How closely do you adhere to the law?

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DoomyMcDoom

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Lord Garnaat said:
I was having a conversation with some acquaintances earlier, when the subject drifted to some other people said acquaintances were neighbors with. Apparently the neighbors were engaging in some illegal activities, not serious offences but still against the law, and I suggested reporting them to the local authorities. What surprised me, however, was that they all thought I was joking at first, and then seemed extremely confused when I stated that I wasn't. The idea of telling the people in charge that the neighbors were committing a crime seemed like an abhorrent idea to them, and seemed to dislike that I had suggested doing it. And this strikes me as somewhat odd.

You see, I despise people who break the law, particularly when they do it for no good reason other than they want to. Occasionally you hear about people committing a crime for a sympathetic reason, like robbing a store to pay for a loved ones medical expenses, but for the most part I find law-breaking of any kind to be vile and disgusting. It's simply always gone without saying for me that the law, while imperfect, is absolute: no one is above it, no one is below it, and everyone must do their part to uphold what is just and punish those who go against it.

And yet when the idea of ensuring that people committing a crime were punished came up, the people I spoke to seemed actively against it. And that got me wondering: what is your opinion of the law? Do you strive to follow it, or do you prefer to set it aside? And if given the choice, would you want to report someone doing something illegal, or keep to yourself?
So what you're trying to say, is that if you see someone smokin a J you will report them for possession of a controlled narcotic? And I guess you'd also report that same guy for offering you a toke (if he did) of conspiring to distribute(or sell) a controlled narcotic, even though you could far easier, just walk away.

I mean ok if the justice system wasn't a flawed bullshit system where people are unjustly punished for their actions, especially in the states, due to the prison system being one of the highest profit privatized industries in the country.

So essencially you'd subject a man to years of rape and confinement, over using a substance that hasn't even been proven to harm anyone on a medical level, just because it's against the law, laws that were written up by the same people who commonly accept bribes from corporations to allow the sale of things that kill people on a daily basis... great logic there man, I can already see how successful, and happy you are going to be in life.

Take a clue from me, if you rat someone out, especially for something that he/she is doing that harms nobody, or nobody aside from them, you are condemning them to confinement and rape, you become morally reprehensible, as a man who has confined and given means to inflict rape upon someone who has harmed nobody in the course of their actions.
Hell, if they provide for a family, you've just condemned that family to a live of poverty and starvation, and for what? NOTHING.

My advice, check yourself before you wreck yourself, because there's also the possibility that you may be affected by it too, if that person's family has close ties with your boss, your life becomes miserable because, let's just say that you put your employer's best friend's son in the slammer for smoking a joint, or something of that level of harmlessness to society as a whole, and he finds out about that, maybe you lose your job, or maybe he just finds less enjoyable tasks for you, or "Promotes" you into the janitorial department, or some shit, now you gotta suffer, and rightfully so.

In life, there is a single important principle to live by, and that is to treat others as you would want to be treated, or if you don't want to be too nice, you gotta at least give people respect as people, you don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong, and people are less likely to fuck your shit up for it.

My general assumption based on your post is that you are a white male, living in a middle to upper middle class situation, probably from a relatively stable family, and you were probably raised in a church environment, quite possibly a baptist church, maybe I'm wrong, but it sounds like you're still a "life virgin" who's never had to scrape by on next to nothing, never had to sleep on a floor or couch of a friend because you had nowhere else to stay, and likely never had to go days without food for a lack of money to buy any, once you've been through the wringer, then we can talk life, 'til then, keep your goody two shoes holier than thou, the law is always right, attitude from hurting other people, please.
 

Froggy Slayer

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'Breaking the Law, Breaking the Law''

OP seems a bit of a stickler for the rules. I always considered myself uptight, but I'm not going to report someone for smoking some ganja; that's just a dick move man. You know what they say man; no harm, no foul.

Also, victimless crimes do exist. For example, my parents allowed me to partake of Scotch from the age of 14 (don't worry, not that much, they weren't insane). Who is victimised by this horrible criminal action.
 

Dr. Cakey

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Isn't it a strange feeling when you can tell what the comments are going to be before you read the thread?

OP: I think it's very important to follow the law.

TOPIC: Laws are the shackles that bind us to this world of suffering. Civilization exists to prevent our self-actualization.

