In Poo-Flinging Incident, The Futility Of Modernity Stands Revealed

A few weeks ago, Starbucks found itself enrolled in controversy because it turned down the request of two black men to use a restroom. They had been engaging in suspicious behavior and the management of a Manhattan location, wary of the problems of the homeless, called the law on them. This kicked off the usual cycle: media frenzy, apologies, and new policies which favor the bad over the good.

As is the nature of human herds, bathroom access is now on our minds. A woman in Canada who was denied bathroom access had a somewhat unique but simian response: she flung feces at the employee who denied her bathroom access.

Tim Hortons corporation said it is "deeply concerned" about a graphic video circulating online that appears to show a woman argue with staff at a Langley restaurant, before defecating in front of the cashier's counter and throwing it at staff.

RCMP said officers briefly detained the woman, who is known to police in the area, and issued a date for her to appear in court.

"Our current understanding is that the Team Member used their discretion in this case and denied access to this Guest based on past behaviour and out of concern for the immediate safety of Team Members and Guests in the Restaurant," the statement read, adding that as matters escalated, staff called police.

Restaurants deny service to people for reasons mostly known to them. They are closest to their customers, and know the people in the area, so have unequal rules based on who they are dealing with.

Much as in the case of the two black fellows at Starbucks, this woman represented a threat -- either illegal behavior, homelessness, or some variation thereof -- which caused the restaurant to deny service.

Whether they were right or wrong, we see the futility of modernity. The herd demands equality, so we must allow the worst of behavior to coexist alongside the best and the intermediate. When this produces crazy results, like homeless people shooting up in bathrooms or leaving them befouled, we have to invent more rules and hide behind more pretense.

Who will pay? We all will. Prices will go up, and there will be fewer customer bathrooms, because at some point the legal risk and fear of being a headline will cause companies to change their behaviors, too.

It's enough to drive you mad enough to fling poo at someone.

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