A sad tale

[cozinsky]

Today I was prosecuting someone for stealing a book from a library. The person was from a poor background, like so many South Africans are. The book he stole was a 1995 book and dealt with career opportunities. I thought to myself, if the person could only afford internet (adsl), there would have been no need for him to steal information. But because of Telkom's greed, he has no way of affording internet. We turned him into a thief. Shame on you Telkom!!!!

 

[Dovi]

If he was so poor that he had to steal a book from a library, I think maybe he should hope for a computer before ADSL

 

[mooK]

Why waste money prosecuting someone for stealing a library book FFS!

 

[werner]

see: new york, zero tolerance.
it works.

sad case though, but theft is theft, petty or not.

 

[w1z4rd]

see: new york, zero tolerance.
it works.

sad case though, but theft is theft, petty or not.

see "Rise of Nazi Germany, Zero Tolerance"

 

[werner]

lol
good one, touche

 

[Ekhaatvensters]

no no WiZard.. nothing like each other.

The Zero Tolerance thing does work.. but first youve got to implement it, it is not happening in SA, even though it should. So stating it as a case for somethign like this isnt very clever. There was a article in the Cape Times this morning about someone who got a brick thrown throught their window and was cut on her face . She phoned the police and got told to calm down, these types of things happen all the time. hardly a polise force that is using zero tolerance.. they could harldy care about gangsters standing on the side of the road and trying to attack cars and probably kill the drivers at 8pm.

 

[mooK]

And yet they waste money trying to punish a poor kid stealing a library book, fcking disgusting.

 

[fragtion]

Today I was prosecuting someone for stealing a book from a library. The person was from a poor background, like so many South Africans are. The book he stole was a 1995 book and dealt with career opportunities. I thought to myself, if the person could only afford internet (adsl), there would have been no need for him to steal information. But because of Telkom's greed, he has no way of affording internet. We turned him into a thief. Shame on you Telkom!!!!

Excuse me if I become ignorant in any topics, I am only in matric - I'm certainly no lawyer and have no interest in ever going into that field. But I'd like to share my opinions on this topic...

Firstly, IMO it's more the government that's to blame for this one than Telkom - It isn't the responsibility of a Company to provide services for free to the public. As far as I understand they should be sponsored through that company by the government?
Secondly, call the story sad, but prosecute the man... where's the consideration or sense in that?
Cruel world or not, I personally don't find it just to prosecute the man if you understand his circuimstances. You may not be religious, but ask yourself 'What would J e s u s (had to extend this one because vbulletin considers it swearing) do?' (forget cliche's please let's be serious). I'm sure most religions would also support this basic ethic where you take your neighbour's life and circuimstances into consideration. It wasn't his fault he was born into poverty, and then he still gets this cruel situation against him. What if it were you, would you enjoy being prosecuted?
Sorry if I sound as though I'm attacking you, that's not really the intention, I'm just discussing my thoughts after I read your thread... perhaps I'm misunderstanding something.

Now what happens is that he develops a grudge against the white man in general because he isn't educated to the point of understanding that in fact you're just doing your job. As far as he's concerned, you know he has absolutely squat under his name, and yet you still deprived him of a BOOK, KNOWLEDGE which should be free for all (Is it not one of his rights to education? Could that not have been used in his defense?) So he hates us all in general and kills us. That's a bit of a generalisation/simplification but essentially that's what happens. Unfortunately.

Am I wrong? If so, PLEASE share your thoughts with me because then I must have one heck of a misconception that needs to be fixed ASAP ...

 

[Moederloos]

First off, zero tolerance should be exercised on people offering and accepting bribes. Make the offense for police officers be treason. Jail them, hang them, offer them up for mob justice - I don't care.

THEN we can worry about the "criminals".

 

[neio]

He could have become a member of the library and taken it out, not steal it.
Zero tolerance has to be implemented in SA.

 

[fragtion]

He could have become a member of the library and taken it out, not steal it.
Zero tolerance has to be implemented in SA.

I thought you pay for library membership? Woops well if that's not the case then I apologise. If it's free then he has no excuse and as far as I'm concerned should go to jail straight. That's theft without any valid excuse.

 

[Gangrel]

As far as he's concerned, you know he has absolutely squat under his name, and yet you still deprived him of a BOOK, KNOWLEDGE which should be free for all (Is it not one of his rights to education? Could that not have been used in his defense?)

It was a library book, which to my knowledge is available free as long as you have a membership or don't takek it out of the library. He effectively stole from everyone in the comunity (kind of like telkom does).

 

[neio]

I thought you pay for library membership? Woops well if that's not the case then I apologise. If it's free then he has no excuse and as far as I'm concerned should go to jail straight. That's theft without any valid excuse.

Here in Joburg you pay R30 for 1 year's membership. In some other towns and cities it's free.

 

[fragtion]

He probably tried the membership route 3 years back and couldnt pay 30 bucks 'cause he had to pay for his R50 electricity voucher, and now interest has accumulated and he can't afford to pay back. So what does he do? steals.
Probably not true but that's my guess