For example, it's abundantly obvious why you can't, say, eat and drive at the same time if you bothered to think for more than no seconds about it.

Jay-walking, on the other hand, I would guess exists primarily as a justification for enforcing police action against protesters.
 

Fiery Killer

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I abide completely by my own ethics. There's a lot of overlap between my ethics and the law, if there was a beating/robbery/shootout or whatever then of course I'd report it. That's sensible.

But if I spot a few people smoking some pot, well I support legalization of marijuana and see no problem with it so I wouldn't do a thing. If it's a more serious drug such as heroine or cocaine, then I wouldn't do anything unless it was being sold. I feel people need to take care of their own drug addictions and that it's not my place to step in.
 

Imthatguy

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Fuck the law its time to get funky.

But seriously if it affects noone but myself the law can go fuck itself and if it affects/effects someone else negatively I refrain for said action based on morals not laws.
 

Al-Bundy-da-G

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Knight Captain Kerr said:
Just because it's the law doesn't mean it's good. You should do something because it is the right thing to do not because it is the law. Be Neutral Good.
Sorry man. Much Rather be Chaotic Good myself. OP needs to chill out a bit. Here in the US, there's literally hundreds of laws that people, law enforcement included, don't enforce or even ignore. Most cops where I live will ignore marijuana if it's in your home, or make you dispose of it if they catch you in public. The only time you'll see it enforced is when someone does something stupid. Like light one up in front of a police station or selling openly. Then most of the time it's a joke sentence like 20 hours of community service.

Then we get into all the insane laws from the eighteen and nineteen hundreds. I could list them off but it would take up the whole page.
 

Faladorian

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Gordon Freemonty said:
OP:


The law isn't always right.



IT LOOKS LIKE YOU LOSE! THE OP IS KIRA!


Raven said:
I'm an 18-year-old male and I've never done any of those besides jaywalk and infringe copyright. Why do I feel like this post was just a way of showing off how "badass" you are?
 

Raven's Nest

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Faladorian said:
Raven said:
I'm an 18-year-old male and I've never done any of those besides jaywalk and infringe copyright. Why do I feel like this post was just a way of showing off how "badass" you are?
Or it was a list of extremely average things that have happened in my life that if interpreted by the law, would see me charged with those offences... Go ahead, ask me about any of those charges and i'll tell you how "badass" it really was.
 

Vault101

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Sep 26, 2010
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oh you know...I'd say around 50% I mean yeah Id beat a mother fucker up if he ever got in my face but you know "killing" is a little to far..even for me, drugs are cool though, whatever they are...

ok..SERIOUSLY?

how the hell would I answer that? Ive never been in a situation that allowed me to break the law more than say.....downloading MP3's

and even then I buy all my music now
 

Saulkar

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I do not follow the law at all. I just do not do much to break it in the first place. I follow the speed limit because I am comfortable with it. I do not steal because I have little to no reason to do it. There are a couple of laws I break every now and again but they are all unequivocally victimless to both me and others be it an individual, group, or business. These laws I find rather confusing. Some of which few people even realise exist or I forget even exist.

CAPTCHA: which does a vegetarian eat?: A puppy of course.
 

Chairman Miaow

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Froggy Slayer said:
'Breaking the Law, Breaking the Law''

OP seems a bit of a stickler for the rules. I always considered myself uptight, but I'm not going to report someone for smoking some ganja; that's just a dick move man. You know what they say man; no harm, no foul.

Also, victimless crimes do exist. For example, my parents allowed me to partake of Scotch from the age of 14 (don't worry, not that much, they weren't insane). Who is victimised by this horrible criminal action.
You, for having to drink ikcy, icky scotch.
 

AnarchistFish

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Smoke (not often though) and drink underage. Download illegally although I do spend a shitload on physical music too.

Laws and ethics are different. Arguably you could say downloading illegally is ethically wrong (although I argue against that) but if a crime only affects yourself I don't know why you should worry about it. I don't understand why some people believe every illegal activity is morally wrong and wanting to report all of them seems crazy to me. It just seems so blind.

Of course a lot of laws are there for a good reason but why shouldn't you look at it with some degree of scepticism? Why should it be always treated as an "absolute"?
 

Dogstile

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Heh, I had some big post in my head, but halfway through typing it I had a brainwave. It was illegal for me to knock the teeth out of a guy who was trying to mug me at knifepoint. Would you report me for that? After all, I broke a law didn't I?
 

