First of all, I'm sorry if something similar has already been posted: I searched under "benefit fraud" and "benefit theft", but found nothing.
I'd like the escapist's view on a moral dilemma I've been turning over in my mind. I'm a bartender, and we have this customer. He claims quite considerable sums of money in benefit, despite having a very healthy bank balance. He takes six or seven holidays a year, and he's going to New Zealand today for two months.
Now this customer, let's call him Alan, since it's his name; he's an odious little prick, and causes no end of distress to the barmaids who work with me. Tonight, he asked one of my co-workers to call him a cab; he needed to be at the airport for 11pm, so he asked her to call it for 10:40pm. It didn't turn up on time, and he demanded that she make sure that he had a taxi to the airport straight away, in a very rude manner. She called him another cab, and when it arrived, he offered the barmaid his hand, as if to shake hands. She took his hand, and he pulled her towards him, and tried to kiss her.
Now as far as I'm concerned, he's barred. My boss is not keen on barring people, though, so I might have to settle for an apology and a commitment not to do the same again. But he has told me, on previous occasions, that he's a benefit cheat, and seems quite proud of the fact.
Now, I hate benefit fraud. I work for a reasonable amount of money, and I'm comfortable enough; but it really upsets me when I see someone taking several holidays a year on taxpayers' money. On the other hand, I understand what it's like to get caught in the 'habit' of not working. I did it myself for a couple of months, but I made the choice not to claim benefits while I was doing it.
Anyway, some background to Alan. He was a psychiatric nurse, but lost his job when he became an alcoholic. He'd turn up to work drunk, or get drunk while he was there. The NHS decided, rather than risk the tribunal for sacking him, to give him a payoff to leave.
He's a deeply unhappy person; he's lonely, and no-one likes him. He's also been diagnosed with liver disease, and been told if he doesn't stop drinking, he'll die pretty soon. I do feel sorry for him, but he's a deeply unpleasant person.
Now, I never reported him for benefit fraud. My rationale was that I wouldn't report someone who I liked, I'd just think they were an arse for doing it. So I shouldn't report this guy, just because I can't stand him. It'd just be vindictive.
But one of my co-workers, not the girl who he upset tonight, but someone else who was working, after I had told her about his lifestyle, is going to report him. Without his money, I consider it a serious possibility he'll kill himself. I could probably stop her if I tried, and I don't want a corpse on my conscience, or hers.
So, fellow escapists, what should I do?
I'd like the escapist's view on a moral dilemma I've been turning over in my mind. I'm a bartender, and we have this customer. He claims quite considerable sums of money in benefit, despite having a very healthy bank balance. He takes six or seven holidays a year, and he's going to New Zealand today for two months.
Now this customer, let's call him Alan, since it's his name; he's an odious little prick, and causes no end of distress to the barmaids who work with me. Tonight, he asked one of my co-workers to call him a cab; he needed to be at the airport for 11pm, so he asked her to call it for 10:40pm. It didn't turn up on time, and he demanded that she make sure that he had a taxi to the airport straight away, in a very rude manner. She called him another cab, and when it arrived, he offered the barmaid his hand, as if to shake hands. She took his hand, and he pulled her towards him, and tried to kiss her.
Now as far as I'm concerned, he's barred. My boss is not keen on barring people, though, so I might have to settle for an apology and a commitment not to do the same again. But he has told me, on previous occasions, that he's a benefit cheat, and seems quite proud of the fact.
Now, I hate benefit fraud. I work for a reasonable amount of money, and I'm comfortable enough; but it really upsets me when I see someone taking several holidays a year on taxpayers' money. On the other hand, I understand what it's like to get caught in the 'habit' of not working. I did it myself for a couple of months, but I made the choice not to claim benefits while I was doing it.
Anyway, some background to Alan. He was a psychiatric nurse, but lost his job when he became an alcoholic. He'd turn up to work drunk, or get drunk while he was there. The NHS decided, rather than risk the tribunal for sacking him, to give him a payoff to leave.
He's a deeply unhappy person; he's lonely, and no-one likes him. He's also been diagnosed with liver disease, and been told if he doesn't stop drinking, he'll die pretty soon. I do feel sorry for him, but he's a deeply unpleasant person.
Now, I never reported him for benefit fraud. My rationale was that I wouldn't report someone who I liked, I'd just think they were an arse for doing it. So I shouldn't report this guy, just because I can't stand him. It'd just be vindictive.
But one of my co-workers, not the girl who he upset tonight, but someone else who was working, after I had told her about his lifestyle, is going to report him. Without his money, I consider it a serious possibility he'll kill himself. I could probably stop her if I tried, and I don't want a corpse on my conscience, or hers.
So, fellow escapists, what should I do?
