Ahno wrote a blog this morning about a plant thief in our neighborhood, to read it if you missed it (And her blogs are NOT to be missed) go to: Nice. Very Nice
The discussion has gone on for days, and in the past from time to time the same topic arises on our neighborhood E-mail Group List. It is amazing the diversity in responses to what I consider to be a common thief. I’m a “black box” person. It matters not what is inside or what makes something tick, it is the result, the final product that matters. So, using this analogy, why a person steals is unimportant; what is important is that she steals. Thievery must be tackled through the legal system, especially if it is repetitive and costs residents money and labor.
The “bleeding heart” types in the neighborhood want to get to what they feel may be the root of the problem. Is the thief old and suffering dementia? Is she otherwise mentally impaired; could there be an issue of needing attention, good or bad, and stealing serves the purpose of gaining attention? I’m not a psychologist, nor am I a sociologist. I don’t know, and I don’t care why a person steals, we are talking criminal activity here folks, but I do know it cannot continue in a community of our city. Criminal activity is best handled by the police and thereafter by the courts. A gaggle of misinformed, misguided neighbors are ill-equipped to resolve the problem.
Our society is based on mutual respect and enforcement of laws; we are a nation of laws, yes, good and bad laws, but that is another blog. Thievery is a criminal offense and requires addressing through the legal system. My best friend is knowledgeable about these things, and relayed to me that getting arrested is often the first step in getting someone help who needs help by referral to the social services, community services or medical communities.
One neighbor asks a great question, “Where is this thief’s family?” The person has been identified, has talked to the police, and she "lucked out" when the victim at the home where she was caught neglected to press the issue and, thus, no charges were filed. Sure, it is only a plant or two, but that’s hardly reason to ignore crime. Multiply a plant or two by the number of plants stolen or ruined throughout the neighborhood, and then add the labor involved, support material such as fertilizer, water, etc. and you have a tidy monetary impact on the neighborhood. So where is the family? Is this thief living alone, or are the family and friends of this person benefitting from the stolen goods? Are they accessories to the crimes, or merely enablers?
I hate to continue to use the cliché, “Bleeding Hearts,” but it seems appropriate to describe a number of my neighbors who would just tolerate the thievery, allow it and, at most, attempt to dissuade the person. By the way, discussions with the thief have so far not resulted in self- curtailment of her criminal activity. Bleeding hearts are essentially weak-minded, weak-willed, or grossly misinformed, kind-hearted people who are actually enabling the criminal to continue. No consequences for bad behavior only serves to encourage bad behavior.
Another neighbor asked if one should feel sorry for this thief because it may be your own mother, brother, aunt, grandmother and would we want them arrested. Talk about irrational thinking. Any criminal, misdemeanant or felon, is someone’s father, brother, aunt, sister, grandfather. Justice is based on what we do, not on who we are. That, too, is a foundational aspect of our criminal justice system.
Certainly, there should be a feeling of compassion for such a thief, but the compassion should encourage us to seek rational assistance, not “knee-jerk” kindness which has proven so far not to work. Arrest the thief, make her pay restitution and serve some time; get her help if she has a mental or emotional problem, but do something other than feel sorry for her. That misplaced, maladjusted compassion is just not helpful.
Were this happening in your neighborhood, what would you do?
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The flaw in your "Black Box" logic
Archie,
I have stated my position before on the community e-mail list, so I shall not restateit here.
Your "A crime is a crime is a crime" position presupposes two conditions exist in the mind of the criminal:
1. They have the ability to control their actions
2. The will be able to appreciate the connection between their actions and why they are in prison.
Clearly in our society prision is acceptable to many repete offenders who have lost whatever minimial ability to function in society that the ever had as a result of repeted incarcerations.
To throw a mentally incompetent person into the prison system where she will most certainly be abused by other inmates in unconscionable in a civilized society.
She DOES deserve a fair trial with competent representation to determine exactly what IS going on.
Bright Blesings.
The implication was there, Daniel . . .
