Holistic law

  It's developing into a trend. Law enforcement not enforcing the law. It isn't the officers on the beat though, it is the leadership instructing them not to enforce the law. No matter how you feel about a law, any law, it is a law as long as it is on the books. Individual states attorneys, or political figures do not get to decide what law is enforced and what law isn't! I hear a great deal about this on my local news because of Baltimore city. Marilyn Mosby, the city states attorney, has refused to prosecute a list of crimes she independently classified as, low level. As a result the criminals have been emboldened and the result is the city is like a shooting gallery. She is running for reelection despite being under federal indictment for tax fraud and lying on loan papers. In her latest statement she says she will not enforce the law about the so called "squeegee" kids. One of these kids, a 14 year old just shot and killed a man. There are several laws prohibiting the practice of "squeegee" kids. Instead, Marilyn Mosby says she will be taking a more "holistic" approach. What does that even mean? 

 It isn't just Baltimore however; this is happening all over the country. Take the whole marijuana thing. Regardless of your feeling about that it is still a federal crime. It isn't legal anywhere in the United States of America. The fact is no State may make law contrary to Federal law. For clarification see the Supremacy clause of the constitution. But how many states have decided to simply ignore federal law and establish their own rules? The reasons for doing so are as numerous as the people using the product. None of those reason negate the law. The law must be stricken from the books. Roe V Wade was never a law. The court has thrown that decision back to the states. The court simply issued an opinion that there is no constitutional guarantee to an abortion. The court does not say whether it is a law or not. Again, it was never a law. 

 The whole marijuana and abortion issues are just a few examples. There are many things similar to that going on. The thing is this, if you don't enforce the law, lawlessness is the result. Not a difficult concept to grasp. It won't win you any popularity contests that's a fact, but laws were written for a reason. For every reason a law was written, a reason it shouldn't have been can be offered. The law seeks to establish a minimum standard. Law enforcement, like a referee or umpire, is there to enforce the rules. They are bound by those rules whether they like the rule or not. They don't get to choose what rule to enforce or not. I don't understand how these "leaders" feel that they should have that latitude. They do not.

 This whole attitude is spreading. The respect for the law is waning. The lack of respect many children growing up today have for authority figures is a reflection of that. If the authority figures exempt themselves from the rules, why shouldn't I? The whole do as I say, not as I do scenario. I was raised with the answer, because I said so! That was the only law necessary. The objective was always to teach respect. Respect for others, for others property, and respect for the law. Responding in a respectful way was always to be the first response. Objections, exemptions, excuses, explanations and all of that came later. First you obeyed the law, then you appealed.

 The real problem lies in the support this new attitude is receiving. Who is supporting this? Politicians, lawyers and activists for the most part. The reason is very simple, it is profitable. Those groups benefit from this "tolerance" as it will either get them votes or money. When it comes to the rules, or the law, you can't tolerate disobedience! Yes, we all modify the rules to suit ourselves when no one is looking. The frequency and degree we do that varies with every individual, but we all do that. Like playing a game of Monopoly we modify the rules. Everyone playing agrees on those modifications before the game begins. Laws are the "rules" that were agreed upon. 

 Are laws negotiable? Yes, they are through the proper channels of legislation. It is why we elect our representatives. They are to review the laws, suggest changes or modifications to those laws, and present their findings to the public. This works all the way from the town level on up to the federal level. Consider such mundane things as "codes" established. Things as simple as the height of your fence or even if you can have a fence. Laws are usually presented to favor someone or some group of someone's. The intent being to obtain compliance by means of penalty. Remove the penalty, the law is ineffective. The result is chaos. You can't play the game without agreeing on the rules.

 The government insists we should follow the science. These are the facts, tried and tested. Compliance is mandatory. You will be injected with vaccines for your own good! We need to follow the science! Science and science alone rules the world, it is the only thing. But when it comes to law, a holistic approach should be applied.