Ken Sapp

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There Are several laws that I don't believe should be law. From the idiotic to those that are actually against the spirit and/or letter of the Constitution (US resident BTW) there are many laws that I don't care for. I don't actively engage in law breaking behavior but for the victimless crimes I am less likely to actively avoid breaking them should they come up or to report someone else that I observe breaking them. Otherwise I am a law abiding citizen and fully support the laws, law enforcement personnel, and occasionally the government. ;)
 

TIMESWORDSMAN

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Mar 7, 2008
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I can think of a few minor laws I've broken:

I like to take long walks, and I'm very curious, so I've trespassed on private and state property on more than one occasion.

I own a pair of brass knuckles, and carry them on occasion. Usually when I feel I may be out into dangerous situations, like traveling after dark.

I am underaged, but I have consumed alcahol. I've never been drunk though, and the most I ever have is about a shotglass worth of mead less than once a week.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

In general, I adhere to and strive to uphold the law whenever I can, and abhor those who break the law and hurt others for fun or personal gain.
That said, I'm not beyond hypocrisy, and I have broken laws when I felt sure that not a single being would come to harm. I feel guilty about that.
 

Elementary - Dear Watson

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As I fall under 2 sets of law, and the repurcussions for me are more severe, then I make sure I always adhere to the law, under every circumstance! A court marshall is something I never want to do in my life! :S
 

Joccaren

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Mar 29, 2011
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I obey the big ones closely, the others loosely.

Murder, Theft, Assault, Rape - Never going to get close to that sort of stuff. That is there for good reason - a very good reason - and there's nothing there that is even remotely redeemable.

However, I'll Jaywalk every day. I won't even bother pushing the button - it just slows me and all the cars down.
I'll have the occasional drink at parties [And I mean that. I struggle to down 1 beer in a night, and that's not due to me getting drunk fast. I just don't really like alcohol, but its nice in a small dose - just enough to loosen me up a bit], despite being underaged.
I've sat next to people doing drugs before, though not done them myself, and people who smoke and such underaged.
And a few other crimes that I have no reason to mention.

You know what though?
Were anyone to call the police on any of these offenses, I'm not joking when I say they'd probably just laugh and hang up the phone. They really don't care that much.
They know that young people in society drink underaged at parties, they know they smoke, they know they do drugs. They know people Jaywalk, and if they see people doing that, they'll bring them up on it, give them a small talking to then send them on their way. They're not going to go out of their way to chase you up on it, or go to every party out there - which around here everybody knows has at least one underaged drinker - to catch people being criminals.
Why?
'cause the offenses really aren't worth it. What is a few people having a party and drinking underaged in the grand scheme of things? Not much. A few kids smoke a bong every now and then? Their not really doing that much harm to anyone. Underaged smokers? If their doing it in private, what does it matter?

And yes, I know this because I have actually talked to a few police officers about this. They're not the hardline "You must OBEY to the letter" type of people they're sometimes made out to be. They're people, and they know that people will do what people do. So long as its nothing too major, its not worth them chasing up on it.

Now, say one kid was known to be selling large amounts of alcohol to his underaged friends. That they'd probably chase up.
Some of those kids have a massive stash of drugs?
They'll chase that up too.
People walking pretty much infront of cars and almost getting hit?
They'll bring you in if you don't stop after they have their talk with you.

The really minor stuff though? They don't really care.

And yes, I know this doesn't make it perfectly legal. However, there is a degree to which the laws are allowed to be bent - police officer's own words - where they won't chase you up on it. To me, that makes it morally ok to do such things - and legality and morallity =/= the same thing
 

Joccaren

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Mar 29, 2011
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Whiskey 041 said:
But giving people $280 tickets for eating a bag of chips while driving
A bit excessive, yes, however you should not be eating a bag of chips whilst driving. It doesn't matter how good of a driver you are, and if you can masterfully concentrate and manage to drive perfectly whilst doing so and notice everything that happens around you, there are people out there that can't do that. It would be far too much trouble to introduce some arbitrary driving rating where you're rated by how well you can drive and eat, drive and text, drive and put make up on or anything else just so that the few that are skilled enough to do so can, and others can't. Add to that that you'd probably get pulled up anyway and asked for your "Pro Driver" licence that lets you do that, its really not worth it in the end.
Some people will endanger others by doing things like that, and kill them. As such, it will be illegal to do so. If you're partner/brother/mother got hit by a car because the driver was too busy opening a packet of chips to be paying attention to the road, I'm sure you'd lay it on him how he shouldn't have been doing that. Such fines, whilst excessive, are there to ensure such things don't happen.