You wrote to me:
"Archie,
I'm wondering how you might feel if a loved one in your family became mentally ill and committed some petty crime while having some sort of a psychotic break. I am in no way suggesting this is the case with "the plant thief". I'm merely commenting on your blanket zero tolerance policy for so called criminals.
Daniel"
My e-mail response to you was:
"Exactly the same, loved one or not. Criminals need to be caught, arrested, tried and sentenced. To not do so is irresponsible.
Nothing less will stop criminals."
Is honesty the best policy?
I read with interest Archie's take on the "plant thief". Unfortunately, Archie chooses to misinform readers with what this neighbor actually said. In two different e-mails I challenged Archie's black and white thinking on dealing with mentally ill persons. I prefaced each e-mail saying that I was not commenting in regard to the "plant thief", but to Archie's "Jail all mentally ill policy" that he made in one of his posts about the "plant thief". I in no way ever implied that a criminal should be let off simply because he or she was a family member of someone thats just ridiculous. We can have different opinions on such matters. However, it is unfortunate when someone chooses to distort facts just to attempt to "score" a point. Even thought I rarely agree with Archie's libertarian point of view, I thought he had integrity.
Archie's back!
It's good to see you back, Archie; even if it is in the service of a subject (elderly-serial-plant-thieves-that-show-no-remorse-for-their-crimes)that is not really up to your usual no quarter retorical standard. Still, you can cheer up; I'm positive that "No shirts, or shoes required" or her ilk will soon provide you with fresh and worthy targets of opportunity.
Southron
I'm gonna buck the trend...
I'd rig up the plants to some "poppers" and scare the bejesus out of the poor old lady. It's not that I am horribly uncaring, but I work really hard for what I have, (that is a topic worth its own blog) and I don't think that it is fair for anyone to take it away from me. I apologize for coming off as mean and uncaring. I really am not.
And now from the bleeding heart's perspective
First let me preface my comments by saying that I have little tolerance for criminal behavior -- whether it is the graffiti "artist" or a gun-toting thug. These individuals know what they are doing is wrong, but proceed with it because they don't care.
If this “crime” were being committed by a gang of mischievous adolescents, I’d be in full agreement with Archie. But in the case of the mentally infirm, or others who don't know/understand the ramifications of their actions, I believe we need to show some tolerance. That isn't to say we allow it to continue, rather we should provide social intervention; not criminal prosecution.
I’m no expert on law, but it seems that in most of the police/law programs on television, the person charged must be capable of understanding his actions in order to be found guilty of the crime. Based upon what I’ve heard and read about her, I’d say this “criminal” doesn’t have a firm grasp on reality and should be treated as such.
I've Felt For A Long Time That...
She should have to walk up to the door of each person from whom she stole, give them cash to pay for what she took, admit that she stole.
And then...after a while, if this tough love gets her under control...she could walk up to the doors of those whose plants especially entice her. She could nicely ask, "May I please have a few cuttings? I'd like to try rooting your ***** plant/bush/flower using Rootone."
I, for one, would be glad to share cuttings from a number of different and beautiful roses, etc. Gardeners do this all the time, share cuttings. It's the friendly, polite, and accepted way to get a plant that caught your eye but that may not be available from local nurseries.
Plant theif
If it happened to me, or I saw it happening to a neighbor, I would call the cops. Stealing is stealing. Besides, if there is a problem at the root of it and it can be fixed, who better to deal with the situation and help that person than the police. They can get them to the right people a lot faster than I could.
The Lovable Plant Thief of Colonial Place
Those residents, who do not want to apply existing law to a clear violation, but want to intervene socially with their homemade therapies, concern me. When the law is disregarded for what may be a noble or charitable reason, what then is the argument for upholding the law against a less worthy violator … or for upholding ANY law? At what level of offense would they want enforcement rather than intervention, and who decides? If your wacky, but lovable, neighbor burned down your garage, would you drop by for a chat to see why he did it?. The corollary of “equal protection” is “equal application”. If the law is bad, then change it. Until that time, enforce it equitably.