A Red Light For Scofflaws Analysis

Everyday Americans break laws without even flinching or second guessing themselves. In the excerpt from,”A Red Light for Scofflaws,” by Frank Trippetti, he states how even breaking a law that one sees as minor can have an impact on social order. He also explains how even ordinary citizens are becoming scofflaws [people who casually break the law], in order to persuade Americans not to break any laws regardless of how minor or major they are. Breaking minor laws do indeed have an impact on social order, it can affect a child’s knowledge of right from wrong and what they can get away with. In numerous ways it can increase danger and it can also exhibit bad examples for younger generations. Moreover, Trippett illustrates instances where normal,
law-abiding citizens have broken the laws. For example: “littering, speeding, and noise pollution(Trippett),” are just a few examples where many American do not second guess their actions and deem them as normal. In California, there is a phrase known as the “California Roll” where Californians do not completely stop at stop signs when required to do so. This laziness of disobeying the law to stop at minimum of three seconds to check for one owns safety can cause horrible car accidents. However, one can argue that it is not a big deal and they have had experiences where they found their way out perfectly fine. Although this may be true, how does the negative contrast with the positive? Being able to prevent a loss of life by obeying simple, minor laws should not have to be something where one debates on what they should listen to. Furthermore, it is no secret that everyday people are breaking more laws, more commonly. Trippett argues that,”the foundations of social order are profoundly shaken when ordinary law-abiding citizens take to skirting the law.” Due to prior experiences, I can say that I agree with the author because I have seen so many instances where drivers were texting on their phone or speeding on the freeway casually. When you see your own relatives breaking simple rules that are put in place to prevent further altercations, one can be influenced negatively and inherit these bad habits of being a scofflaw[people who casually break the law]. Everyday younger generations are being unknowingly taught how things should be because that is what they are raised around. Social order is most definitely threaten when even those who are usually law-abiding citizens break laws because those are the people that teens and children look to for guidance. In conclusion, it is obvious that millions break these laws without even realizing what they are doing because it essentially becomes second nature. These thoughts that they are breaking the laws, do not even cross many people’s mind. Social order is threatened when people do not realize they are in the wrong and that they are setting examples for those who will be leading our world next. We live in such an advanced society that people are almost immune to second thinking what they are doing. Simply taking a step back and realizing what one is doing can create a safer environment. It can also relieve the stress on Americans and the law enforcers who pull one over or stop one for breaking those “minor” laws. Laws are put in safe for the safety of citizens, yet how safe can one stay or expect the world to be a safe place when it has become second nature to disobey and break law?