March 23, 2005
The purpose of law
The 11th circuit court of appeals ruled this morning...
I can hear the disdain in the statement, "we are a nation of laws," all the way the way in sunny San Francisco.
Where the judgement goes wrong is in thinking laws exist for their own sake. This conclusion is so intellectually vacant it implies the judges do not understand that laws exist for a reason. What is that reason?
Even before Hammurabi enscribed the first written laws in stone nearly 4,000 years ago, people established laws between them. They didn't establish laws so they could give the less intelligent among them jobs, but to protect people who would be taken advantage of by unscrupulous individuals. Laws are created to protect those who can't protect themselves.
It seems that the judges at the 11th circuit have lost sight of that fact.
Fatwa at The Jawa Report contends, "It is time to ignore the law!"
While I admire his conviction, I contend it's not time to ignore the law, rather, it's time to realize laws exists to protect people who cannot protect themselves. People like Terri Schiavo.
Update
The HUNDREDPERCENTER argues moral principles should eclipse the law.
Richard
Posted by Richard at March 23, 2005 7:46 PM
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UPDATE: This post to stay near the top until it is too late.... Thomas Jefferson believed to his dying day that the Louisiana Purchase was unconstitutional. He believed that the best way to accomplish his goal of westward expansion was... [Read More]
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