Heartless Cop Tickets Homeless Navy Vet For Retrieving A Doughnut From A Garbage Can!

Originally posted by grainofsand
reply to post by chasingbrahman

 

As I questioned earlier though, how many folk are you prepared to that for?
Word spreads amongst homeless circles, you gonna do it for everyone in similar situations in your area?

...hope you have a lot of eggs.

Ummm...it's really not that hard and it doesn't take that much...perhaps if YOU made an egg sandwich and I made an egg sandwich, then Sally next door and Phil across the street, Lois kitty corner and John down the road.............Why does it all only have to fall on a few?.....Why can't we friend that stranger or welcome those despairing......Who cares is right........Who cares WHY these people are in need?

Gods damn people, how can you make the decision to just walk on by and feel good about your day? It's NOT that hard, I've volunteered in shelters.....passed out hot meals.....LOOKED THEM IN THE EYE...Made them thanksgiving dinners.....took it down to where THEY lived and made sure for at least one night they had something to be thankful about......it's not that hard to recognize humanity if you know where and how to look...

There...but for the grace of God.....go you...and I.

YouSir

reply to post by YouSir

You're preaching to the converted sir, and I carry out many acts of random kindness in my community as well, including activities which involve looking homeless in the eye as you put it, I just do not advertise them on ATS.
You are absolutely correct though, if everyone did the same we would have a beautiful world to live in, that is sadly not the case.
So I stand by my original point, if anyone is the sole person offering assistance in an area, I would hope they have a lot of eggs because word will spread amongst needy circles.

Originally posted by grainofsand
reply to post by YouSir

 

You're preaching to the converted sir, and I carry out many acts of random kindness in my community as well, including activities which involve looking homeless in the eye as you put it, I just do not advertise them on ATS.
You are absolutely correct though, if everyone did the same we would have a beautiful world to live in, that is sadly not the case.
So I stand by my original point, if anyone is the sole person offering assistance in an area, I would hope they have a lot of eggs because word will spread amongst needy circles.

Ummm...well, I guess I took your pessimism for lack of consideration.....I'm actually glad to be proved wrong......There's also nothing wrong with letting ATS and it's readership/participants know that there are certain steps that everyone could share in or champion privately...There is no stigma attached to caring enough about your fellows that you do make an effort in their regard...

In a personal way I don't state things that I have done for and with others, in order to be recognized...Recognition is simply not something that I gain any satisfaction or energy from. Suffice to say that this is a forum with a fairly large readership and if we can see a way to better relationships then perhaps we should not remain reticent to do so.......Thank you for your response and please do not take anything other than good will from anything that I have stated in this regard.....

YouSir

Originally posted by grainofsand

So I stand by my original point, if anyone is the sole person offering assistance in an area, I would hope they have a lot of eggs because word will spread amongst needy circles.

You know, you do have the ability to say "no". I would assume a grown person is capable of saying, "Hey look, I ran out of eggs, sorry." That is of course assuming that the "word spreads" and hordes of mindless zombie homeless show up at your door demanding food you don't have.

Your point is ridiculous. You're simply trying to justify not helping anyone, and constructing a lame hypothetical horror story to do so. 'Oh no, if I help this guy, every homeless person in the country will expect me to buy them a steak dinner!'

If you don't want to help a guy out, then don't. Most people don't. But don't toss out some weak excuse about not being able to feed every single homeless person in your area as a way to make yourself feel better about your lack of compassion for one person in an isolated incident.

This is a sad story and a trend throughout the U.S,where its becoming "illegal" to be homeless.
On a side note,that cop is a...well theres lots of things i can think of.

Im willing to bet the cop was something like this.
(**warning.language**)

Originally posted by ProjectAlice
If you don't want to help a guy out, then don't. Most people don't. But don't toss out some weak excuse about not being able to feed every single homeless person in your area as a way to make yourself feel better about your lack of compassion for one person in an isolated incident.

You misinterpret my practical considerations as a lack of compassion, it matters not. You are free to your opinion however incorrect that may be.

