Where Do You Draw The Line?
August 8, 2010 1:08 AM Subscribe
Almost everyone reading this [...] has at some point copied music illegally. Many of us drank alcohol before we were of age, or drove a car before we were licensed. Speaking of which, who among us hasn't gone over the speed limit? [...] And what about those bastards who jaywalk? The Consumerist asks its readers: Which Illegal Activities Get A Pass From You?
This post was deleted for the following reason: This ain't much to go on -- mathowie
HOLY SHIT, I just smoked a cigarette in the bar bathroom, drove back here at 20+ over the speed limit, and logged onto the neighbors' internet that I stole their password to.....all so I could read me some MeFi!
posted by deep thought sunstar at 1:31 AM on August 8, 2010
posted by deep thought sunstar at 1:31 AM on August 8, 2010
All those things get a pass from you?
Anyway, for me it would be ripping a DVD (definitely illegal under the DMCA), or CD (I think the RIAA still considers this illegal) to your computer / digital device of choice.
posted by dirigibleman at 1:32 AM on August 8, 2010
Anyway, for me it would be ripping a DVD (definitely illegal under the DMCA), or CD (I think the RIAA still considers this illegal) to your computer / digital device of choice.
posted by dirigibleman at 1:32 AM on August 8, 2010
All those things get a pass from you?
That was to rough ashlar.
posted by dirigibleman at 1:33 AM on August 8, 2010
That was to rough ashlar.
posted by dirigibleman at 1:33 AM on August 8, 2010
All those things get a pass from you?
I'm not doing much about 'em....how about you?
(If I'm not willing to roll up my sleeves then toss myself into the machinery that will grind me into a fine powder I am giving 'em a pass am I not?)
posted by rough ashlar at 1:40 AM on August 8, 2010
I'm not doing much about 'em....how about you?
(If I'm not willing to roll up my sleeves then toss myself into the machinery that will grind me into a fine powder I am giving 'em a pass am I not?)
posted by rough ashlar at 1:40 AM on August 8, 2010
One of those questions that seems the only correct response can be "It ain't my question -- it's yours. You want to know what the answer is, answer it yo' own self."
Uh ha.
posted by RoseyD at 1:42 AM on August 8, 2010
Uh ha.
posted by RoseyD at 1:42 AM on August 8, 2010
Sorry, where's the article?
oh, that was the article...
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 2:09 AM on August 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
oh, that was the article...
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 2:09 AM on August 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
The only reason I jaywalk is because I have a better idea of whether there are cars coming or not than a fucking traffic light does.
posted by turgid dahlia at 2:25 AM on August 8, 2010 [9 favorites]
posted by turgid dahlia at 2:25 AM on August 8, 2010 [9 favorites]
I once shot a man in Reno just to watch him die. Gave myself a pass.
posted by fixedgear at 2:26 AM on August 8, 2010
posted by fixedgear at 2:26 AM on August 8, 2010
I'm down with deicide, regicide, senicide, and tyrannicide but I draw the line at avunculicide and uxoricide.
posted by Rhomboid at 2:32 AM on August 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Rhomboid at 2:32 AM on August 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
Link to blog post whose meat consists entirely of a long thread of user comments? Free pass (FIAMO).
Threadshit? OVER THE LINE.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 2:37 AM on August 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
Threadshit? OVER THE LINE.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 2:37 AM on August 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
I once shot a man in Reno just to watch him die. Gave myself a pass.
Backstage pass, you mean.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:49 AM on August 8, 2010
Backstage pass, you mean.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:49 AM on August 8, 2010
How about we say the jurisdiction you're currently in?
posted by Mike1024 at 3:07 AM on August 8, 2010
posted by Mike1024 at 3:07 AM on August 8, 2010
What hal_c_on said. Most Consumerist "articles" are all about the comments, which makes them less than great here. There are exceptions, but this isn't one.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:10 AM on August 8, 2010
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:10 AM on August 8, 2010
What a great way to get people to admit in writing about laws they've broken.
posted by dabitch at 3:17 AM on August 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by dabitch at 3:17 AM on August 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
I set someone's hair on fire at a punk gig once.
[Am sorry about that, tho.]
posted by goofyfoot at 3:32 AM on August 8, 2010
[Am sorry about that, tho.]
posted by goofyfoot at 3:32 AM on August 8, 2010
Yeah -- the linked wouldn't even be an acceptable AskMe question (chatfilter!).
posted by Shepherd at 3:51 AM on August 8, 2010
posted by Shepherd at 3:51 AM on August 8, 2010
If it were up to me, the only things that would be illegal -- (at least illegal for your average person. You'd need to make exceptions for laws that govern things like government, banking, medicine, etc) -- would be things that some really high percentage of the population thinks should be illegal. Like 70% or something. Surely everyone would agree that murder should be illegal, that rape, theft, and so on should be. But pot smoking? Prostitution? I think the numbers would be lower.
posted by delmoi at 3:53 AM on August 8, 2010
posted by delmoi at 3:53 AM on August 8, 2010
As an experienced US criminal trial attorney, it behoves me to warn you that even minor violations of the law can have extremely serious consequences - and to remind you that following the law to the letter is ALWAYS the right thing to do.
