IS stealing ever justified?...

Yep. I can sit here and justify murder as well, but that doesn't make it ethical. In today's society there's very little need to steal for survival - which is really the only justifiable reason I could think of right now.

I think if it gets to a point where you're considering stealing stuff for whatever reason then it's probably about time to ask for some help.

Different scenario's would result in justifiable crime; possibly ethical as well if you out some brain juice into it. Stealing from the 'wealthy' who hoard resources in times of desperation could be one. eg: Stealing food from the Nazi's during WW2.

Under the heading of "Theft Problem," I found
this:

"You've heard about people who've been abducted and had
their kidneys removed by black-market organ thieves.

My thighs were stolen from me during the night a few years
ago. I went to sleep and woke up with someone else's thighs.
It was just that quick. The replacements had the texture of
cooked oatmeal. Whose thighs were these and what happened
to mine? I spent the entire summer looking for my thighs.
Finally, hurt and angry, I resigned myself to living my
life in jeans. And then the thieves struck again.

My butt was next. I knew it was the same gang, because they
took pains to match my new rear-end to the thighs they stole
earlier. But my new butt was attached at least three inches
lower than my own had been. I now have to give up my jeans in
favour of long skirts.

Two years ago I realized my arms had been switched. One
morning I was fixing my hair and was horrified to see the flesh
of my upper arm swing to and fro with the motion of my combing
my hair. It was really scary. My body was being replaced one
section at a time.

When my poor neck suddenly disappeared and was replaced with a
turkey neck - that did it. Women of the world, wake up and smell
the coffee! Those 'plastic surgeons,' are using real replacement
body parts - stolen from you and me! The next time someone has
something 'lifted,' look again - was it lifted from you?

This is not a hoax. This is happening to women everywhere every
night. Warn your friends.

Last year I thought some one had stolen my Boobs. I was lying
in bed and I couldn't find my boobs. I jumped out of bed, I was
relieved to see that they had just been hiding in my armpits while
I slept. Now I keep them hidden in my waistband.

The same thieves come into my closet and shrink my clothes.

How do they do it?"

Anansi

'Runner, there are no absolutes.' Are you absolutely sure about that?

david f - firstly, let me say that on the basis of your comments and articles on OLO that I respect both you and your opinions.

However, in this case I disagree with you. I think that you're being far too kind to the odious Thatcher, and her most vocal OLO acolyte.

Her claim that "there is no such thing as society" was an ideologiically driven expression of ignorance. Indeed, if there was no society beyond the world of individuals, the world would have been blessed by her relegation to the ignominy that she deserves in historical terms.

As it stands, she was elevated to power by a society - represented by an electorate - that foolishly went along with her jingoistic bulldust until the facts became apparent. Of course, that was somewhat comparable to the process by which the drones kept on re-electing the execrable Howard.

One thing I've learnt over the years is that good people routinely tell lies in order to aciheve what they regard as greater goals.

My tax accountant is a friend, but over the years I have declined various deductione that he's suggested I might claim.

But that's because I'm more honest than him.

Foxy, Davidf and CJ-great posts. Thanks Bronwyn, for trying.

CJ, why does ColR think he can attribute, as you so politely put it, a position on behalf of other posters, but he snarls rather unpleasantly, direct quotes coming up ColR: 'You too were sniveling around with Examinator, like a pack of wild dogs...', 'I speculate, if you wear makeup, it must cost lots and take a long time to apply….painting and powdering both faces every day.' when others attribute a position of his on basis of his posts?

How does the above apply to 'play the ball and not the man'? I haven't read anybody refer to you as a sniffing dog or making sarcastic comments about your masculine habits.

ColR, Pelican was supplying some youthful rationalization to justify stealing, you didn't address the issue of stealing or justification-no, you focussed on the employer maybe being justified in paying low wages, questioning whether they could have been below award wages. Now why would you rationalize on behalf of the employer and wag your finger at the little employee?

You have no idea of my personal ethics or politcal beliefs. I have never voiced them. You, on the other hand, have an almost religious attachment to a particular political ideology and voice them regularly. To the point that you appear dogmatic. You countenance no deviation, modification or examination of the truth as revealed by Margaret Tatcher.

Dear CJ,

People who I am at almost complete odds with philosophically, politically and esthetically can have great virtues. I avoid my accountant cousin since we live in very different worlds and have few interests in common. He is very religiously observant, and I am a skeptic. He is very nationalistic, and I tend to anarchism. However, he is as honest and trustworthy as anyone I know.

I see him only when I see his sister who I am fond of, and he is there. I make an effort to be friendly. He does not talk about himself, but I was curious about him. He works for a firm in Los Angeles but goes all over the world examining corporate books. His specialty is bankruptcy, and he is sent to examine the books when a firm goes belly up. I knew he had been to the Philippines and asked him about his experiences.

He had examined the books of a corporation and was readying a report. This was when Marcos was president, and Marcos had an interest in the operation. Marcos called him into his office to talk about my cousin's report as somebody had informed him about it. Marcos was unhappy because the report detailed bribery, kickbacks and other wrongdoing. He said, "You really don't understand. That is the way we do things here." My cousin was unwilling to change his report even though Marcos offered him a reward for such action. Marcos finally said, "I'll have somebody visit you who will discuss the matter further." My cousin left the office and called his headquarters n the US. They told him not to go back to his hotel but to go directly to the airport and take the first plane out regardless of its destination. He did that, wound up in Hong Kong and went from there back to LA.

I don't agree on much of anything politically or philosophically with Col Rouge, and I do not care for Attila the Hen. However, I have no reason to think that Col is not as honest as my cousin.