Unsympathetic? I agree this guy's comment was pretty flip, but it raises and interesting moral conundrum - is it unsympathetic to alert the authorities of an unresponsive person in a public place, albeit for the wrong reasons, or to 'sympathetically' step over that person and say or do nothing, and run the risk that the fellow might be in serious danger? I'm thinking back to a few years ago when a couple of guys were shooting up in broad daylight in the PG, and one of them died. Aren't cops supposed to call an appropriate agency, instead of hauling them off to the drunk tank, like they used to?
There's a difference between shooting up and sleeping off a drinking binge. As long as the drunk guy isn't bothering people or in apparent distress let him be.
Also, there have been reports lately of young people nearly kicking these defenseless people to death for the sport of it. If this man were left there overnight...
Well the gardens do IIRC have an overnight closing time. I know they've made an effort to roust homeless people from the commons and assume the public gardens are the same. But also, the issue there is stopping people from attacking other people, not stopping people from grabbing some sleep
Comments
As long as he's just sleeping
As long as he's just sleeping and he's not doing it in the pathway or the flower bed or something who cares.
+1 that could just as easily
+1 that could just as easily be me sober enjoying a nice day in the park before laying down with my book knocks me out.
unsympathetic
Where do they expect the homeless, addicted and drunk people go?
Well, let's see. For the
Well, let's see.
For the homeless, the Boston Rescue Mission is 3 blocks from the Commons. http://www.brm.org/
Boston Alcohol and Substance Abuse Programs (ASAP) is 1/2 block from the Commons. http://www.bostonasap.com/
There are several others within walking distance of the park, those were just the closest ones I could find.
1. The name is Boston Common,
1. The name is Boston Common, not Common.
2. The Rescue Mission and other shelters aren't open for guests to sleep during the day.
They provide overnight shelter.
Unsympathetic? I agree this
Unsympathetic? I agree this guy's comment was pretty flip, but it raises and interesting moral conundrum - is it unsympathetic to alert the authorities of an unresponsive person in a public place, albeit for the wrong reasons, or to 'sympathetically' step over that person and say or do nothing, and run the risk that the fellow might be in serious danger? I'm thinking back to a few years ago when a couple of guys were shooting up in broad daylight in the PG, and one of them died. Aren't cops supposed to call an appropriate agency, instead of hauling them off to the drunk tank, like they used to?
There's a difference between
There's a difference between shooting up and sleeping off a drinking binge. As long as the drunk guy isn't bothering people or in apparent distress let him be.
Yes, but from a distance, how
Yes, but from a distance, how could you tell? What if the guy ends up choking on his vomit? It has been known to happen.
Also, there have been reports
Also, there have been reports lately of young people nearly kicking these defenseless people to death for the sport of it. If this man were left there overnight...
Well the gardens do IIRC have
Well the gardens do IIRC have an overnight closing time. I know they've made an effort to roust homeless people from the commons and assume the public gardens are the same. But also, the issue there is stopping people from attacking other people, not stopping people from grabbing some sleep
So you're going to pay a
So you're going to pay a cop's salary plus bennies full time for three quarters of the year to pick up drunks off the Common and Garden?
only ONE?
Wow, slow day in the Garden. There are usually more than that. Plus the drunks and addicts who are awake....