[AnimalMuppet]

I mostly agree with you. But...

Let's say someone steals a $300 purse or a $30000 car. Nobody needs either a $300 purse or a $30000 car. But let's say someone steals $10 of food from a grocery store. They may legitimately need that. (Or they may just have poor self-control.) If someone legitimately needs food, I could bend my mind far enough to call that "excusable".

[systemvoltage]

Then the society should make provisions to directly provide food for the needy.

Allowing stealing is not tackling the problem head-on and instead squirming on a morally questionable line and thereby breeding crime and ill in the society.

[AnimalMuppet]

That's perfectly reasonable to say that society should do that.

In the meantime, though, society doesn't do that, at least not consistently enough. So in the current circumstances, I still have some compassion for someone in genuine need who steals food.

[systemvoltage]

From this thread, it seems like the society itself has voted to allow crime.

So, let me get this straight and state curtly - A city allows crime, then complains about rising crime!?

May be people of this city should question their understanding of how to run a good society.

[woofcat]

Whilst I don't live in California or even America. I'm about 95% sure you guys have food banks, as my company has donated to them.

[Khaine]

And what of the local business owner who has invested his life saving in a business, and needs the income from the business to feed his family? How is it okay to let people steal from him because "it's only $10". Thats figuratively food being taken from his family's mouth.

This is why laws need to be enforced uniformly.

[ehvatum]

> But let's say someone steals $10 of food from a grocery store

If you allow that, you will soon enough be without grocery stores!!!

[conanbatt]

I think so too, and it is also defensible for the store owner to protect his 10$ with 0.50 cent shotgun shells.

[sundaeofshock]

Are you suggesting that stealing $10 worth of food is an executable offense?

[conanbatt]

Nope

[tomjen3]

If there wasn't food banks, food stamps or penhandling, maybe.