We do we follow the law blindly?

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hsingyu

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I don't understand why some people thinks "because the law says so, I must follow it". Laws can be unjust and harsh, the law is not a moral standard for our society, it is only a set of rules set by the government for us to comply. I used to study law, we can only confined by what you can do and what you cannot do by the law, do not belive the law is just and impartial. The law cannot confine our behaviour. Any ambiguity or the law does not say so is arguable legal. At least what I believe in.
 
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So.............what is your point?

Any law/laws in particular that you are ranting about in your post, or is it more of a general rant against laws and government?
 
My point is just like owning a gun, I do not use it to shoot innocent people or threaten others, I believe I have the right to keep my gun, some people say it is illegal and should not be promoted, I disagree, the law is the law, my human rights or individual freedom is another point you cannot use the law to judge me.
 
Let's be clear now, are you talking about US law or Chinese law? One set is derived by the representatives elected by the people, and the other is not. One set includes the right of the people to appeal legal decisions to a higher court or legislative body, the other does not.
 
In principle is no difference, laws are a set of rules enacted by government or people in charge and used to control us. Yes, in American it is better people can review the decision and in China it may not be possible, but no matter what way, the law is only a very limited point of view, it only represents those in power, judges or politicians, it is not a moral standard to justify us.
 
I was staying in a hotel in Richmond, a college town, and there was a Chinese exchange student at the front desk. Had a couple of interesting conversations about your country. I woke up early one Saturday morning, went downstairs to grab breakfast and came right back. When I came back the housekeeper's cart was in the hall, so I went in my room and picked up a little bit.

A few minutes later I got a knock on the door. I answered the door to one of Richmond's finest. I greeted him and he asked me if I had any guns. "Yup." Asked me if I had a magazine lying on the bed. I said, "yup." ( I had pulled my gun and spare mag out of the nightstand when I was getting dressed.)

"Okay. Have a nice day"
"You do the same."

Later I ran into a housekeeper and apologized for scaring anyone. She said no problem, people leave guns in their rooms all the time. "She's the one who called", she tells me and points behind me. I turned to see the exchange student behind me cringing.

She was okay with me until she found out Americans had guns. After that she was uncomfortable. Hsingyu, where do they get this perception? Is it from the educational system? News? Movies? Or are they just so insulated from guns that they get the idea that only police should have them? Is it the same problem we have in states like California or New Jersey?
 
First, we don't just "follow the law blindly" - as time passes, there have been many unjust laws that have been modified or repealed entirely.

Second, you might look into the concept of a "social contract". While you're correct that laws only impose a moral restraint and don't physically prevent people from taking whatever actions they choose, the idea of a social contract says that societies "work better" when the people that make up the society voluntarily agree to be bound by a common set of laws. The alternative is anarchy, and only the biggest/strongest/most ruthless among us would really prefer that to an established set of laws.

The idea of a social contract is based largely on the writings of Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and John Locke, so there's a lot of interesting reading on the subject out there if you're interested.
 
The difference between the United States and China, or any other country in the world is the U.S. Constitution, a document that restricts the governemnt not the people.

Its not perfect, but its better then any other country in the world.

One way to judge a country, is How many people want in, as oppose to how many want out.

To keep this "gun related", how many countries allow a lawful citizen to buy as many as he/she can afford. In most states, to get a concealed permit, its SHELL ISSUE, some states, like mine (Wyoming) no permit is needed.

I don't fear being killed because I'm a Christian, as I would in many countries.

I can stand on the street cornor and profess my faith or political views without being subject to arrest.

It's the US Constitution. As a Army Officer I didn't pledge loyaltiy to a king, supreme ruler, government, or any leaders, we swear to defend the Constitution.
 
Here when we don't like the laws we work to change them. Takes time, - AZ went from no CCW permit from 1912 to 1994, then to Constitutional Carry 16 years later...took a while but we got it changed.
 
The law is not by any stretch a moral standard, society needs rules. We don't "blindly" follow the law, our system is set up to adapt and adjust to an ever changing environment. Are some laws silly? Absolutely but that doesn't mean we should break them.
 
Just out of curiosity: Being in a communist country that tightly controls the internet and all media, how do you access this site and discuss the topic of weapons and unjust laws without some risk of government reprisal?
 
There are some laws I follow because doing otherwise would be wrong law or no law ( murder, rape, etc.)

Others I follow because I don't want to go to prison. (Unregistered machine gun)

Still others I follow because I don't want to do what they prohibit (prostitution, meth)

In America we can and do work to change the laws we don't agree with.
 
I find it funny that pretty much every post is on a tangent and/or not answering or furthering the OP's post(even after he replied a second time to explain). I did enjoy the posts, so that is not what I am getting at; it's just the same point has been made by many TFL's or Americans in the past:

one example - the Constitution gives me the right to carry whether the law says so or not.
 
To: Ben Towe

Although China is no democratic society, it is not as tightly controlled as the Soviet Union.
The chinese government does not monitor an English forum like this.
I am a gun owner that's why I join this forum.
 
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vranasaurus,

you are right and it turns to a political debate that some people try convince me that the American government system is superior. I am no fan of Communist Party but I am not a political fanatic too, in China there are some "extreme nationalistic" people that to defend the Chinese government. I though in US people are more open-minded but maybe I am wrong.
 
I agree with US constitution that people have the right to bear arms. Guns in China or in an Asian society is seen as a bad influence, people normally think guns are associated with crime and violence, it is not gun that kills people, people do. Even an airsoft gun is seen as a bad thing in my culture, a bad hobby. I think Asian people should change their perception about guns.
 
My post is not intended to start a debate or criticize, just curious is all. I have read that the media restrictions have loosened somewhat there. Is there a licensing system to own a gun in PRC, or how does the system work there? And in keeping with the spirit of the original post, we work to change laws that we don't like. If a representative or Senator or President doesn't do the things the voter wants then they run the risk of losing the next election. For example, the 1994 Brady Bill had terrible repercussions for the Democratic party in Congress.
 
In theory you can but in practice no, you cannot change. In China there is no rule of law and the law and not strictly enforced (well depends on what type of law).

The media or internet is not open, I do not know if it is loosened because it all depends on unpredictable decisions. In some sensitive dates it will be tightly controlled, e.g Tiananmen Square anniversary... There many ways to bypass censorship if you want to, but many people do not care because for them ignorant is bliss.
 
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