Law Breaking Is An American Tradition

[Ethereal]

America is great BECAUSE it possesses a culture of "lawlessness", "sedition", "insurrection", "rebellion", etc.

Not only was the political independence of America founded on an act of open rebellion, but its entire history thereafter has been characterized by CONSTANT and WIDESPREAD defiance of government authority.

Everyone on this forum, no matter how they portray themselves to other forum members, is a law breaker. ALL OF YOU break the law knowingly and intentionally. And EVERYONE YOU KNOW does the same thing.

EVERYONE here has done AT LEAST one the following: Rolled through a stop sign; failed to signal when turning; exceeded the posted speed limit; littered; fudged or dodged taxes; evaded safety regulations; possessed, manufactured, distributed, consumed illegal drugs; etc.

And EVERYONE here has family, friends, colleagues, etc., who do the same things.

This REALITY is why I know libertarian ideology is not as "crazy" as its opponents like to believe. Because your words are empty. Your actions tell a much different story. Trust me, Ethereal has seen "you" out there in the world. Even if you're not the one dodging your taxes or doing drugs, you are probably standing next to someone who does, and you aren't about to report to them to the authorities, are you? Of course not, because despite what you say about the amazing "law", in your heart you know it's fallible and that there are much more important things, like friends and family, than some stupid rule written by total strangers.

Why not just be honest with yourself and stop lying? Why pretend like you are so lawful or that being "lawful" is even something to aspire to? Are you incapable of determining right and wrong without being told by authority figures?

[Ethereal]

Also, why ignore all the nominally "lawful" people throughout history who were complete monsters? Virtually every act of mass evil was perfectly legal according to the laws of the day. "The law" was firmly on the side of the Nazis, for example.

[donttread]

America is great BECAUSE it possesses a culture of "lawlessness", "sedition", "insurrection", "rebellion", etc.

Not only was the political independence of America founded on an act of open rebellion, but its entire history thereafter has been characterized by CONSTANT and WIDESPREAD defiance of government authority.

Everyone on this forum, no matter how they portray themselves to other forum members, is a law breaker. ALL OF YOU break the law knowingly and intentionally. And EVERYONE YOU KNOW does the same thing.

EVERYONE here has done AT LEAST one the following: Rolled through a stop sign; failed to signal when turning; exceeded the posted speed limit; littered; fudged or dodged taxes; evaded safety regulations; possessed, manufactured, distributed, consumed illegal drugs; etc.

And EVERYONE here has family, friends, colleagues, etc., who do the same things.

This REALITY is why I know libertarian ideology is not as "crazy" as its opponents like to believe. Because your words are empty. Your actions tell a much different story. Trust me, Ethereal has seen "you" out there in the world. Even if you're not the one dodging your taxes or doing drugs, you are probably standing next to someone who does, and you aren't about to report to them to the authorities, are you? Of course not, because despite what you say about the amazing "law", in your heart you know it's fallible and that there are much more important things, like friends and family, than some stupid rule written by total strangers.

Why not just be honest with yourself and stop lying? Why pretend like you are so lawful or that being "lawful" is even something to aspire to? Are you incapable of determining right and wrong without being told by authority figures?

Excellent post. I would even suggest that we have so many laws , some of which are so complex that it would be nearly impossible to go through life without breaking several.
We call them lawmakers for a reason as they simply won't stop making laws even though we have way too many to begin with.We literally lose freedom every year.
Much like Trump's thought of regulatory agencies discarding two rules for every new one passed we need similar standards for congress.

[jigglepete]

My rule of thumb? Everything is legal... until you get caught. The second part is the tricky part...

[Ethereal]

My rule of thumb? Everything is legal... until you get caught. The second part is the tricky part...

That's true in a way. But I assume that is not how you actually behave. I assume there are things you would not do even if they were somehow made legal, like murder. The fact is, most people are capable of determining right from and wrong and are generally predisposed towards doing the right thing.

[jigglepete]

That's true in a way. But I assume that is not how you actually behave. I assume there are things you would not do even if they were somehow made legal, like murder. The fact is, most people are capable of determining right from and wrong and are generally predisposed towards doing the right thing.

You assume correctly! I really mostly refer to misdemeanors, and minor civil unrest
You know, fun stuff.

[Ethereal]

You assume correctly! I really mostly refer to misdemeanors, and minor civil unrest
You know, fun stuff.

Sure, but those are still "laws" in the sense most people mean them and I don't assume you will be turning yourself in for breaking them. Nor would I expect you to. But I also assume that you, like almost all other Americans, try to maintain some pretense of lawfulness. I admit that I do the same thing depending on the situation. Yet we clearly do not respect the laws, which means we are only obeying them out of fear.

[midcan5]

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

[Kacper]

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.

[resister]

Now you mean to tell me that I am not the only here that has broke the law?