Italy: It's Okay to Steal Food if You're Poor

[Ben]

Italian court rules that it's okay to steal food if you're poor and hungry. I was listening to Andrew Napalitano discuss it, and he said the root of the ruling would be that the right to survive would supersede laws against theft. He used the example of someone who was literally starving (or whose family was), but I'm guessing a large segment of "poor" will not use that guideline. It would be interesting to see the fallout if this happened in the US. Though I guess the EBT is getting pretty close.

http://www.thelocal.it/20160503/if-italys-poor-and-hungry-steal-food-its-not-a-crime-top-court

[Hawkmoon]

Though I guess the EBT is getting pretty close.

Nah.

#BlackLivesSneakers/Televisions/iPhonesMatter

[lupinus]

I wont say that if my family was starving I would be above stealing food if that was the only choice.

But to make it public policy? Particularly a general and advertised one? Naw.

[HeroHog]

I'd be car-pooling the poor and homeless to the wealthy/judges neighborhoods for a "shopping spree" myself...

[BlueStarLizzard]

... I'm not the most socially conservative person on this board, so this probably won't surprise most but...

If you have a portion of the population that is actually at risk for starvation, wouldn't having a program to provide these people with basic staple food items be more conducive to keeping things civil then saying "Go steal it." ?

(and, for the record, I really wouldn't mind having a government paid program that provided 'free' food for the poor, as long as it was strictly cheap, realtivly wholesome food that a person had to get from specific locations. Not this feely good EBT card made to look like a debit card so poor people don't feel bad and buy whatever crap food you want, regardless of it's nutritional value and price tag *expletive deleted*it. Just your basic bag of groceries that will insure a person won't starve and tastes decent if you put enough salt and maybe some cheap spices on on)

[Ben]

If you have a portion of the population that is actually at risk for starvation, wouldn't having a program to provide these people with basic staple food items be more conducive to keeping things civil then saying "Go steal it." ?

Well, that's an interesting talking point on several fronts. Despite being a congressional republic, Italy is by all measures pretty socialist in its policies. Yet they don't have sufficient programs to ensure no one starves, while the mean old capitalist US is giving food, phones, and cable TV to its poor, along with a boatload of undeserving recipients? Where's all that Italian tax money going?

[HeroHog]

... I'm not the most socially conservative person on this board, so this probably won't surprise most but...

If you have a portion of the population that is actually at risk for starvation, wouldn't having a program to provide these people with basic staple food items be more conducive to keeping things civil then saying "Go steal it." ?

(and, for the record, I really wouldn't mind having a government paid program that provided 'free' food for the poor, as long as it was strictly cheap, realtivly wholesome food that a person had to get from specific locations. Not this feely good EBT card made to look like a debit card so poor people don't feel bad and buy whatever crap food you want, regardless of it's nutritional value and price tag *expletive deleted*it. Just your basic bag of groceries that will insure a person won't starve and tastes decent if you put enough salt and maybe some cheap spices on on)

That's just the long version of what I intimated. I just like to make painful points for stupid people. After the poor steal from THEM, they might realise that particular methodology has some rather serious flaws and might require a bit more thought.

[French G.]

I like my dad's plan. 3 meals a day in school. The parent can come with the child and get one meal a day. No more EBT card.

[Northwoods]

I stole a loaf of bread.
My sister's child was close to death
And we were starving.

You will starve again
Unless you learn the meaning of the law.

I know the meaning of those 19 years
A slave of the law

Five years for what you did
The rest because you tried to run
Yes, 24601.

My name is Jean Valjean

And I am Javert
Do not forget my name!
Do not forget me,
24601.

[230RN]

I was listening to Andrew Napalitano discuss it, and he said the root of the ruling would be that the right to survive would supersede laws against theft.

I think Il Papa wrote on this in a Bull or something a while ago, stating essentially the same thing, but in terms of sin, not legal/civil consequences.  Or maybe it's in the Catechism.

This parallels the principle of "that which is necessary is not illegal" from somewhere. --Blackstone?

Taking that further, in contradicts some of the hyperleftists' notions that self-defense is not a proper option.

Apt post, sumpnz.

A dangerous subject, all in all.

Terry

[grampster]

If the government was actually serious and concerned with the "poor", it would begin a phase out of the unionized government jobs (attrition by retirement etc) by requiring the chronically poor and unemployed (say after 6 months on the dole) to be hired in to be trained to work the jobs at every level of government.  Some of those folks might just wind up being good employees and others of them might just be motivated enough to better themselves as a result.

