86amanda86

I'm curious about what everyone thinks here...

Do you believe that just because something is the law, it should be inforced? No matter what? Not at all? Or does it depend on the law? Do we pick and chose what laws we inforce based on how popular they are?


Your thoughts?

Ambular

I'm not sure I understand your question ... If something has already been made into a law, then it IS being inforced .. Even if they are unpopular to the people being subjected to them, they are still being upheld by the government.

Or maybe I'm just misreading you.

Indian Summer

I don't know. That's not entirely true. Not all laws are enforced, especially some of the more absurd ones.

Technically, in California, bathhouses are illegal. That isn't enforced. Also in Cali, a vehicle without a driver can't exceed 60 mph. In Pacific Grove, it's illegal to molest butterflies; you will be fined.

In Boston, it's illegal to take a bath without a prescription or play the fiddle.

Alligators can't be tied to hydrants in Detroit.

In Morrisville, Pennsylvania, a woman must have a permit to wear makeup.

Those are just some examples or non-enforced/outdated laws, that are still laws. More can be found here.

Uh, I'm guessing you know where I stand on this issue.

Ambular

How valid are some of those? I read the Jersey ones, as I am from there, and they seem too far-fetched to even be real laws. "You may not slurp soup"? "Pickles cannot be eaten on Sundays''? What?! Also, I grew up in Manville, and it lists a law about feeding animals at the 'local zoo' .. But there is no zoo in Manville, or any other neighboring city for that matter. So that's obviously wrong.

(by the way, I'm not attacking you at all, just whoever created that website )

Wild Pikachu

It's really two separate issues. The first, and more humorous, one (whence comes that website) is of archaic laws, most of which are holdovers from the 19th century which just never got removed from the books.

The other, non-humorous issue concerns laws which aren't archaic. Obviously every law is not enforced to the fullest extent in every single possible case. Some laws are strictly enforced, some loosely. Few laws are completely ignored.

An example of where the issue comes into play that immediately springs to mind is the federal/state clash in California over medical marijuana.

Ashleigh

In Alabama there was still a law on the books in the last major election that said interracial marriage was illegal. We actually had to vote on taking it off in an election. (It wasn't enforced and the law was removed, yeah.) In Anniston, Alabama, just right up the road from me, there is a law that says you can't wear blue jeans on Sundays on Noble Street, and you can't tie your horse to a certain fencepost between certain hours.

Those are some ridiculous laws. And we have some ridiculous modern laws, as well. See the marijuana laws (and no, I'm not a Mary Janer, I just think we're prosecuting the wrong people) and certain gay marriage laws.

goodnightboy

If it's a law, and if it makes sense - some of those old laws really need revision! - it should be enforced, if not why's it a law at all? But that's only if the laws are applicable and have been given due consideration before it was approved. Of course, what's 'applicable' and 'sensible' is subjective.

86amanda86

What if there are laws that some people think are sensable and some don't? Should those be inforced?

The Daywalker

Some people think it's sily to ban marijuana, and other "illegal drugs" so because they think it's silly, should we not enforce them? If the law is official, it must be enforced, otherwise it'll be chaos.

86amanda86

so what if it is a law if more people think it is silly than don't?

mh67511

If it is a law, it should be upheld. Period. If people do not like the laws, there are proper channels to go about trying to get them changed, including petitions, TV campaigns, contacting your state legislature, contacting your Senators and Representatives, etc. But the fact is until the law is changed, the law should be upheld by the government and if someone cannot do that than they should either not be working in the government or they should be trying to get the law changed. Either way they should not simply ignore and go against the law.

Now I understand there are some ridiculous laws, like you can't tie your shoe on Sunday. I'm not talking about those kinds of laws.

86amanda86

what about the law that it is illegal for two consenting adults to have sex outside of marriage? I know what I think, but I want to know what you all think?

Ambular

Where is that a law?

86amanda86

utah

mh67511

Technically it should be enforced. The problem is you can't enforce it because (1) how do they know when people are having sex and (2) how would they enforce it, as in would they just break into peoples homes?

Now if two people were having sex in public, which I'm sure there is a law against THAT, they could probably charge them with something else unless they provided their marriage certificate.

I take it the Mormons were one of the reasons this law was put into place...??

Laws are also...hierarchial, in the sense that they spend or SHOULD spend the most time enforcing the more "serious" laws and on down the line. As in things that pose a threat to other citizens should be top priority. Downloading music? Not a priority. Gangs and murderers? Top priority. At least that's what I think.