Beliefs and Superstitions in the Law

There are many beliefs in the upholding of the law, of the criminal justice system. Such as if you do the crime, you must do the time. Crime does not pay. Yet there also exist the superstitions that locking up people will put an end to crime.  Couple with the belief that people are bad, not the system Now, if this was truly the case then. Why are there so many new laws on the books on how to lock people up? Since we can no longer convict people and burn then at the stake or cut off their head or hands for misdeeds neither.

 Who questions any of this? Or do we struggle with belief or superstitions when complying with the law.Here is a prime example; my sister got a parking ticket awhile back. But this was not just any old parking ticket that was just waiting on her car to be picked off the windshield of her vehicle.  Plus the place was once designated as no parking because it was a bus stop. This ticket was tucked in the windshield, to the point that my sister’s anger at just leaving work late and unable to settle a job related issues. She just could not see the parking ticket at that time. So, this did not allow her to notice that the parking ticket was placed on her car, until something flew up in the wind and was carried way as she drove off in a huff.

Upon reaching home, she then places a call to find out yes, she did have a parking ticket and the amount of it was troubling to my sister. She was also given instruction on how to pay for her mistake.

Believing that she should pay, as we all do. My sister paid the ticket. This was part of her belief. But it was through getting on her nervous that made her question her actions. I questioned her about “was the spot marked; saying no parking”, were there other people parked there or sign that would have stated park at your own risk? This is what drove her to call and take action on the ticket matter.

The location as she finds out was no longer designated as a bus stop for more than two years. Yet while trying to tell her story to various departments that she called to get some relief to the matter at hand, it fell on deaf ears. She was even told why you paid the ticket then? Never mind the fact that other might have been given tickets for parking there.

However, it was my sister’s feeling guilty because she had broken the law and had to pay. That made her not hold back and see if she was indeed wrong for parking there like some many others. She also stated that she did not want to go to court. Yet after paying the ticket and now wanting her money back, she still has to file a contest complaint. After all she wants to be a good citizen and believes that the laws should not be questioned.

So in closing. Remember that belief are important. Belief in what is right also matters. But belief in something that does not exist that is just plain superstition. There might be a few missed guided individuals. But plenty of the laws on the books should not just be accepted as facts or belief. But questioned to see if the still hold true, and what are they importants and impacts.