‘Hostile architecture’: A group wanted for removing armrests from MBTA benches says they’re helping the homeless (arm rests are racist)

Boston Globe ^ | March 9, 2021 | By Arianna MacNeil

[ConservativeStatement]

The MBTA Transit Police are looking for four people who allegedly stole armrests from benches at Central Square station in Cambridge.

But others, including a social media account said to represent the people who removed them, say the armrests are a form of “hostile architecture” meant to deter homeless people from using the benches to rest.

[ConservativeStatement]

As you will see in the article, armrests are racist. See, homeless people prefer to lay on a bench while awaiting trains. The armrests help elderly and those in assistance. Homeless people are 40% black, therefore racist even though the majority of homeless are not black.

[dontreadthis]

“arms for the poor”

[warsaw44]

The homeless sleep on these and not only when the station is open. They make their way into the stations and many of them actually have managed to secure keys to the stations.

The homeless, mentally ill, homeless alcoholics, drug addicts are a real problem on the MBTA.

[TexasGator]

“As you will see in the article, armrests are racist.”

I did not see anything about armrests being racist.

[warsaw44]

The vast majority of the homeless I deal with on the MBTA are NOT Black.

They are White and by a huge margin.

[ConservativeStatement]

“Multiple people made comments to the council in support of removing the armrests, also noting the racial justice aspect of the issue.”

[blueunicorn6]

Now the hobos will be sliding off the benches and getting ate by pigeons.

[T.B. Yoits]

The enablers need to serve their sentence handcuffed to the bench, even if it’s for years. Let Stinky and Sketchy become their best friends.

[tbw2]

This broader issue is “hostile architecture” like spikes on flat areas of pavement and armrests in the middle of benches that prevent people from sleeping there.

There are outright tacky versions of this, too.

Flushing away time: tilted toilet aims to increase employee productivity
StandardToilet estimates having staffers sit at a 13-degree angle will lead to a 25% reduction in time spent on toilets
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/dec/18/standardtoilet-tilted-employees-productivity

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Anyone who has seen these benches with armrests knows that the armrests are there to prevent sleeping. Typical benches just have the armrests on both ends. Plenty for senior citizens who can ask to sit on either end of the bench.

This is similar to the creation of small unusable "pocket parks" around cities. Because those cities will then say "No X within 1000 ft of a park" and make sure that there are enough pocket parks that no X is allowed in the city.

It is slimy and backhanded but a good Salinsky-like technique that can be used to counter leftist nonsense.

[realcleanguy]

Well what do you know? The Lefties have a new protest to develop. It’s amazing, like a bunch of children with nothing to do

[Organic Panic]

Intersectionalty. Everything is racist homophobic and transphobic because white boogeymen.

[Organic Panic]

“StandardToilet estimates having staffers sit at a 13-degree angle will lead to a 25% reduction in time spent on toilets”

Jokes on you, boss. I sit backward facing the tank.

[tbw2]

And in classic terms, “sinful” or “immoral”.

Social justice jihadis have political power and are trying to implement their version of Shariah law down to dress codes, forbidden foods, and strict speech codes. With death to the infidel and blasphemer, too.

[CurlyDave]

Now the hobos will be sliding off the benches and getting ate by pigeons.

Where are the descendants of Rodan when we need them?

[kearnyirish2]

I suspect the thieves are scrappers, and someone is trying to ascribe a noble intention to it. Soon they’ll say the scrubs trying to steal guardrails along our NJ highways are just “removing boundaries”...