Law Breaking Is An American Tradition

[Standing Wolf]

The contrarian attitude - defiance of traditions, the social expectations of others, and even laws that appear to serve no genuine purpose - has been, as Ethereal stated, a part of the American character from the beginning. I think it is probably best summed up by the question, "Why should I?"

It is good, however, to keep in mind that just as all laws are not equally useful or necessary, neither are they all of such a nature that they can be safely ignored - let alone done away with. Because I may opt to "roll through" a stop sign with no one around or in vehicular conflict with my doing so, that doesn't in any way suggest that I think it shouldn't be a citable offense. If every citizen had the same sense of caution - not to mention patience, good sense, eyesight, etc. - perhaps such a law would be unnecessary, but they don't. It's a fact of life here in the real world that sometimes the rules must be written so as to make allowances for stupid people.

A few years ago, bicycle enthusiasts here in the Phoenix area tried to get the law amended to allow bike riders to basically ignore stop signs and stoplights if, in their judgment, they would not be impeding or disrupting traffic - or, presumably, getting themselves killed - by doing so. The potential for mayhem and increased accidents was obvious, and the proposal was defeated.

But American contrarianism is about far more than traffic regulations and laws; it is best exemplified when the stakes are higher and the issues involved more serious. It is also more about questioning the actual necessity for certain laws, rather than just casually violating them.

[Kalkin]

Laws are for people not smart enough to avoid being caught. Legal darwinism exists.

[resister]

The contrarian attitude - defiance of traditions, the social expectations of others, and even laws that appear to serve no genuine purpose - has been, as Ethereal stated, a part of the American character from the beginning. I think it is probably best summed up by the question, "Why should I?"

It is good, however, to keep in mind that just as all laws are not equally useful or necessary, neither are they all of such a nature that they can be safely ignored - let alone done away with. Because I may opt to "roll through" a stop sign with no one around or in vehicular conflict with my doing so, that doesn't in any way suggest that I think it shouldn't be a citable offense. If every citizen had the same sense of caution - not to mention patience, good sense, eyesight, etc. - perhaps such a law would be unnecessary, but they don't. It's a fact of life here in the real world that sometimes the rules must be written so as to make allowances for stupid people.

A few years ago, bicycle enthusiasts here in the Phoenix area tried to get the law amended to allow bike riders to basically ignore stop signs and stoplights if, in their judgment, they would not be impeding or disrupting traffic - or, presumably, getting themselves killed - by doing so. The potential for mayhem and increased accidents was obvious, and the proposal was defeated.

But American contrarianism is about far more than traffic regulations and laws; it is best exemplified when the stakes are higher and the issues involved more serious. It is also more about questioning the actual necessity for certain laws, rather than just casually violating them.

There is a Fl law that motorist must pass a cyclist with 3 ft of clearance, I doubt it is ever enforced. I am a good citizen of the road, I have a large reaview that I keep an eye on.

[Standing Wolf]

There is a Fl law that motorist must pass a cyclist with 3 ft of clearance, I doubt it is ever enforced. I am a good citizen of the road, I have a large reaview that I keep an eye on.

I have a problem with laws that permit a bicyclist to take up an entire lane of traffic, regardless of what speed he or she is going, if there is no bike lane. My thinking is, fine - if you can peddle fast enough to come within five mph of the legal speed limit, go for it. But if the speed limit is 45 and you're doing 9 mph in the middle of a transit lane, I have no sympathy for you. You may as well let them do the same thing on the freeway.

[Captdon]

This thread is based on the actual truth. It's nice and all that but I've heard it all before. My response is always the same - so what? My running stop isn't the same as murder. My being 2two days late filing my income taxes isn't the same as not paying what I owe.

It also doesn't disqualify me from saying someone else is a crook.

[The Xl]

Most law is unnecessary and over convoluted bull$#@!, which exists mostly to keep people subservient and to subsidize a wide range of industries.

[barb012]

Keep in mind that many laws enable more funding to their state government and that many of them are not motivated by any right or wrong moral code of behavior. Its core reason is to find as many ways to make these law breakers pay more out of their own pocket that many of us think those laws are stupid to begin with.

[donttread]

Momma always told me, son you'll be a fine American as soon as you break the law, but momma i got caught shoplifting so does that make a fine American, why sure son, what you do matters boy, why i even went through red lights and didn't stop at stop signs, why son you sure are a good American, thanks mom, but why is dad in jail as he broke the law embezzling money and offering made up stocks, why son your father he is a real American, he just got caught, oh mom i see, the object is to not get caught, yep son when you don't get caught you can be mayor or a congressman or even president as long as you ain't in jail, that makes sense mom it sure does, why is there jails then mom if being a fine American means braking the law, why son that is just show, it's kinda like TV and movies, we pretend we are honest but we ain't, ah so all this stuff from religion and holy people is just a show, it sure is son, you seen how many of them is in jail too for sexual abuse like molesting children and stuff like that, but mom that don't seem right to me, why son what you getting a conscience or something, you ain't a fine American if you think too much now boy, momma i sure am getting confused i may just not be a fine American, don't you all worry boy, in time you'll see your way and break the law and steal and rape and even maybe kill someone or even lots of people, i hope you are right mom cause I wanna be a fine American....


"Seven blunders of the world: wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice, politics without principle." Mahatma Gandhi

That's one crazy post but how you photo shoped a pic of Hilary to look human is true art!

[Dr. Who]

"Seven blunders of the world: wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice, politics without principle." Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi was a very smart man.

[donttread]

I illegally feed feral cats, roll through stop signs like a champ, secretly ran underground water and electric lines on my property without a permit or inspection, and my dog hasn't had a rabies shot in about ten years. I am a bad seed. I don't, however, "fudge" on my taxes. Quite the opposite. I probably over pay taxes because I do not want to have my life turned upside down by an audit as it would take a team of ten people ten years just to organize my paper records, and by paper records I mean boxes and boxes of unorganized receipts, bills, etc. Once it goes into the computer, I just toss it in a box with all the rest and when the box is full, I start a new box.

They have a law against feeding cats? I wonder if we do? We have some ferral cats in our neighborhood and I leave them alone and they return the favor. They use my shoveled paths in the winter and I occasional enjoy watching one swat at moths under our security light but that's the extent of our interaction.
However, if I were to find out some $#@! made it illegal to feed them I'd start feeding them tomorrow.