“When a person commits an illegal act our laws and society - the very idea of justice - demands punishment. It is punishment because illegal acts have consequences. It is also punishment as a deterrent to others from doing the same illegal acts.”
Yes, but in a moral self-governing society, the laws that define what is a crime are always subject to change. That’s why we have a legislature.
Laws are not always right, and the act of repealing or reforming a bad law is every bit as sacred as the act of passing or enforcing a good one.
Prohibition is one of the best examples of bad law, and it’s worth noting that there are similarities between alcohol prohibition and drug laws.
I am astonished how often supposedly intelligent people accept “the law”’at face value, without question. A law has been broken, therefore a crime has been committed, therefore the criminal must be punished as a matter of principle. No, it depends entirely on whether it is a good law. If it is a bad law, the crime is the law itself.
The one that irritates me the most is people’s attitude about paying taxes since it’s the law. Never mind that the government is legally doing something (stealing) that would land a private citizen in jail.
Too much respect for “the law” can be disastrous.
Everyone should read The Law by Frederick Bastiat.
Amen!