Originally posted by YouSir
Thank you for your response and please do not take anything other than good will from anything that I have stated in this regard.....

Likewise good sir

reply to post by daryllyn


The 20-30 minutes it takes to write a ticket is time I don't have to spend putting myself in harms way hunting down real bad people. I can see why cops do this. Eats up time out of the day.

Originally posted by ProjectAlice

Originally posted by grainofsand
So I stand by my original point, if anyone is the sole person offering assistance in an area, I would hope they have a lot of eggs because word will spread amongst needy circles.

Your point is ridiculous. You're simply trying to justify not helping anyone, and constructing a lame hypothetical horror story to do so. 'Oh no, if I help this guy, every homeless person in the country will expect me to buy them a steak dinner!'

If you don't want to help a guy out, then don't. Most people don't. But don't toss out some weak excuse about not being able to feed every single homeless person in your area as a way to make yourself feel better about your lack of compassion for one person in an isolated incident.

Sad that some can be so self-righteous and selfish in their reasoning.

But I believe in karma.....what goes around, comes around.

reply to post by Toots

I do not believe in karma so any and all acts of kindness from myself are inspired by genuine compassion and not fear of future events out of my control.

I am also satisfied that I have made no posts in this thread which show a clear and generalised selfish or self-righteous attitude, so assume your reply refers to some other member.
You are free to directly quote me of course, in full though, not some out of context snippet made to fit with any ill-perceived prejudices about my character.

Originally posted by DerekJR321
I'm not a fan of the cops. Believe me... but after reading this story a few times, it seems more that the man was not ticketed for "taking a doughnut out of the garbage to eat". It would seem that he was ticketed for removing the garbage to find the doughnut and not putting the garbage back.

Whoa now...no need to bring logic to bear in this emotionally charged headline.

You can tell that this is a warping of fact by the headline At no time does his veteran status have any relevance to this, except to drum up sentiments of patriotism and guilt (i mean, you DO feel guilt, right? He was defending YOUR freedom, aterall. Bet you didn't know your freedom was under attack, did you? No, not the freedom the government keeps taking, the other freedom. That our troops are defending)

No lover of cops here, either. But this story is such a nonstory that it makes me walk away shaking my head.

Scum bag. You really can't let that one slide.....I mean how the hell is he even going to pay it?

The law is not the law if it is not just. We did not agree to live under unjust laws. The very spirit of the law is that it provides justice. If not it is a sham that MUST be defied. If I can enforce it and I make is a rule that everyone must kiss my feet when I stand before them. Would that be the law or just MY rule?

We ask for justice, not other peoples rules.

That cop should think about what his purpose is. It is NOT to enforce rules. It is to provide justice.....THAT is the law we respect and honor for answering our call. Everything else is not and is everyone's duty as part of society to defy. ESPECIALLY this cop.

reply to post by tadaman


He's not going to pay it. And the cop knows it.

Should the cop just walk by and let a homeless person throw garbage all over the ground? Were the shop keeper to have pushed a story like, "Heartless cop lets homeless man trash my sidewalk with garbage" we would have a thread on ATS about those lazy cops who don't respect the environment (or some nonsense).

The story is an emotionally played subterfuge.

reply to post by tadaman


Very well said. Thank you!

There are a couple of aspects of this story that seem to be escaping some.

First, what exactly did writing this guy a ticket accomplish? I submit, nothing. The cop knows the guy can't and won't pay it, so the ticket is pointless to begin with. Did getting the ticket force the guy to pick up the trash? I'm guessing the answer is no. Did the cop force the guy to pick it up? I'm guessing the answer is no. So the owner of the bin is still left to pick up the trash anyway, and we've initiated a chain of events that cost tax dollars for no reason. Is the ticket going to somehow "teach the guy a lesson" and now he will never do it again? What do you think. The entire situation was handled poorly.