[MechAg94]

... I'm not the most socially conservative person on this board, so this probably won't surprise most but...

If you have a portion of the population that is actually at risk for starvation, wouldn't having a program to provide these people with basic staple food items be more conducive to keeping things civil then saying "Go steal it." ?

(and, for the record, I really wouldn't mind having a government paid program that provided 'free' food for the poor, as long as it was strictly cheap, realtivly wholesome food that a person had to get from specific locations. Not this feely good EBT card made to look like a debit card so poor people don't feel bad and buy whatever crap food you want, regardless of it's nutritional value and price tag *expletive deleted*it. Just your basic bag of groceries that will insure a person won't starve and tastes decent if you put enough salt and maybe some cheap spices on on)

It wouldn't surprise me that Italy already has a form of welfare that does just that.  The article didn't mention it.

[MechAg94]

I wont say that if my family was starving I would be above stealing food if that was the only choice.

But to make it public policy? Particularly a general and advertised one? Naw.

The part in bold is the important part.  Normally, there are many failed choices before stealing becomes a necessary choice. 

[KD5NRH]

As I recall, back in the days when judges were required to have common sense, (well, at least the circuit judges handling rural areas where they wouldn't be missed for a while if they lacked it) situations like this were handled with a day or two of community service.  Not by using the jail as a homeless shelter for months, then tossing the conviction.

[HankB]

Is theft OK if you're thirsty, too?

[Hawkmoon]

Is theft OK if you're thirsty, too?

ARREST THAT MAN!

He's driving an unregistered motor vehicle!

[MechAg94]

They are not drinking and driving so it is okay.

[lee n. field]

... I'm not the most socially conservative person on this board, so this probably won't surprise most but...

If you have a portion of the population that is actually at risk for starvation, wouldn't having a program to provide these people with basic staple food items be more conducive to keeping things civil then saying "Go steal it." ?

(and, for the record, I really wouldn't mind having a government paid program that provided 'free' food for the poor, as long as it was strictly cheap, realtivly wholesome food that a person had to get from specific locations. Not this feely good EBT card made to look like a debit card so poor people don't feel bad and buy whatever crap food you want, regardless of it's nutritional value and price tag *expletive deleted*it. Just your basic bag of groceries that will insure a person won't starve and tastes decent if you put enough salt and maybe some cheap spices on on)

They did exactly that, back in the Reagan years.  Gave away agricultural "surplus".  (It wasn't high quality food, the stuff I saw.  The "cheese", for instance, was some kind of Velveeta knock-off.)

[Ben]

They did exactly that, back in the Reagan years.  Gave away agricultural "surplus".  (It wasn't high quality food, the stuff I saw.  The "cheese", for instance, was some kind of Velveeta knock-off.)

Yup, I remember the government cheese. 

As I recall, there were many of the same kind of complaints as after Katrina, when MREs were handed out. "How dare you expect us to eat this?!?" Seems like everyone who wants assistance also wants lobster, like the *expletive deleted*che in CA who buys lobster with his EBT and brags about it.

I will never be able to wrap my head around the mindset of people who want free stuff, but they want their free stuff to be better quality than I have buying it on my own.

[BlueStarLizzard]

Yup, I remember the government cheese. 

As I recall, there were many of the same kind of complaints as after Katrina, when MREs were handed out. "How dare you expect us to eat this?!?" Seems like everyone who wants assistance also wants lobster, like the *expletive deleted*che in CA who buys lobster with his EBT and brags about it.

I will never be able to wrap my head around the mindset of people who want free stuff, but they want their free stuff to be better quality than I have buying it on my own.

Well, that's my issue with the current food assistance programs. If you need food, you will eat what you get. If you can stand to be picky, you obviously don't need free food.

[Fly320s]

They did exactly that, back in the Reagan years.  Gave away agricultural "surplus".  (It wasn't high quality food, the stuff I saw.  The "cheese", for instance, was some kind of Velveeta knock-off.)

I got government cheese as a company bonus one year.

[230RN]

...can not resist...

Must've been a cheesy company.

Somebody hadda say it, so I got it out of the way so we could continue with our perceptive and in-depth commentary.

[dogmush]

Maybe they were trying to get him to leave and couldn't find a whey to tell him.

[Ben]

I got government cheese as a company bonus one year.

You work for Air America?

[Fly320s]

You work for Air America?

Similar.  Just another commuter airline.