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It's a different bottom line, i.e. it's not about losing money due to free refiles but losing (or being afraid of losing) money due to people leaving due to th

It's a different bottom line, i.e. it's not about losing money due to free refiles but losing (or being afraid of losing) money due to people leaving due to the presence of homeless people. A decision because of the first point (free refiles) is not moralistically questionable. A decision on the second point can be seen as moralically questionable due to discrimination against people which already are in a pretty bad situation.

mypastself 5y ago
So it is indeed about the money, then. It’s just a question of whether or not you consider a business catering to patrons who avoid establishments populated by homeless people to be morally questionable.
oceanghost 5y ago
You're right, but I don't think that's the full picture. I once was working on a book that featured several homeless characters, I spent a lot of time talking to and hanging out with the homeless as research (think early 2000s). Things are different now. I don't have any numbers for you, but the meth epidemic has left us with a whole traunch of society that has permanent brain damage if not permanent psychosis. I honestly don't know what we are going to do with these people, or how we are going to care for them. I live in So Cal in a city with a large homeless population. I cannot take my daughter to McDonald's-- it's just not safe. I personally have had homeless folks try to open my car doors at stop lights and in drive throughs. I've seen numerous fights break out. People standing on the street screaming at something. Aggressive and threatening begging-- including one guy who parked his wheelchair behind my car (I've seen him walking, it was a prop) and wouldn't move until I gave him $20 (I didn't). I have every sympathy for the homeless. But the fact is my local McDonald's is probably missing out on a visit from my family a week not because its not safe.

mypastself 5y ago

So it is indeed about the money, then. It’s just a question of whether or not you consider a business catering to patrons who avoid establishments populated by homeless people to be morally questionable.

oceanghost 5y ago

You're right, but I don't think that's the full picture. I once was working on a book that featured several homeless characters, I spent a lot of time talking to and hanging out with the homeless as research (think early 2000s). Things are different now. I don't have any numbers for you, but the meth epidemic has left us with a whole traunch of society that has permanent brain damage if not permanent psychosis. I honestly don't know what we are going to do with these people, or how we are going to care for them. I live in So Cal in a city with a large homeless population. I cannot take my daughter to McDonald's-- it's just not safe. I personally have had homeless folks try to open my car doors at stop lights and in drive throughs. I've seen numerous fights break out. People standing on the street screaming at something. Aggressive and threatening begging-- including one guy who parked his wheelchair behind my car (I've seen him walking, it was a prop) and wouldn't move until I gave him $20 (I didn't). I have every sympathy for the homeless. But the fact is my local McDonald's is probably missing out on a visit from my family a week not because its not safe.