NationStates Jolt Archive

Say you're living in a big city and you're not old enough to buy alcohol, but you think about bribing a homeless person to buy alcohol for you.

You offer the person $20 for doing so.

They say yes, you give them the money to buy the alcohol. Then you get the alcohol, he gets the $20, everyone is happy.

...


Is it ok to bribe a homeless person?

Say you're living in a big city and you're not old enough to buy alcohol, but you think about bribing a homeless person to buy alcohol for you.

You offer the person $20 for doing so.

They say yes, you give them the money to buy the alcohol. Then you get the alcohol, he gets the $20, everyone is happy.

...


Is it ok to bribe a homeless person?

Totally hypothetical, right?
:eek: :( :confused: :rolleyes: :p ;) :) :cool: :D
Even though it seems like a good idea.....it's wrong.

that's not bribing, it's making him a paid accesory to your crime.

and yeah, it's wrong, but soley on the basis that he would be commiting a crime, if you paid him to do something legal then it's not wrong.

Can you see a downside? No? Then it's a-okay.

I suppose its not the worst thing in the world. But I don't agree with underage ppl bribing adults for alcohol. It might be better to just give the homeless person some food. A lot of homeless ppl here are alcoholics.

Totally hypothetical, right?
Oh god yes!

that's not bribing, it's making him a paid accesory to your crime.

and yeah, it's wrong, but soley on the basis that he would be commiting a crime, if you paid him to do something legal then it's not wrong.
I wasn't thinking about the illegal part.. but that's a good point.

I wasn't thinking about the illegal part.. but that's a good point.

It pays to think about the legality of things.

I say, its perfectly acceptable, if you pay him with sexual favors.

That way, you get to have your little crime, and get the alchohol you want.
However, as penance, you must blow a homeless guy.

Fair is fair.

that's not bribing, it's making him a paid accesory to your crime.

and yeah, it's wrong, but soley on the basis that he would be commiting a crime, if you paid him to do something legal then it's not wrong.
Yeah … I voted yes because the “bribe” part is not the issue rather the booze part

yes.

It pays to think about the legality of things.
With the question I was thinking about morals/common decency instead of legality and what not.

With the question I was thinking about morals/common decency instead of legality and what not.
some could argue (I could) that it's immoral to break the law.

Well you encourage the homeless person to break the law and go to jail. However the homeless person is an adult and can refuse. He of course risks the underage person's life by supplying alcohol but that is his concern and also the underage person's parents' concern.

I'll officially say it is against the law and shouldnt be done on that basis alone. Morally It wouldnt bother me personally if somebody tried it once or maybe twice on the same homeless person. If you did it more often than that or told all your friends that a given bum will buy them booze for bucks then you would be setting the bum up for jail time and taking undue advantage IMHO.

What's so wrong about it? The guy needs cash, you need booze. It's not like he HAS to buy it for you. Is it wrong to pay a kid to mow your lawn?

What's so wrong about it? The guy needs cash, you need booze. It's not like he HAS to buy it for you. Is it wrong to pay a kid to mow your lawn?
it's not illegal to pay a kid to mow your lawn, if a cop catches them they aren't going to jail.

Say you're living in a big city and you're not old enough to buy alcohol, but you think about bribing a homeless person to buy alcohol for you.

You offer the person $20 for doing so.

They say yes, you give them the money to buy the alcohol. Then you get the alcohol, he gets the $20, everyone is happy.

Is it ok to bribe a homeless person?
In your example ... most states in the US have laws against things like "contributing to the delinquency of a minor," and "underage drinking." Then again, perhaps a few nights in jail is just what the doctor ordered for someone who's homeless, although not for the minor I would think. ;)

$20?! Isn't that more than the price of the booze?

Can't you just get a fake ID? Or your mum to buy it?

Americans have a really strange relationship with alcohol :s

Can you see a downside? No? Then it's a-okay.
Being arrested and spending a night in jail, or paying a fine, is "a-okay?" :eek:

it's not illegal to pay a kid to mow your lawn, if a cop catches them they aren't going to jail.
But again, the homeless guy knows he's breaking the law. And it is illegal if the kid doesn't declare his income and pay taxes. Not many kids I know do.

$20?! Isn't that more than the price of the booze?

Can't you just get a fake ID? Or your mum to buy it?

Americans have a really strange relationship with alcohol :s
If your "booze" isn't more than $20, you're drinking rotgut! Heh!

