SLAVERY ALIVE AND WELL IN FL, NY AND TX*

[Menno]

One does not necessarily become homeless either because of his own choice, remember that.

I can't give you an exact percentage of course, but most of these homeless were drug addicts who lost their jobs and families because of their addiction. Was it their choice to become homeless? No, you're right about that. But it was their actions that lead them to that point, and they ultimately have to bare responsibility for their own actions.

A few years ago in NYC under Mayor Giuliani, there was a program in place that pressured jobs to the homeless and able-bodied welfare recipients in exchange for the reduction of benefits they'd receive [as well as providing drug rehibilitation if needed]. The New York Civil Liberties Union [NYCLU] stepped in and decried the program, stating that the work the homeless and welfare recipients were receiving was "demeaning" [as opposed to what, sleeping on the streets?]. Granted, they were assigned "dirty" jobs, such as cleaning subways and other public buildings; but these are after all JOBS. No one was forcing them to keep them forever; just long enough to get them back on their feet and no longer be a burden upon NYC financially. Instead what ended up happening is the NYCLU and other civil activist organizations were sucessful so that the program couldn't force them to work. Giuliani's tough love policy of "either work or lose your benefits" was instead rolled back and now was just an option to a recipient instead of the rule. So what ends up happening? Why should a homeless and/or welfare recipient work when they recieve their benefits anyway?

Answer: They didn't work.

As long as the homeless continue to avoid work, and civil liberty unions continue to make excuses for them, their plight will continue.

So basically I feel more pity for the illegal immigrants than I do the legal residents; because they at least come here to try and better their lives and perhaps make a contribution instead of just burdening everyone else.

[Kashluk]

You're right about the homeless who're at that state because of drug / alcohol abuse and stuff like that. But some (I have no numbers) did not want to live like that and did nothing to deserve such fate, but are incapable of getting out of it.

[The Gaijin]

Well, since you take the replies seriously (or not, however) I am going to try answering somehow seriously.

Heh, sorry about that. I haven't gotten a lot of sleep, and at DAC you expect just someone to say just about anything so long as it's cynical and/or "shocking."

As for killing and that everyone got its reasons for doing it would just mean killing on purpose.
And what's wrong with the assumption, that other people are "lowlives", you could as well say, that self confidence or egoism (/stronger: egocentrism) is a bad thing, although this centers on the person and not the "outer view" on people directly.

There's nothing wrong with competition--I'm just saying from a law standpoint murder's not the in-thing. Personally I'm all for murder under the right circumstances.

[Walks with the Snails]

You're right about the homeless who're at that state because of drug / alcohol abuse and stuff like that. But some (I have no numbers) did not want to live like that and did nothing to deserve such fate, but are incapable of getting out of it.

Who? I somehow doubt they were making quadraplegics clean subways with their tongues. If you're willing to work, there's more than likely something out there for you to do, even if it's one of those jobs we traditionally give to illegal immigrants because everyone seems to think because they happened to be born here they're "too good" for it, regardless of how worthless and irresponsible they happen to be. I've known ex-homeless people. Staying that way is basically a choice, and there are lots of programs, public and private, that have no other goal than to help people get back on their feet after misfortune, whether it's self-induced or not.

Helplessness can be learned, too. It's generally better for all concerned to try to draw on every human's inner desire for self-preservation and autonomy rather than just reinforce the bad habits of the ones who don't want to or don't think they take care of themselves so you can pat yourself on the back and tell yourself you're a good person for providing for them.

[Sol Invictus]

Now, I know some of you (Especially that moron Percolator) might have the belief that most Malaysians work for 3 cents an hour but I'd have to say that it isn't true at all. Yeah, it's true for a lot of countries in South East Asia, especially the Filipines and Indonesia but living on 3 cents an hour wouldn't even get you a cheap meal. It wouldn't even get you a 50 cent packet of Wrigley's.

With that out of the way, I don't think any of you can come up with some lame ass rebuttal about how I live in a country where people get paid that amount, because unions exist (though they're almost as shitty as they are in the US) and because minimum wage laws exist. You can get paid 20 dollars for 4 hours work cleaning dishes over here if you're really hard up for cash. It's not much but you'll be able to afford rent, food and even a little luxury with that money due to the low cost of living over here.

What's sad about the whole slavery issue in the United States is that these indentured servants are getting 'paid' just enough for them to eat but barely enough to do much else, let alone leaving the country. So they're stranded in poverty, unable to do anything besides work for their slavemasters who would probably have them tortured and killed if they ever tried to leave.

That's fucked.

[Sol Invictus]

i couldnt care less if they got human rights or not. make my damn food, peddle wheels for electricity, and pick the vegetables for food. i think if illegal immigrants come over and are caught, they should be put to hard/slave labour so we can benifit from their stupidity.

You are about as moronic as Sauron says you are.

I'd like to see you put in the position of one of these poor bastards. We'll see what song you're singing then.

[Grey Fil]

Funny thread. People should try it before saying how good it is.
Those lucky enough to be born into wealth should remember that destiny can change.

[Kashluk]

Walks with the Snails: > Who? <

One who gets sacked, loses his house and isn't able to find work fitting for his/her age and skills. Then, too often *this* leads into abusing chemical substances, such as alcohol or narcotics. After that, nobody's going to hire them, not even for the saddest excuse of a job.

You could say it's (partially) self inflicted, but how many people are truly so strong that they could resist the temptation of "misery ending" things in such circumstances. If I had to live in a trashcan and eat other people's waste for breakfast for more than a week, I'd be pumping anything I could find into my veins. Hell, I'd be snorting glue if it'd fuck my brain up and make me feel better. You're at the bottom and there really isn't any way up once you've stuck down there.

[Phias]

At one point in my life, I wondered why indentured servants had any problems with their life.

Then one day I grew up and realized that when all of your rights are dictated to you by a racist man, that you cannot leave your house, that you have no freedom of speech, that your life couldn't be as good as a free man's.

Slavers are alive and well in the world nowadays, and people just fail to believe this as truth. Many people believe that slavery is gone forever, but don't have a clue in reality.

I hope this problem's allieviated soon.