The basis of two very bold statements. He gave me something pretty solid to go off, but really, I don't mean any offence.
I'm obviously a very different person to all of you. I believe in compassion and understanding, and I don't place much importance in my possessions. I don't believe that people are born 'bad'. My Father is a Barrister, and as such he has seen people from all different walks of life commit crime, whether rich or poor. The one thing he always taught me, is that people need to be judged individually. It's all to easy to 'classify' people as 'scum' without really understanding where they have came from.
....I can understand and respect that. It's "Don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in their moccasins" or shoes.
I don't think it's either too far-fetched or unreasonable to assume that the perpetrator (using a more neutral term than "scumbag") in Joe's case was
not starving and needing to look after his family - As Sy said, he could have attempted to rob a food store. We don't know, but such an attempted theft is most likely to be either for personal gain (
his gain at innocent Joe's expense) or to finance a drug habit. I emphasise that we don't know but not all those in very poor circumstances resort to entering people's homes and stealing.
If they do so, they must face the consequences, be it an extremely angry victim, a fierce dog, or the law. If you can't stand the heat, don't go in the kitchen.