Fake IDs are illegal too, especially when you use them to buy alcohol, or even cigarettes. If your mom buys your alcohol, she's "contributing" too. :p

Why "strange?" S'plain thyself, oh Compulsive One! :D

But again, the homeless guy knows he's breaking the law.
then you add in undue influence, and make it even more immoral, for example during a natural disaster if you found a woman who was thirsty, and dehydrated and offered her water only in exchange or a sexual favor it would be double wrong, because of the position she is already in, she would know it was wrong to accept payment for a sexual favor, but because of the situation you having the water gives you undue influence.

And it is illegal if the kid doesn't declare his income and pay taxes. Not many kids I know do.
it is, but it's not illegal for them to mow the lawn.

But again, the homeless guy knows he's breaking the law. And it is illegal if the kid doesn't declare his income and pay taxes. Not many kids I know do.
As I indicated above, many states in the US have laws against "underage drinking." Get caught with alcohol and you're spending a night in the slammer, and probably a stiff fine thrown in for good measure.

As I indicated above, many states in the US have laws against "underage drinking." Get caught with alcohol and you're spending a night in the slammer, and probably a stiff fine thrown in for good measure.
So? Irrelevant to the original question, I think. I believe this was a discussion on the morality of the act of bribing a bum to buy you alcohol.

If your "booze" isn't more than $20, you're drinking rotgut! Heh!

Fake IDs are illegal too, especially when you use them to buy alcohol, or even cigarettes. If your mom buys your alcohol, she's "contributing" too. :p

Why "strange?" S'plain thyself, oh Compulsive One! :D
Heh ;)
Well, I don't tend to buy expensive spirits; I'm more a real-ale person, myself. I thought White Lightening (cheap, high-alcohol cider) was the underage drink of choice?

Yeah, it's illegal, but it's only you breaking the law with fake ID, or if your mum buys it you don't have to bribe her ;)

Strange compared to Britain, that I'm used to; it seems to be taken far more seriously there, like it's some sort of "evil thing". Here nobody really cares about your age - even if the police caught you drinking under the age of 18 you'd have to be doing something pretty Disorderly to get more than a ticking off, I think.

But again, the homeless guy knows he's breaking the law. And it is illegal if the kid doesn't declare his income and pay taxes. Not many kids I know do.

The kid wont go to jail or pay a fine for acquiring the booze in all likelihood. Minors are not held to a strict standard. The bum might easily go to jail for contributing to his delinquency etc. and his parents might be fined or worse if the kid is caught doing silly things often enough.

The real potential for trouble for the kid the bum and his parents start once the kid drinks the booze while out and about. After drinking the booze the kid or friends or random victims might end up hurt dead or worse if the kid drives or brings a drunk mouth to a gun fight, but the kid still wont likely get in much trouble with the law for it. His parents and the bum will though. They are as responsible for his actions as he is or even more so if the shit really hits the fan.

So yeah a minor is not much on the legal hook doing this but he does put everybody else on the hook in his place. It's legally an easy choice for a minor but it is morally iffy.

The real potential for trouble for the kid the bum and his parents start once the kid drinks the booze while out and about. After drinking the booze the kid or friends or random victims might end up hurt dead or worse if the kid drives or brings a drunk mouth to a gun fight, but the kid still wont likely get in much trouble with the law for it.
It's only a bit of drink, he's not juggling chainsaws! Worst he's likely to wind up with is an empty stomach and a headache... After a few goes most people realise their limit.

Heh ;)
Well, I don't tend to buy expensive spirits; I'm more a real-ale person, myself. I thought White Lightening (cheap, high-alcohol cider) was the underage drink of choice?

Yeah, it's illegal, but it's only you breaking the law with fake ID, or if your mum buys it you don't have to bribe her ;)

Strange compared to Britain, that I'm used to; it seems to be taken far more seriously there, like it's some sort of "evil thing". Here nobody really cares about your age - even if the police caught you drinking under the age of 18 you'd have to be doing something pretty Disorderly to get more than a ticking off, I think.

See, we Brits do have a much cooler country. My mate was cought underage having a slash, pissed, stoned, and all he got was a 'go home'.

Is it ok to bribe a homeless person?


Only in order to have sex with them.

As long as the person agrees, why not? If you think breaking the law is wrong, in this case it's clearly wrong, but in general, I don't think so.

See, we Brits do have a much cooler country. My mate was cought underage having a slash, pissed, stoned, and all he got was a 'go home'.
The differences of Alcohol in British and American Culture would make a good thread... *goes to make thread*.

Heh. South Park.

I wasn't thinking about the illegal part.. but that's a good point.
The homeless guy is the one committing the crime. He's effectively selling you liquor.

But he's willing to do it for $20. That's his choice.

