Celebration (intended to be offensive, possible humor)

see below, plz. Dick ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Allain" <allain(a)panix.com> To: <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org> Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2001 4:12 PM Subject: Re: Celebration (intended to be offensive, possible humor) It's the notion of intent that's the problem. You can't measure that, however, so it's the act that's got to be the determining factor. That's the other side of the coin. If you adhere to the slippery slope notion, then you recognize that if one is mildly punished for stealing a grape, but severely punished for stealing a pig, it's easy to make the transition. If one's killed for either, it makes no difference, since it will only have to be dealt with once. Just ask yourself, "What would it take to make me (meaning YOU) adhere to all the laws all the time?" Adhering to the laws is far from perfection, since the laws aren't perfect. Laws are the minimal conduct needed from every citizen in order to have a liveable society. If you don't care to live in a society with a given set of laws, you should leave. If there's no place on the planet where there are laws that suit you, then you should go elsewhere. The laws define the minimal acceptable behavior within a given society. If you don't want to adhere to those minimae, then you should be ejaculated from the society. Surely there's someplace that will tolerate your behavior, but others, those willing to behave within the legal standards, shouldn't have to tolerate your antisocial and extralegal behavior. If you don't like a law, then set about to change it within the system. In the meantime, however, you must still behave as a law abiding citizen. Part of effecting change involves work and suffering, the rest is waiting. You enjoy the freedoms you enjoy only because others, less selfish than you repress their urge to harm you whenever your extralegal behavior irritates them. If you KNEW for certain that someone else would take it upon himself to punish you by some equally illegal act, and any illegal act is equally illegal, you might not behave as you do. > > - - - - - > "Clearly, you can't see the sense of this" > - - - - - > Yup, me too. > > > - - - - - > "You know as well as anyone, that if you KNEW for certain that you'd be > killed > for speeding" > - - - - - > If you're talking about death for speeding and the like, then I believe the > people > would toss law enforcement altogether and start over. > > > John A. > > >