and all the other stupid laws like noise curfews
Noise curfews are a fair law.
To demonstrate why, I will call up your neighbor and tell them to blast an airhorn at your window from the hours of 1am to 7am every night, and see if you get sleep.
It is a matter of respect. Yes, it might be fun for you to have a loud party or something late at night, and it might be your right to, but its other people's rights to have a quiet neighborhood where they can sleep. The noise curfew is a medium between the two that you shouldn't have problems with so long as your neighbors don't get annoyed by the level of noise you're making and call the police to tell you to quieten down.

And anti drug laws are severely outdated. If someone wants to take recreational drugs, THEY WILL FIND THEM, legal or no. So why don't we just legalize them and than at least people who choose to partake(Not me, I'll drink a good beer thank you) can at least be safe while doing it. All your doing making it illegal is making the poor poorer, and the drug dealers richer.
This I'll agree to to an extent. Some drugs simply shouldn't be allowed, and making them harder to acquire whilst simultaneously placing a social stigma against them does reduce the number of people doing them. Were they completely legal, pretty much everybody at the parties I go to would be doing them. As is, only 3 or 4 people will.
The laws, however, do need to be revised. For one to allow some more open testing of such substances, to better find out their effects, as well as the legality of some substances. Some drugs are undangerous enough that they should be legally available, albeit in limited dosages, whilst there are others that take things too far and should not be allowed - though which is which is a discussion for another time and place.
And the poor will become poorer whether the drugs are legal or not - its not like they'd be handed out for free come their legality. However drug lords would be stunted to an extent, which is one positive side to it.

The law is a hilarious joke, and adhering to something made up by a committee, as well as wanting to rat someone out doesn't make you a good citizen, it makes you a fool. It's not your business, stay out of other people's affairs, legal or not.
To an extent I'll agree to this, but to an extent I won't.
You have to adhere to the laws of the country to a reasonable extent because you live in that country. Don't want the laws? Move someplace that doesn't have them. That's how it is.
And whilst in many cases its not somebodies business - I.E: Private drug use [if kept in moderation] - you can also make it their business at times - I.E: Making too much noise at night and keeping them from sleeping, causing them to call the police who can take action thanks to laws on noise curfews.

There is a balance that must be struck. Following laws to the letter is too up tight, however just doing what you want and not caring about others is far too loose. A safe line I would say is to be respectful to those around you, and the law in general, but don't follow their wishes to the letter. Do what you want and take advantage of your freedoms, but only so long as it isn't detrimental to anyone else.
Its a fair way to do things, and both sides get the respect they deserve.
 

Relish in Chaos

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Well, let me just say this: hasn?t pretty much everyone watched a 15 or 18 film before they actually reached 15 or 18? Or drunken underage and unsupervised by an adult (most of my friends? parents are perfectly fine with and well aware of that)? Or how about that one time you didn?t put on your seatbelt in a car? Or (most likely, if you?re a dude) you flopped your cock out to take a piss in the bushes because there wasn?t a toilet around?

All in all, I?d say I?ve performed minor, victimless offences. A lot of laws are pretty inconsistent, arbitrary, and barely upheld anyway (many of them are more guidelines than anything, and some are just out-of-date), not to mention the problems within the justice system itself. I doubt I?d be handcuffed and thrown in jail if I admitted to a cop that I?d played Call of Duty while being under 18, unless I was living in some fascist hellhole and/or happened to stumble across the guy on a bad day.

It?s pretty damn hard to live in the world happy and free without breaking at least some little laws that are probably stupid to begin with, just like it?s pretty damn hard to go through life without telling white lies. I?d never think about stealing or raping someone though, obviously. You don?t need a law to tell you you?re gonna get in trouble if you stab someone in the chest. That?s what we called morality. Yes, a social construct that?s probably almost, if not moreso, arbitrary than law, but there?s still something in most of us that tells us that it?s wrong to kill another human being, especially if it?s without justification.

Now, if you?ll excuse me, I?m off to protect the good civilians of Gotham City from evil.