WHAT MAKES A LAW

One thing people seem to misunderstand is what a LAW really is. RIGHTS are natural and given to us by our Creator. Laws are made by men in order to accomplish various goals, such as protecting rights and property, maintaining order, restraining harmful behavior, defending against enemies, etc. Laws are necessary in order to ensure civilized behavior and to prevent anarchy.

From time to time bad laws are enacted and must be removed from the books. Perhaps the worst thing is when there is such a multitude of laws that no one can possibly know them all. Ignorance of the law then becomes a rational excuse for law breaking. “I didn’t know the gun was loaded. . .” may sound like a crazy defense, but “I didn’t know I’m not allowed to fish here. . .” may be very rational.

One aspect of law that is never discussed any more is “Equality before the law” as set forth in Article XVI of our Constitution. If one person (let alone thousands of government and union workers) is excused from a law how then can it remain a “law”? To be a law in truth it must apply to everyone equally. Obamacare should be thrown out on that basis alone. If one person is excused from the provisions of that law it is no longer a law, and anyone who chooses not to enter into the program (which is what it really is) should also be excused from its requirements.

Why is this principle of legal jurisprudence not addressed by anyone, not even judges and lawyers. Only “We The People” discuss this with friends and scratch our heads at the stupidity of things like hate crimes. Only whites can commit them? Really? There are Minority Set Asides of all kinds. How does that work? And what about the graft and corruption in the building trades when only certain minority groups have any chance of winning bids? And Affirmative Action in Education hurts ALL when the brightest are not even allowed to enroll in colleges and universities if they are Oriental or Caucasian and even the most capable and intelligent blacks become suspect under such programs.

The list of misuse of the Law is lengthy and brings such divisiveness to society. Abraham Lincoln, one of the great Presidents ever, the man who led a war to free the slaves, in his time of trial often repeated the Biblical injunction that a house divided against itself cannot stand.

Will we stand as friends and citizens today, or will our house remain divided?
For so it is.