Second, the veteran aspect is what makes it all the more disturbing. Especially if it was obvious to the cop that the guy was a veteran. It illustrates how absolutely backwards our priorities have become in this country. We treat like garbage the very people that signed a blank check up to and including their life, to stand up and defend the principles of the Constitution.... the ones that actually defend it... physically. As soon as they are no longer "useful" to our government, most are abandoned, left to become homeless or commit suicide. While at the same time our politicians, the ones destroying the Constitution and colluding with huge corporate interests, receive ALL the perks. The very best healthcare, for free, lifetime paychecks, virtual total immunity from the laws that the rest of us have to obey, etc.... this goes for cops as well. You will never see a homeless Senator or police officer.

It is sickening to say the least. We are rewarding and taking care of the wrong people. If you can't see that and choose to maintain your "so what if he's a veteran" attitude, then you are part of the problem. Given the astronomical amounts of money our government wastes on everything under the sun, there should not be a single homeless veteran in this country.

And if this cop knew he was a vet, he doesn't deserve any of the respect he thinks he's entitled to. How would he feel if the roles were reversed? What if that cop were suddenly at the mercy of an active duty soldier, and got none?

Originally posted by 1/2 Nephilim
Watched the video, the guy said he has been out of the military since 89'. So he fell on hard times at some point in the passed 24 years. What does him being a veteran have to do with anything? Also, I'm just gonna go ahead and say it..

Who cares?

He got a ticket, so what?

The cop said he was throwing trash all over the ground on the side of a downtown street. If true, I think that sort of behaviour warrants a citation. Alot of these homeless people have been to jail so many times the cops just give them tickets to avoid a hassle. Besides, if he is rummaging through main street garbage for a donut, why not put him in jail for the night? He could get some food and shelter that way at least.

The fact that he is a vet is considering the circumstances notable enough,it is what and who he is. In other circumstances it is always pointed out how someone is some war hero or w/e so why not for this poor guy?Double standards .


They are not keeping him in their own jail for the night because of the same reason that they do not put him in prison for the repeated "crime" , too much hassle like you said. Giving a homeless person a ticket is also at the same time futile , where do they send him the reminders???

It is a sad state that after all this time of our "civilized" world we resort to these non-solutions. We give homeless people a ticked which has no effect whatsoever for making a mess while he tries to find food in garbage cans instead of recognizing the problem and trying to HELP him so he does not NEED to do that.


This sort of thing needs solutions , not futile tickets or imprisonment .


(sorry for the bad grammar , i had a exhausting night)

Originally posted by ProjectAlice
Second, the veteran aspect is what makes it all the more disturbing. Especially if it was obvious to the cop that the guy was a veteran. It illustrates how absolutely backwards our priorities have become in this country. We treat like garbage the very people that signed a blank check up to and including their life, to stand up and defend the principles of the Constitution.... the ones that actually defend it... physically. As soon as they are no longer "useful" to our government, most are abandoned, left to become homeless or commit suicide. While at the same time our politicians, the ones destroying the Constitution and colluding with huge corporate interests, receive ALL the perks. The very best healthcare, for free, lifetime paychecks, virtual total immunity from the laws that the rest of us have to obey, etc.... this goes for cops as well. You will never see a homeless Senator or police officer.

It is sickening to say the least. We are rewarding and taking care of the wrong people. If you can't see that and choose to maintain your "so what if he's a veteran" attitude, then you are part of the problem. Given the astronomical amounts of money our government wastes on everything under the sun, there should not be a single homeless veteran in this country.

And if this cop knew he was a vet, he doesn't deserve any of the respect he thinks he's entitled to. How would he feel if the roles were reversed? What if that cop were suddenly at the mercy of an active duty soldier, and got none?

Your argument and points are well made. Thanks for your contribution and compassion.

BUT, for those that still just don't "get it," I'll repeat this in case you missed it!!


Those in control can find any reason to justify anything, no matter how wrong it is.

Bad governments find any and all excuses to make you guilty of something.

Victory for an evil government is when the reasons given for destroying freedoms sound good to most of the people.

