Why We Should Obey the Law

Unit 2 Written Assignment

As an immigrant to this country, I have been given the opportunity to compare both legal systems. By comparing both systems, I was able to evaluate the positive and negative factors involved and thus structure the regulations that should obey.

There is a list of factors that influence the decisions why some obey the law and why some do not: background, financial stability, education; they all affect the decisions that people make such as talking on the phone while driving or get in a car knowingly that there is alcohol in the system.

Different from the culture I come from, Americans are typically law-abiding people due to the legal education that many received throughout their school years. However, in the same way as happens in every society, we acknowledge that everyone breaks some type of law at some point in their lives and some people do it often; for example, people using illegal drugs, people that refuse to pay their taxes, robbery, etc.

For some of us we feel a certain pressure or fear of being arrested that keeps us from trying to break laws. The average Joe understands the consequences of committing a crime and most of would try to avoid these consequences. When we often see the lifestyles many inmates are living by in the prison system not to many of us look forward to having to fight for our meals or worry about their cell mate’s intentions. Society recognizes the pressure of the consequences of committing a crime, so pressure plays a vital role why people obey the law.

Obeying the law is a general moral obligation. Usually, laws are written from the concepts that our society has created as a model of what it is right; therefore I think the law is directly related to the morality of each person. I agree with the legal principle "Ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it." I believe that this principle should be respected except in two special situations.

In my opinion people have a certain responsibility to know and obey the laws which their representatives have made. In other words knowing the laws that involve you is part of your responsibility as a citizen. For instance, if you are an owner of a restaurant, you should know the laws regarding food safety and obey them.

Personally, I operate by my own morality exclusively, which often coincides with the law. When I see nothing morally wrong with violating the law, my actions depend entirely on the likelihood of getting caught and the penalty if I am caught. I have never and would never obey the law "because it's the law".

For example, I don't shoplift because I believe it's wrong to take things that aren't yours. I don't kill people or assault people that annoy me because I believe this is wrong. In the latter example, I would probably follow the law even if I had no moral objection because the likelihood of getting caught and facing severe consequences is high. In the former, if I had no objection, I would probably do it because of the lack of severe penalties.

Some laws are rational. I find the laws about wearing seatbelts to be rational and I follow them. I think the laws against drunk driving are rational and I follow them. I think the laws against illicit drug use are rational and I obey them.

Some other laws are compassionate. The laws that provide support for those who cannot care for themselves are compassionate and I support them. The laws that provide protection for the citizens are compassionate and I support them.

There are times when the two criteria conflict and I tend to follow the compassionate choice. An example, I find that the rules against stealing are rational but if the choice becomes one of my family starving I would steal to provide. To me the rational choice and the compassionate choice are one and the same. However, there are many people who would not make that choice.

Some laws are neither rational nor compassionate and I will not support them. An example could be laws allowing abortion or the possible legalization of Marihuana but that depends on the perspective of each individual.

These are the means on which I use to determine if I follow a law or not.