. It's hard choices. Somebody else that was criticized mentioned opioids. That's a real thing. Fentanyl was killing people -- now it's a "drug of choice." Figure that one out.