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Just wanted to call people's attention to a cool multi-part article over on Slate.
American Lawbreaking
The author talks about how, through selective enforcement, we basically jettison certain laws, without ever formally repealing them. The article is up to five installments already and I'm looking forward to seeing the next one. This is all stuff I've been aware of on some level, but connecting the dots this way, and the idea that unenforced laws are used to create "zoning", is very interesting.
I can't say I like the idea of having some laws everyone breaks, and then ignoring them instead of formally repealing them. It gives the gov't a weapon that could be used to target someone it doesn't like, which is highly uncool. And I don't like the social class aspects. But I like the idea of the system being flexible and adapting despite bad laws.
American Lawbreaking
The author talks about how, through selective enforcement, we basically jettison certain laws, without ever formally repealing them. The article is up to five installments already and I'm looking forward to seeing the next one. This is all stuff I've been aware of on some level, but connecting the dots this way, and the idea that unenforced laws are used to create "zoning", is very interesting.
I can't say I like the idea of having some laws everyone breaks, and then ignoring them instead of formally repealing them. It gives the gov't a weapon that could be used to target someone it doesn't like, which is highly uncool. And I don't like the social class aspects. But I like the idea of the system being flexible and adapting despite bad laws.
