Normally I don't do this...

[brother-dour.livejournal.com]

...but today I am channeling my inner trog

Comments

[spamwarrior.livejournal.com]

I'm not even IMPLYING that they're moral offenses. I am flat out stating that they are illegal, and there's no pity for people who refuse to abide by society's rules and face consequences. It's not as if these choices made by the gun toter, pot smoker, and sealtbelt shunner were ones they were forced into out of a seris of bad events and they were totally ignorant on the legallity of them. I'm sorry their family is being torn apart by their shitty choices.

I think the consequences for pot are disproportionate and inappropriate, and so I support legal mechanisms to change that. Cause's it's still illegal.

I think that unpaid taxes are heinous - participate in society or stop enjoying the benefits of paved roads and public schools plz - and seatbelt wearing is a good law.

[enders-shadow.livejournal.com]

I totally hear ya. Back when inter-racial marriage was against the law, it would have been STUPID for anyone to ignore the law. I mean, it's the law, right?!

Unpaid taxes can be heinous--depending on circumstances. I think that corporate malfeasance on this is a HUGE issue in comparison to what is probably a working class family not paying their taxes. I mean, I highly doubt this soldiers family was wealthy--else they wouldn't be getting thrown in jail for pot, they'd get REHAB like all the celebs do. So the unpaid taxes was probably not a huge sum.

"Seatbelt wearing is a good law."
Why? Who does it endanger if I do not wear a seatbelt? Anyone other than myself?

[spamwarrior.livejournal.com]

Off the top of my head, anyone that gets hit by the 200lb projectile object crashing through the windshield.

[spamwarrior.livejournal.com]

It is the law. It's also a civil right's violation, and I don't think you're comparing apples to apples here, but alright.

Just because it's the law doens't mean it's right, but that doesn't mean it's not The Law. And I don't think that pot, seatbelts, gun control, and taxes are really on the same plane as that. Since I assume you pay your taxes, I don't see how you can pretend to either.

So again, why would I feel sympathy for these people breaking the law?

[enders-shadow.livejournal.com]

This is getting too close to the Socratic argument that we ought follow the law, regardless of how silly, wrong or stupid it is, because it is The Law and The Law demands respect.

I disagree. Traffic laws apply to me when I ride my bicycle. I do not obey them. I carefully ride to be safe for myself and other people--be they in cars or on foot, but I feel sympathy for people who break laws that don't make sense, as I myself do so.

The speed limit is another fine example. I mean, I'm sure *you* never, ever go over the speed limit, right? Not even a tiny bit, eh?

[brother-dour.livejournal.com]

Socrates was a sheeple. Laws are human constructs, so humans have the power to obey, disobey, or change them.

(Also, I know from the quizzes that I'm Neutral Good, so I feel no need to follow laws that I think are abusive)

[enders-shadow.livejournal.com]

Also: do you think pot should be *legal* in the same way that alcohol is, or do you think it should remain illegal, just with different penalties?