The War on Poverty: The American Way

[Kidlicious]

Ok. I'm going to pretend to assume that MtG believes that people only become homeless by fault of their own.

MtG, Japher, and I go camping. MtG and I go for a little hike. I fall off a cliff, but I'm hanging on to a branch. MtG goes back to camp. Japher asks where I am. MtG says "He'll be in shortly. He got hung up."

Is this not murder?

[Arrian]

Why did you fall off the cliff?

-Arrian

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Arrian
Why did you fall off the cliff?

-Arrian

I jumped off. Of course.

[Arrian]

I was kidding!

Anyway, my answer is this:

MtG should try to help, but isn't obligated to get himself killed trying to save you (unless MtG is a search & rescue guy). So it kinda depends on how hard it would be to save you...

-Arrian

[Kidlicious]

You miss the point. He told Japher that I was fine.

[Kontiki]

I'm sorry, maybe I'm missing something. You have a wife and kid and are desperately poor (apparently), but you're still going to college? In other words, you're purposely giving up time where you could be making money in favor of shelling money out?

Something doesn't compute.

[Flubber]

For this analogy to work you need to have the means to improve your own position

[Flubber]

Then its NOT murder-- sure you were on the side of a cliff but you had rope and grommets and a harness-- it ws totally within yourself to make things better-- you have all the necessary resources

[Arrian]

Didn't miss it. I deliberately ignored it.

Perhaps you're clearly capable of pulling yourself back over the edge.

It's a silly analogy, Kid. But assuming your life is in peril, and MtG ignores that and furthermore tells another person that you're fine (thus hiding the knowledge of your plight and preventing Japher from perhaps taking action to save you), it's clearly wrong. Dunno if it fits the definition of murder, but that's not really important.

-Arrian

[Flubber]

ohh

as for the homeless-- here in calgary 90% of the homeless suffer from addictions or mental disabilities insufficient to institutionalize them. Some more are people temporarily down on their luck but the reality is that if you can get cleaned up, you can get a job.


I had a 15 year old kid ( hand in hand with a similar aged girl) solicit money for "food" from me. he was nicely dressed and over his shoulder I could see about 5 help wanted signs at burger joints. Its not glamerous but he wouldn't go hungry

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Arrian
Didn't miss it. I deliberately ignored it.

Perhaps you're clearly capable of pulling yourself back over the edge.

It's a silly analogy, Kid. But assuming your life is in peril, and MtG ignores that and furthermore tells another person that you're fine (thus hiding the knowledge of your plight and preventing Japher from perhaps taking action to save you), it's clearly wrong. Dunno if it fits the definition of murder, but that's not really important.

-Arrian

If I die is MtG stupid or is he a murderer? You have to be prettty stupid not to recognize when someone is in danger like that.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Kontiki
I'm sorry, maybe I'm missing something. You have a wife and kid and are desperately poor (apparently), but you're still going to college? In other words, you're purposely giving up time where you could be making money in favor of shelling money out?

Something doesn't compute.

Ah, so your advice is to quit college. Wow, I wasn't expecting any kind of helpfull advice like that.

[Flubber]

kid

My better analogy is a group in the woods with a large deep ravine. Some start at the top of the ravine and others halfway up. Some have ladders and climbing gear.

You have rope dangling in front of you. You can work hard and climb that rope or you can sit down and complain about the fact that others had better gear or started further up than you . . .. your choice.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Kidicious


If I die is MtG stupid or is he a murderer? You have to be prettty stupid not to recognize when someone is in danger like that.

Nope -- change it so you are in a hole with a ladder next to you-- you are fine. Its not MTG's fault that you can't be bothered to climb the ladder.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Kidicious


Ah, so your advice is to quit college. Wow, I wasn't expecting any kind of helpfull advice like that.

well don't complain so much about something YOU could change. When I was in college I worked and roomed with 4 other guys in a poorer section of town. Whats the issue??