An evil government gains more control with each freedom that is either willingly surrendered or taken away.

Evil has to be fought or it eventually takes over everything and everyone.

The loss of morality is the gain of evil.

Here's one good example of WHY this type of tyranny MUST NOT be tolerated. It's not just a case of denigrating a hungry and homeless vet. This is a humanitarian issue.

As soon as he took office, Giuliani announced a "quality of life" campaign, claiming that by going after small-time offenses, the city would be able to root out more violent crimes.

The symbol of this campaign was Giuliani's plan to drive "squeegee men"--homeless people who wiped windshields at traffic stops for money--from NYC streets. Giuliani's cops went after them with a ruthlessness that foreshadowed much greater brutality to come. As the campaign got underway, an off-duty cop shot and killed an unarmed "squeegee man"--and defended his actions on the basis that the man was a "criminal."

Treating misdemeanors as equal to more serious crimes meant ratcheting up the level of violence and repression in poor, minority communities.

I'm a little confused. He's on the streets and doesn't have food stamps? I have sympathy for people but they have to work the system. That means food stamps, food boxes, the soup kitchens, and church social welfare programs. It's a big city, Houston, and there are probably resources for him so he doesn't have to dumpster dive for donuts. If he has an extra problem, like drug or alcohol addiction, there are more resources for him to get off the streets, more than sober people get. A quick glance on Google has 7 listed shelters; I'm sure there are unlisted places too.

What really twists the story is the "veteran" addition. It's taboo to correct those kinds now? He screwed up, he got caught, he got the ticket. Did he have some sort of secret veteran immunity from responsibility in society that isn't mentioned at the recruitment center? Join now and never be responsible for laws broken?

It's a big fee which is the heartless part; he needs the five hundred bucks. Add it to the pile of problems he has, like choosing to exploit a trash can instead of going to a charity church and singing for supper. It's a homeless learning experience, like the "no urban camping" and "no panhandling" rules that are in major cities for protection of the population from beggar imposters and dangerous fugitives.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


well, he could explain to the guy to clean up so as to avoid trouble. That may be enough.

I have. I never had a problem with homeless people eating out of the garbage. I just told them to not leave it all over the floor. This is something that I have actually dealt with on many occasions since for some reason I am the designated garbage guy of where ever I work..lol.They always understood and I made good friends. There was one guy that used to hang around an Italian restaurant I worked at once that was really nice. I started talking to him after the owner told me to get him to scram. The guy was just hungry.

He was a hoot. A 70´s wasted youth drag racer. A dumb dumb that wasted his life away on booze. BUT he was not an animal. He never made a mess again. He started offering us to take out our garbage at the end of the day for what ever was left over that we would throw out anyways. (I think he just wanted to help me out)

The owner didnt like it, but I didnt give a damn. He wasnt a problem. He would watch out for us.

Similarly, there was one homeless guy that would piss on our windows while we were there and wave. Him, I called the cops on. Everyone deserves some degree of logic to our reactions to them.

If I see you picking a half descent umbrella out of the garbage on a rainy day, (which normal people HAVE done in front of me) I wont yell at you for making a mess. If I see you piss on my windows and wave at me with everything you got....then I may get pissed.

It depends.

reply to post by tadaman


Thanks for sharing your anecdotes! Put a smile on my face.....

I've come to know a few borderline homeless folks over the years, having managed some property in a fringe area. A seedy little area; just 2-blocks away there's homes valued at $200K+ I wound up having several work for me....and wished I could've adopted at least one of them. But just to give a quick look at them, without knowing them, you'd be scared for your life. You definitely can't always judge a book by its cover!

Anyway, one time I invited 2 of the guys over for dinner, since it was one's birthday and I wanted them to know how much I appreciated their work. I concocted one of my super-duper Tuna Helper casseroles (something I'm good at). They ate, and ate, and ate, barely saying a word. Afterwards, birthday boy announced it was the absolute best casserole he'd ever eaten, and it beat having a steak - 10:1 ..... THAT alone warmed my heart.