Let me tell you about one case I've worked on: two policemen, known for their unconventional methods, were involved in a shoot-out with a criminal syndicate. The head of the organised crime gang shot one of these brave officers - but then immediately revealed himself as a member of the diplomatic corps, entitled to the protection of diplomatic immunity! What could the other policeman legally do?
Luckily for his career and his freedom, Sgt. Murtaugh - after shooting this motherfucker in the head - had the professionalism to inform him: "it's just been revoked!"
Not only was this fully compliant with legal principles, it was so ice cold that the audience actually CHEERED. Wait - I mean, "the jury".
posted by the quidnunc kid at 4:32 AM on August 8, 2010 [8 favorites]
Let me tell you about one case I've worked on: two policemen, known for their unconventional methods, were involved in a shoot-out with a criminal syndicate. The head of the organised crime gang shot one of these brave officers - but then immediately revealed himself as a member of the diplomatic corps, entitled to the protection of diplomatic immunity! What could the other policeman legally do?
Luckily for his career and his freedom, Sgt. Murtaugh - after shooting this motherfucker in the head - had the professionalism to inform him: "it's just been revoked!"
Not only was this fully compliant with legal principles, it was so ice cold that the audience actually CHEERED. Wait - I mean, "the jury".
posted by the quidnunc kid at 4:32 AM on August 8, 2010 [8 favorites]
I killed a six pack just to watch it die. I may do it again tonight.
I'm cold blooded like that.
posted by Splunge at 4:59 AM on August 8, 2010
I'm cold blooded like that.
posted by Splunge at 4:59 AM on August 8, 2010
It sounds like that gang boss sure learned a vital lesson about the lethality of weaponry.
posted by Rhomboid at 5:00 AM on August 8, 2010
posted by Rhomboid at 5:00 AM on August 8, 2010
In my freshman year of college, I read "Ain't Nobody's Business If You Do," and it shaped most of my feelings on the subject of personal freedoms and morality-based laws. It also made me a Libertarian for a few years, and while my fiscal policy has shifted back to traditionally liberal views, I am still a social (small-l) libertarian. So most "victimless crimes" get a pass from me.
posted by Golfhaus at 5:15 AM on August 8, 2010
posted by Golfhaus at 5:15 AM on August 8, 2010
Not only was this fully compliant with legal principles, it was so ice cold that the audience actually CHEERED.
Ah, the well known legal principle of "I'm too old for this shit!"
posted by drezdn at 5:17 AM on August 8, 2010
Ah, the well known legal principle of "I'm too old for this shit!"
posted by drezdn at 5:17 AM on August 8, 2010
Rape
posted by randomkeystrike at 5:19 AM on August 8, 2010
posted by randomkeystrike at 5:19 AM on August 8, 2010
Rape.
posted by randomkeystrike at 5:20 AM on August 8, 2010
posted by randomkeystrike at 5:20 AM on August 8, 2010
(waiting patiently for straight line)
posted by randomkeystrike at 5:23 AM on August 8, 2010
posted by randomkeystrike at 5:23 AM on August 8, 2010
Rhomboid: "I'm down with deicide, regicide, senicide, and tyrannicide but I draw the line at avunculicide and uxoricide."
You forgot barbicide.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 5:24 AM on August 8, 2010
You forgot barbicide.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 5:24 AM on August 8, 2010
Everything I want to say about this is covered by Johnathan Rauch in his excellent couple of articles back in 2000, on hidden law and conventional wisdom.
Basically, zero tolerance and strict enforcement destroy social comity, "going along to get along". Enforcing the law without regard to the consequences is inimical to justice.
posted by aeschenkarnos at 5:33 AM on August 8, 2010 [2 favorites]
Basically, zero tolerance and strict enforcement destroy social comity, "going along to get along". Enforcing the law without regard to the consequences is inimical to justice.
posted by aeschenkarnos at 5:33 AM on August 8, 2010 [2 favorites]
Posting to Meta and AskMe in violation of community norms! Not only do I like to link to comment threads, but I like to pose questions that answer themselves, like that one time I asked about what lines could be crossed in such as way as to cross the line. Brought a lot of peeps down with me, too.
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 5:37 AM on August 8, 2010
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 5:37 AM on August 8, 2010
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I'm not doing anything beyond the occasional mention of various laws broken by individual police, judges, politicians, and the war crimes of members of the military.
posted by rough ashlar at 1:22 AM on August 8, 2010 [1 favorite]