A few months ago, I got the idea for this post when I was driving on the highway at 70, the speed limit, when a police car sped by me going about 85. It didn't surprise me, but it struck me differently than it had in the past.
Though many people would say that police are not above the law, simply driving a few hours on the interstate will disprove that idea. Why are law enforcement officers exempt from the law? What kind of message does that send to the police officers who then see themselves as excused from following the law? And what does it say to citizens about that specific law? Why would citizens respect a law that, for certain groups of people, has no consequence when broken?
Speed limits are man-made laws. Could this fact be related to the disrespect for the law among law enforcement and citizens? Do these laws, along with other man-made laws, contribute to the disrespect of God's law? If a police officer or other government official can break certain laws without consequence, will he begin to see God's law as optional?
I suppose this wasn't much of a post, just a bunch of questions. Maybe I'll have some answers later.
Comments (8)
There are different sets of laws for different people. Im not saying thats right, but its just the way it is. You wont see cops getting pulled over for speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, or failing to use a turn signal. Its certainly not just. I cant really speak though because I dont respect the law myself. I respect its intentions which are to protect citizens lives by regulating driving. I dont think its any more dangerous to go 80 than 70 if you are paying attention to the road. I break the law everyday, but I try not endanger others, and I try not to get caught by the cops who are also breaking that law. Annnd I dunno about Gods law in this instance. I dont even know where I stand theoretically about Gods law or what you exactly mean by his law.
I don't know how to explain my thinking on this subject really well. But in that instance, I was referring to God's laws like adultery, etc. In my limited personal experience with police, it seems that they don't really respect that kind of law either. I'm not saying that all police commit adultery or murder or steal. But in my limited experience in which that has been the case - I wonder if there is a correlation. Does that make sense?
What's A Prayer for the City about? I see that's the same author who wrote the nonfiction book Friday Night Lights, upon which the movie and later the TV series were loosely based. Bissinger is a good writer, at least based on the few chapters of Friday Night Lights I've perused through.
It's about Ed Rendell's first term as Philadelphia mayor in the early 90s. I read it for class...I think I would have enjoyed it more reading it on my own.
Yiii. For me it seems the correlation is that when unregenerate men are given power to exersize authority they are usually drawn into abusing it. Its a very powerful thing Im sure.
Maybe I will. Maybe I will be a famous poet.
Legitimate laws are those which enforce the right to property only (including your life which is your property.) For a kind crime to happen, just law tells us that there must be a damaged party, and the aggressor must have some intent to do harm. Speed limits are unjust because speeding in itself holds neither aggression nor intent. Judges, cops, and lawyers make lots of money on these kinds of illegitimate laws, and our heritage of natural law becomes less apparent every day.
As a teacher, I obviously have classroom rules that I expect my students to abide by. However, these rules do not necessarily apply to me. Students are expected to raise their hands to speak, however, obviously, I am not required to do that. Being "above the law" is an essential part of doing my job. Abiding by all classroom rules would seriously handcuff me from performing my job well.
In the same sense, it is important for many professions, especially governement officials, to be "above the law" in order to perform their job effeciently. This is especially true when it comes to law officers. It is important for them to be able to drive faster than the speed limit, carry an open weapon, ect...to keep the public safe. Requiring them to abide by these rules would jeopardize their abitlity to do their job.
That's not to say that i don't sit on desks (when my students can't), drink coffee (which my students can't) and admittedly, I flaunt these "broken rules" right in front of them basically because I can. I get that break because I am the teacher and I get that freedom. And these have nothing to do with better job performance. I too get a little irate when a police car buzzes by me with no sirens flashing. But at the end of the day this public disregard of rules testifies to the fact that when the time comes, they can and will be "above the law" to keep me safe. And i can live with that.
Long time...hope you are well.