http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3244465Oh my.
NightWatcher Donating Member (1000+ posts) Sun May-04-08 09:02 PM
Original message
Poll question: At what point would you shoplift groceries?
Would you ever shoplift food? What if it were from a big, heartless store like Uber-Walmart?
Have you ever had to shoplift food in the past?
Poll result (39 votes)
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER (8 votes, 21%)
Maybe if my family were going without food (27 votes, 69%)
I'm wearing my pants with cargo pockets and heading out as we speak (0 votes, 0%)
Been boosting food for a while now (1 votes, 3%)
Other? (3 votes, 8%)
What with the price of a bag of marijuana having gone up 16 times since 1980, and the price of groceries only 3 times the same 28 years, one wonders if the primitives and sub-primitives shouldn't be shoplifting dope instead.
Anyway.
The skumbag primitive:
IanDB1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Sun May-04-08 09:04 PM
Response to Original message
1. If you must shoplift-- or loot-- buy Blue, loot Red. If you must, that is.
For example, do NOT steal gasoline from Hess or Citgo.
The lying titty primitive:
TomInTib Donating Member (1000+ posts) Sun May-04-08 09:04 PM
Response to Original message
2. I would rob a store, first.
Stealing food is damned difficult.
Try stuffing a Stouffer's Mac and Cheese down your pants, sometime.
Robbing stores is easy.
Use the cash to buy food.
Trajan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Sun May-04-08 09:13 PM
Response to Reply #2
8. I would not rob anybody ....
Never ....
I would rather starve ....
I once was living 'on the street', and hadn't eaten in a couple of days, and went inside a small independent grocery market .... I stuffed one of those 'variety' lunch meats down my pants. (BTW: Boxes of anything are to be avoided if you are placing them down your pants .... )
I was stopped outside and questioned by the manager, who found the stash. I told him how hungry and broke I was, and so he gave me five bucks to buy the lunch meat AND a loaf of bread AND something to drink as well ....
He made a point of mentioning he was Mormon, and that it was his duty to help those in need.
As an Atheist, I have never forgotten his generosity, or the desire to serve that is implicit in the Mormon faith. As much as I disagree with Mormon theology, I have always respected their public service, and do to this day ....
Rob ? .... Never .... I would beg before I would rob ....
hoosier_lefty (52 posts) Sun May-04-08 09:06 PM
Response to Original message
3. been there when I was 18, and homeless.
You would be surprised what you will do if you are hungry enough and desperate enough.
I don't consider that a low point in my life. Luckily I was young and healthy, and it didn't bother me that much
to be homeless or stealing to eat.
One of the reasons I stuff the red kettle when ever I see it.
Hmmm. Obviously an Obamaite sub-primitive, raising the race issue:
valerief Donating Member (1000+ posts) Sun May-04-08 09:11 PM
Response to Original message
5. If I was stuck in a flooded New Orleans and couldn't get out, I'd shoplift.
But I'm white, so the press wouldn't call me a looter.
MercutioATC Donating Member (1000+ posts) Sun May-04-08 09:11 PM
Response to Original message
6. I didn't vote, but pretty much never. It's MY fault if I'm unprepared.
Those "gun nuts" that you all make fun of are preparing...as we all should.
I can live off of my pantry for 4-5 months. I'm working toward a year.
Too many on our side of the fence reject any kind of preparedness as cult, gun-nut, wacko stuff. It's not.
If you can't get any groceries for two or three weeks and your family goes hungry, it's YOUR fault...and I don't feel that correcting your own idiocy justifies theft.
sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Sun May-04-08 09:14 PM
Response to Original message
10. There are food banks, soup kitchens
There really isn't any reason to shoplift food, at this point in time.
Hekate Donating Member (1000+ posts) Sun May-04-08 09:18 PM
Response to Original message
12. Dumpster-diving behind Burger King for wrapped, stale merchandise that's tossed, in back of grocery
...stores too. Have never, thank gods, ever had to do any of those things, but have read of those who have. Some were counter-culture kids who thought they were performing some kind of revolutionary act, but there are folks who can't get fed any other way.
If I were ever down that low I would explore every option, every social program and humiliating charity, to feed my family before putting myself in danger of arrest and prison. What earthly good would I be to those who depend on me if I were removed from them?
An ageing hippie reminescences:
tmfun Donating Member (1000+ posts) Sun May-04-08 09:21 PM
Response to Original message
15. Not maybe, been there, done that.
That was 40 years ago and it was either steal or starve. Have not done it since because I was able to earn enough money to pay for my needs but I would have no moral qualms about it if it became necessary again. Hell, the rich steal from us all the time and frame it into law. If I have learned anything since Bush became Emperor, it is that morals are an illusion to keep the Prolitariate in line while the rich rob them blind but if I am going to steal, you bet it will be from farmer Safeway and not the farmers market.
rainbow4321 (1000+ posts) Sun May-04-08 09:53 PM
Response to Original message
27. Went shopping today and people are really starting to feel the pain of higher prices
For the first time that I can remember, as I was walking past other shoppers I overheard the following from 2 different people:
One woman on her cell phone telling the caller "Prices have gone up soooo much"
Later another shopper telling her companion "I'm gonna have to get a second job just to start paying for this stuff" And there was not ounce of joking in her voice. I noticed she said it as the person she was with was picking out what the woman seemed to think was a treat or extra and not a necessity. They were in the meat department. Whatever it was, he put it back down.
The rainbow primitive should perhaps check into the excessive high prices charged by the marijuana industry.
