4 ms·

> similar stations in other cities, all have bathrooms. They’re usually open 24/7 too. Less than you think. I ride the bus all around the Seattle area and I ca

> similar stations in other cities, all have bathrooms. They’re usually open 24/7 too. Less than you think. I ride the bus all around the Seattle area and I can't think of a bus station here that has a bathroom. > Even places with locks on the bathrooms will usually let people use them if they ask. Not here. > It is not unreasonable to imagine someone, no matter how destitute, getting something off the dollar menu at McDonald’s. You're talking about a couple bucks a day for people subsisting on $200 of snap benefits a month. > any certainly have no trouble finding enough money for drugs or alcohol It's almost as if people suffering from substance abuse disorder make poor financial choices > In the absolute worst case scenario, find a secluded place in a park and dig a hole, or get a plastic bag and throw it away. Just to be clear, that is still illegal. > There’s no excuse for leaving feces on the sidewalk. I agree. People shitting right on the sidewalk are probably in need of medical attention. > Sorry, but “don’t shit in the common area” has been table stakes for participating in human society since the beginning of time. You know that people used to empty their chamber pots on the street right? You know India is undergoing a campaign right now to decrease ubiquitous public defecation and that involves building a million plus toilets? > Even in a hunter gatherer society someone taking a dump next to the campfire would be rightly ostracized. Probably. I don't think they'd lock you in a cage for it though.

imgabe 4y ago
What it comes down to is, if you want to have a society where there’s not people living in tents on every corner or shitting outdoors, you have to make and enforce a rule that people aren’t allowed to do that. Then when you find someone breaking that law, stop them. If they’re addicted to drugs, send them to rehab, whether they want to go or not. If they’re mentally ill, send them to an institution. If they’ve just decided they’d rather live that way, then jail, because it’s simply not allowed. Yet when we try to make and enforce laws like that, people get told they’re “criminalizing poverty” and we end up with the situation we have now. Yes, you can reasonably expect adults to function and take care of themselves, including finding shelter, food and appropriate restroom facilities, without a government agent holding their hand every step of the way. Indeed, the vast majority of people do and we depend on it.
- DoreenMichele 4y ago
  What it comes down to is, if you want to have a society where there’s not people living in tents in every corner or shitting outdoors, you have to make and enforce a rule that people aren’t allowed to do that and enforce it. You can make all the rules you want and enforce it in whatever draconian manner you choose and there will still be tent cities etc as long as America keeps underbuilding adequate levels of the right kind of housing.

imgabe 4y ago

What it comes down to is, if you want to have a society where there’s not people living in tents on every corner or shitting outdoors, you have to make and enforce a rule that people aren’t allowed to do that. Then when you find someone breaking that law, stop them. If they’re addicted to drugs, send them to rehab, whether they want to go or not. If they’re mentally ill, send them to an institution. If they’ve just decided they’d rather live that way, then jail, because it’s simply not allowed. Yet when we try to make and enforce laws like that, people get told they’re “criminalizing poverty” and we end up with the situation we have now. Yes, you can reasonably expect adults to function and take care of themselves, including finding shelter, food and appropriate restroom facilities, without a government agent holding their hand every step of the way. Indeed, the vast majority of people do and we depend on it.

DoreenMichele 4y ago
What it comes down to is, if you want to have a society where there’s not people living in tents in every corner or shitting outdoors, you have to make and enforce a rule that people aren’t allowed to do that and enforce it. You can make all the rules you want and enforce it in whatever draconian manner you choose and there will still be tent cities etc as long as America keeps underbuilding adequate levels of the right kind of housing.