L.A. Liberty

No Cop, No Stop →

“The law” wants doughy, filmy-eyed passivity. It persecutes the exercise of judgment – even when there’s no denying the objective rightness of the judgment exercised. For example, if a cop witnessed me “running the light” (or “failing to come to a complete stop” at that stop sign) a ticket – and fat fine – would be coming my way, irrespective of the fact that no harm was caused or even theoretically possible. My pointing out that no opposing traffic was around – that I’d looked first and proceeded with due caution – would cut no ice even if he knew all that to be true (having witnessed it himself). The only thing that matters is “the law.”

Which is why trampling such laws underfoot whenever possible is so important – in addition to being satisfying. …

Those over a certain age will recall the National 55 MPH speed limit, in force for about 20 long years – from about 1974 to 1995. To their credit, most Americans thumbed their nose at this “law” whenever they could get away with it. It was a stupid law – an evil law, because it criminalized reasonable driving and became the pretext for stealing – yes, that’s the right word – millions of dollars annually from drivers in the form of “speeding” tickets and the subsequent ratcheting upward of their insurance premiums on the basis of these tickets. It was outrageous and contemptible – and for once, the American people stood up to it. By not paying attention to it. By ignoring “the law” – and driving at reasonable, safe speeds (speeds that are now also legal speeds once more, it’s worth pointing out).

Why shouldn’t the same go for other mule-headed laws such as the ones demanding full stops at stop signs in the middle of nowhere, when it’s clear there’s no reason (other than it being “the law”) to come to a complete stop? Why should we sit like cattle at lights that never change (or which take forever to change) when there’s no reason (other than it being against “the law”) to look, then proceed?

If enough of us began to treat with similar contempt the other laws – the many laws – that plague us but which are just as silly as “Drive 55″ (or Prohibition) we could shame and ridicule these laws into the history books. The stumbling block is overcoming the passivity and submissiveness that is now the American archetype. We didn’t use to be this way – and we don’t have to be this way forever. You say you’re sick of the suffocating, controlling New World Order that’s congealing all around you? Defy it! Not with bullets – but with initiative and common sense. And ridicule. These tools are still available to us.