Still Waters Posted January 7, 2014 #1 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Alcoholics are being paid in beer to clean the streets of Amsterdam as part of a project partly funded by the Dutch government - the organisers think other countries should abandon "old-fashioned political correctness" and adopt the same approach. http://www.bbc.co.uk...europe-25548061 http://www.bbc.co.uk...europe-25618339 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted January 7, 2014 #2 Share Posted January 7, 2014 How about some smack for the addicts if they clean all the bird crap from the city's tall buildings? Will end in tears but hey, the city sure will look nicer. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Only Posted January 7, 2014 #3 Share Posted January 7, 2014 (edited) It's not about political correctness, really. It's about giving someone the thing that's the cause of their problems and what's killing them, just because it benefits a tidy street. Pretty sick. This point of view doesn't go over well with all of you joyous social drinkers, but for an addict like me, it really bothers me. It's one thing to artificially induce a good chemical feeling with others, not that I like that either. But it's a different ball game in giving someone something thats ruining every aspect of their life. Wish someone would have given me some crank years ago to get me to clean their street. Same thing, right? Oh, right, that's not "legal". Edited January 7, 2014 by _Only 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thyra Posted January 7, 2014 #4 Share Posted January 7, 2014 (edited) I think it is very good idea if they are also giving some money because these people choose to drink anyway.Knowing that they wont ever spend money on it again and will have plenty of beer at their disposal whenever they want, may even cause them to drink less. because in such habits there is sometimes a hidden guilt and a need to torture yourself. You do some of that self torture by trying to find the money to spend on it. when that pressure is lifted off without any effort they may find ease in leaving it completely and without even noticing that they are doing it. They will also have to stay sober to do their jobs during quite a lot of hours. A good start. Edited January 7, 2014 by thyra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OverSword Posted January 7, 2014 #5 Share Posted January 7, 2014 _only is %100 correct. This is wrong. A few years ago I bought as a prop for a group halloween costume (white trash wedding party) a six pack of malt liquor. We weren't going to drink it so while walking home I gave it to a homeless alcoholic I see around alot. When I offered it to him he started to shake really bad and took it. After the fact I thought to myself I may have just killed that man. I really felt bad and was relieved when I saw him again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Buzzkill Posted January 7, 2014 #6 Share Posted January 7, 2014 (edited) Hold on. These alcoholics are drinking anyway, that is why they are alcoholics. I am sure there are programs in the Netherlands to help these people off of alcohol, but obviously some have chosen not to attend and to drink instead. Why not allow these people to help their society in their selfish desire to drink themselves stupid? Edit. Unless someone else has a better idea of how homeless alcoholics can be utilized to help society even if they don't want to help themselves Edited January 7, 2014 by Professor Buzzkill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Buzzkill Posted January 8, 2014 #7 Share Posted January 8, 2014 It's not about political correctness, really. It's about giving someone the thing that's the cause of their problems and what's killing them, just because it benefits a tidy street. Pretty sick. This point of view doesn't go over well with all of you joyous social drinkers, but for an addict like me, it really bothers me. It's one thing to artificially induce a good chemical feeling with others, not that I like that either. But it's a different ball game in giving someone something thats ruining every aspect of their life. Wish someone would have given me some crank years ago to get me to clean their street. Same thing, right? Oh, right, that's not "legal". Would you say that methadone clinics are bad because they give drug addicts a drug that has destroyed their lives? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted January 8, 2014 #8 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Am wondering how much it would cost an employer to insure his staff of alcoholics who are paid in alcohol to roam the streets? Anyone any idea? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowerPC Posted January 8, 2014 #9 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Forget about the political correctness??? That is the most ridiculous statement I have ever read. What they are really saying is do not worry about what the rest of the world thinks or do not let guilt bother you for doing something that is inhumane. Most of the people that would respond to an offer like this would be sick (alcoholics) that need medical attention and some kind of rehab. This is enabling people to continue to slowly kill themselves. Social drinkers would not trade this type of labor for a beer. I find the whole idea sick and you can tell it is wrong because the government is already telling people to ignore the political correctness and making excuses for why it is such a great idea. It is WRONG and I cannot believe an "enlightened" European nation would even consider such a de-humanizing and dangerous activity. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Only Posted January 8, 2014 #10 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Would you say that methadone clinics are bad because they give drug addicts a drug that has destroyed their lives? Yeah. It's not rehabilitation. Methadone clinics are bizarre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Only Posted January 8, 2014 #11 Share Posted January 8, 2014 (edited) Hold on. These alcoholics are drinking anyway, that is why they are alcoholics. I am sure there are programs in the Netherlands to help these people off of alcohol, but obviously some have chosen not to attend and to drink instead. Why not allow these people to help their society in their selfish desire to drink themselves stupid? Edit. Unless someone else has a better idea of how homeless alcoholics can be utilized to help society even if they don't want to help themselves It's one thing to allow someone to deteriorate. It's completely different to help them. There are any number of different methods of payment you could imagine that aren't so harmful and lazily thought out. But that is not really the important issue. Loose candy bar wrappers in the Netherlands probably isn't that big of a problem for everyone's lives there. Homeless addicts are the real problems, which don't need to be turned into opportunities to correct menial issues that can be solved by a janitor paid minimum wage. You don't feed someone their life problem because a. "they're gonna do it anyway" and b. "at least they're helping" Unbelievable! Edited January 8, 2014 by _Only 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplos Posted January 8, 2014 #12 Share Posted January 8, 2014 (edited) I wouldn't have such a problem if they were paid in food and were allowed a beer with lunch or something. Wouldn't there be homeless people who would pick up litter for a few hot meals each day and maybe access to a shower or something? Bags of litter could be like currency. I don't know. This is just rather awful though. Edited January 8, 2014 by Purplos 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OverSword Posted January 8, 2014 #13 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Don't you think that this must be violating some minimum wage law? I bet they have a rather high minimum wage there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
questionmark Posted January 8, 2014 #14 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Don't you think that this must be violating some minimum wage law? I bet they have a rather high minimum wage there. It depends, in many countries in Europe it is perfectly legal for the government to employ people for a token amount if they are already on welfare. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted January 8, 2014 #15 Share Posted January 8, 2014 What happens to the street cleaners they already employ on a proper salary? Redundancy followed by unemployment followed by alcoholism followed by being reinstated as a street cleaner? (lol) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
questionmark Posted January 8, 2014 #16 Share Posted January 8, 2014 What happens to the street cleaners they already employ on a proper salary? Redundancy followed by unemployment followed by alcoholism followed by being reinstated as a street cleaner? (lol) hmm... sounds like a plan.... But if you are talking about guys with brooms and barrel carts... I have hardly seen one in a long time in central Europe. Most is machine cleaning which is not very clean but cheap. Looks like the Dutch are changing the plan a little from "lets give 'em some dough to booze up and not make a nuisance out of themselves" to "lets give 'em some dough to booze up and not make a nuisance out of themselves and some extra booze if they do something useful". 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted January 8, 2014 #17 Share Posted January 8, 2014 They'll be sending 'troublesome' schoolkids up chimneys next! PS3 if you do a whole street. Are there no Trade Unions with balls and a conscience left in the Netherlands, fgs? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OverSword Posted January 9, 2014 #18 Share Posted January 9, 2014 The more closely this is examined the more immoral it becomes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougward5 Posted January 9, 2014 #19 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I am fine with this... I myself have paid for car repairs. ..help moving. ..painters ....all sorts of stuff in beer.. it is a standard form of currency where I am from..at least among friends . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OverSword Posted January 9, 2014 #20 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I am fine with this... I myself have paid for car repairs. ..help moving. ..painters ....all sorts of stuff in beer.. it is a standard form of currency where I am from..at least among friends . Totaly different. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now