On Mon, 02 May 2005 13:09:34 -0700 (MST),
Bryan.ONeal@asu.edu pushed these keyboard
buttons:
==============================================================================
>Could not agree more
>There are a lot of bad laws out their an we should fight them despite their
>enforceability.
>
>Some blue laws are funny like the wearing of red during the commission of any
>crime doubles the penalty
>
>Others hold real purpose, like the fact that free water must be made available
>at all public events, or individuals must be allowed and encourage to bring
>their own water.
I believe I beat this dead horse once before, and as I recall, it was fun. ;p
To blindly *obey* laws, simply because they are laws, is unpatriotic, IMO: it boils
down to morality. Of course, there are proper channels to change laws, but when the
moral disagreement is large (popular), the norm no longer represents the law.
From a sociological perspective, laws represent the values of a
society, not dictate them. Throughout history, the values of a society ALWAYS evolve
long before laws. At some point in history, people believe in something strong
enough to make laws to represent their convictions. Well, people's convictions change
and the laws linger like a lame duck. You will not find a single state in the
country that does not have a few silly laws lingering around. Laws (*of the land*)
are not written in stone.
Also, on the flipside, when laws change and the changes do not reflect
the values of society, chaos reigns - in the form of black-markets, civil-war,
secession, etc. For example, the prohibition, the civil war, the revolutionary war,
thousands more.
Most everyone agrees stealing is wrong, but the "definition" of stealing is
subjective. For example, society associates the Internet with free (as in no cost);
hence, the typical person who is morally opposed to petty theft has no qualms about
downloading media off the Internet. I have honestly witnessed people create a
religious music CD for a church activity with songs downloaded from the Internet.
The point: you are less of a (wo)man if you neglect your morality to *obey* the law.
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