I'd say its okay so long as the perpetrators were over about 12 and trust me I've done it (though there will always be a shop that will sell drink to anyone so long as they say there over 18)

though its usually a random stranger will do it for free or someone’s brother will do it for a cut in the drink

Say you're living in a big city and you're not old enough to buy alcohol, but you think about bribing a homeless person to buy alcohol for you.

You offer the person $20 for doing so.

They say yes, you give them the money to buy the alcohol. Then you get the alcohol, he gets the $20, everyone is happy.

...


Is it ok to bribe a homeless person?

That's not a bribe, that's a transaction.

Now, if you offered him to let you sit on his storm grate to improve your begging spot as a street musician, THAT'S a bribe.

Noone seems to bother with homeless guys. Everytime I walk past a shop, they'll be some kids outside asking if I'll buy them cigs, booze whatever. Whenever I'm outside of my hometown I say yes, take their money and ask the shop keeper to let me out the back because theres a group of kids outside who want to beat me up. Works everytime, I'd ask if its right but whats the point?

i agree with liberation... i hope the bum teaches those dumb kids a lesson and keeps the $$$.

But I really don't see anything wrong with it as long as the kids aren't tanked already and are at least high school age. the poor guy needs the $.

my friend Joe, who lives at North Station, he would probably just take your 20 dollas and run away. So I think that there would be nothing wrong with it, but it would be really stupid.

But again, the homeless guy knows he's breaking the law. And it is illegal if the kid doesn't declare his income and pay taxes. Not many kids I know do.
but it is not illegal for you to pay him to mow the lawn, it IS illegal for Ruffy to pay an adult to buy booze for him.

Whatever the kid does after the fact has no bearing on this.

Say you're living in a big city and you're not old enough to buy alcohol, but you think about bribing a homeless person to buy alcohol for you.

You offer the person $20 for doing so.

They say yes, you give them the money to buy the alcohol. Then you get the alcohol, he gets the $20, everyone is happy.

...


Is it ok to bribe a homeless person?
THIS is a horrible thing to do and it is an act I have not engaged in more than seventeen times when I was a teenager.

I suppose its not the worst thing in the world. But I don't agree with underage ppl bribing adults for alcohol. It might be better to just give the homeless person some food. A lot of homeless ppl here are alcoholics.


or....give them some booze for their efforts...kinda what they are after,no?

i was working in manhatten for awhile a few years back,and i had to go into the subways at around 6:00am,after a few days of the panhandlers/bums..whatever bugging me for loot,which i usually gave them a buck or 2..i thought..you know,it's like 10 degrees out,it's 6:00 am,this poor guy is sleeping outdoors..i am gonna hook this dude up.

i buy this guy i had seen for like 2 weeks in a row,had given him loot..a big cup of chicken noodle soup(you know..the a.m,freezing ass cold out)and he looks me dead in the eye,and says..wtf am i going to do with this..and throws it at me!
it took super human restraint not to stomp the pos into the curb...
now..when i feel sorry for the fucks..i get em what they want...a bottle of mad dog 20-20

Wrongness by proxy is no less wrong than direct participation, otherwise you could hire assassins with a clear conscience.

Is it wrong to pay a kid to mow your lawn?
Is this a Desperate Housewives reference? :confused:

Wrongness by proxy is no less wrong than direct participation, otherwise you could hire assassins with a clear conscience.
Brilliant! :D

Doesnt a bride suggest that there's something to loose if they dont do the action you ask them to do?

They have nothing to loose in the first place, so technically I dont know if it would be a bribe. You just give them something in return for doing something for you.

*shrug*

*sips first coffee of the day*

It's not a bribe, you're paying them for a service that they offer. In this case buying alcohol that you can't, but as long as you both agree to the terms of the transaction, I don't see anything wrong with it.

Anyone mention "Bumfights" yet?

Anyone mention "Bumfights" yet?
Hello stranger.

Hello stranger.
Hi Ruffy!
I altered my nationname a smidge (still Straughn ... i meant the other part) and i changed the "automatic login" part.
And so far (first time) it's working.
So what'd i miss? What's this about losing your ego over the photo thread?

Hi Ruffy!
I altered my nationname a smidge (still Straughn ... i meant the other part)
Very big word of you :p
and i changed the "automatic login" part.
And so far (first time) it's working.
Yay!
So what'd i miss? What's this about losing your ego over the photo thread?
They hate me in there :(

Very big word of you :pI love that word. It has rare, RARE occasion for context. Given the Jolt issues of the past several weeks, i figured it'd fit.

They hate me in there :(Well, other than the direct follow-up to the last post of yours in there, maybe.

I love that word. It has rare, RARE occasion for context. Given the Jolt issues of the past several weeks, i figured it'd fit.
Quite possibly.
Well, other than the direct follow-up to the last post of yours in there, maybe.
:p