Lawful but Immoral

[Badong]

Recently, I've been assigned to write an article on what is lawful but immoral by today's standards. Problem is, I've got squat; I just don't know where to start.

So, my fellow Escapists, would you be kind enough to help a fellow, and post the laws that you think aren't moral by your standards?

 

[flamingjimmy]

Drug prohibition.

What moral right does the state have to tell me what I can and can't ingest into my own body?

 

[KaizokuouHasu]

By law you have you report any one who try to commit suicide, even though their reasons for wanting to end their life is justified and understandable. This is lawful, but immoral, since you force people to live even when life itself is what is killing them... metaphorically.

In Medicine it is against the law to euthanise a terminal suffering patient (in most countries), because according to the hypocratic oath you must do no harm, and it is against the law to kill (which euthanasia counts as when done to humans). Even though a patient will die in the next 12 hours and the death will be the most painful imaginable to humans and there is nothing you can do, except death, to stop it, a doctor and nurse must do all they can to prolong the life of the patient. This is lawful, but very immoral. It's right up there with torture.

 

[flamingjimmy]

Laws around the world prohibiting homosexuality, or any other sex act.

What moral right does the state have to tell people what they can and can't do in private between consenting adults?

 

[flamingjimmy]

Also, what he said: Euthanasia, and suicide.

What moral right does the state have to stop me terminating my own existence or a suffering friend or relative's (with their consent)?

 

[Richardplex]

immoral or amoral? because it seems people think you mean immoral.
If you mean Amoral, I guess laws to make people pay taxes etc. if you mean immoral, loli and shota. a crime without a victim is not a crime.

 

[flamingjimmy]

immoral or amoral? because it seems people think you mean immoral.

Whoops! Good point!

 

[Thaluikhain]

Lots of things around voting, I guess. Not being arsed to vote, voting for someone you don't think is the best choice for the lulz, or spreading misinformation about candidates before the election.

Actually, misinformation in general. Free speech means you are free to lie maliciously if you want, because nobody can be trusted to determine what maliciously lying is. But people can try their best to do it, and they are allowed to do so.

 

[spacewalker]

Legal corruption, tax evasion or murder

take for example General Electric, they paid no taxes without braking any laws.

 

[ChaoticLegion]

Drug prohibition.

What moral right does the state have to tell me what I can and can't ingest into my own body?

Every right if said drug can have a negative effect on society, eg..Imagine a country in which everyone took cocaine. Extreme example, but resonates my point well.


OT: Lawful but Amoral huh? By which country's laws are we to make this subjective judgement?

 

[KaizokuouHasu]

immoral or amoral? because it seems people think you mean immoral.
If you mean Amoral, I guess laws to make people pay taxes etc. if you mean immoral, loli and shota. a crime without a victim is not a crime.

Err, isn't immoral and amoral just the same words with different spellings?

I agree on the last part to an extent too. I'm sure there must be at least one law that doesn't follow the harm principle that we ought to keep. Once I'm proved wrong I'm 100% behind you.

 

[DefunctTheory]

About 50 percent of what the Supreme Court has done for the last 15 years.

 

[Griffolion]

Recently, I've been assigned to write an article on what is lawful but immoral by today's standards. Problem is, I've got squat; I just don't know where to start.

So, my fellow Escapists, would you be kind enough to help a fellow, and post the laws that you think aren't moral by your standards?

Try looking at the legal spat going on between Apple and Samsung atm. Apple are suing Samsung for copying the 'look and feel' of the iphone and ipad with Samsungs Galaxy line of products. Everything in the complaints are lawful, nothing wrong with them. But it's immoral on Apple's part because they're trying to kill their only major competition by means of legalicide. But then again, it's business, that apparently absolves people of all moral thinking.

 

[Richardplex]

immoral or amoral? because it seems people think you mean immoral.
If you mean Amoral, I guess laws to make people pay taxes etc. if you mean immoral, loli and shota. a crime without a victim is not a crime.

Err, isn't immoral and amoral just the same words with different spellings?

Immoral is the opposite of morality. Amoral is a lack of morality, not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is the difference between psychopaths and sociopaths.

Also, I did good in this thread, in this life. Time to go Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon style before the moment wears off.

 

[flamingjimmy]

Drug prohibition.

What moral right does the state have to tell me what I can and can't ingest into my own body?

The flipside of this being the fact cigarettes are legal. Considering the harm they do compared to other drugs which are illegal but far less harmful.

Seems at very least hypocritical that the government doesnt mind me getting cancer but wont let me take ecstacy on a night out.

There's no moral justification for cigarettes being illegal either, I'm not sure its hypocrisy, just double standards.

However it makes a mockery of the argument that drug prohibition is for the purpose of harm reduction that's for sure.

 

[Extraintrovert]

The big ones have already been mentioned: euthanasia, suicide, drugs and homosexuality, all of which I agree that the laws are blindingly stupid and varying degrees of immoral.

One which I would like to add (partially because it's immoral, mostly because it enrages me on a frequent basis) is the laws regarding child rearing. People need a license to be a fucking hairdresser, but all someone needs to be a parent is one unlucky night and then they are the legal owners of the spawn, despite all morals and logic pointing towards them being the precise opposite of responsible.
Furthermore, if an individual is biologically related to a child then the burden of proof is on the social service agency to provide evidence that they are incompetent/neglectful/abusive, whereas if they child is adopted then the burden of proof is on the parents to provide evidence that they aren't incompetent/neglectful/abusive. This is one of many examples of the idiocy and immorality of laws and lawmakers that think closer genetic relation somehow gives people more right to children (hint: it doesn't).

 

[Thaluikhain]

immoral or amoral? because it seems people think you mean immoral.
If you mean Amoral, I guess laws to make people pay taxes etc. if you mean immoral, loli and shota. a crime without a victim is not a crime.

Err, isn't immoral and amoral just the same words with different spellings?

IIRC, the difference is whether you know/care what you are doing is wrong.

An amoral act may or may not be immoral, but you aren't interested in that.

I think.

EDIT: Ninja'd repeatedly.