How do laws need to be changed in our country? Which laws stand in the way of our personal freedom? For instance, do you think everyone should have to show an ID before purchasing alcohol- even if you're 65? This is a law in some states already, and other states are tryingto get it passed.
Other examples: Do you think it shoul be a law to wear you seat belt? Should there be a law to wear you helmet while on your motorcyle? Why not then while on your bicycle? What do you think about the state -wide smoking law that will go into effect next year?
Please tell me what you think of some the laws in our country or state and how they need to be changed. Thank you!
jennifer chounard
13 comments:
For the most part, I think that the laws in this country are needed for everybody’s safety. I do think that we have some laws stand in the way of personal freedom. For instance, if a man who is over the age of 21 goes to the liquor store to pick up a bottle of whiskey, why does it have to be in a bag on the car ride home? Why can adults not have an open alcoholic beverage in their car if they are not over the legal blood alcohol content? I do, however, completely agree with the seat belt law. I know that the choice to wear a seat belt should be optional for people in a car, but not many teenagers think that they look cool with a seat belt on. I do think that a law to wear a helmet when on a motorcycle is a necessity. An older man I know wasn't wearing a helmet and hit a wet spot on a ramp getting off the interstate and now has severe brain damage for the rest of his life. As far as wearing a helmet when on a bicycle, I do not think that is necessary, except maybe for children under the age of 5. Not many kids are going to be going fast enough, or getting risky enough on a bicycle to severely damage themselves. Even though I do not smoke, I don't agree with the smoking law at all. I kind of understand why they are putting it in affect, but I don't fee that people who don't smoke should be more comfortable when sitting at a bar then people who do smoke. I think that there should just be seperate rooms for smokers whether they are in a bar, or in a restaraunt.
Cory Schlensker
I think laws are way to strict now. I mean, I can understand why there would be no smoking in restaraunts, but not being able to smoke in bars is completely rediculous to me. However, I do think it's a good idea for ID's to have to be shown-because you never know. I've got friends who have just come out of high school, or are in high school, and they look like they could be in college. Of course, making a 65 year old show his/her ID does seem a little bit extreme, but with the younger community these days, you can never be too sure.
I have been enforcing the seat belt law upon myself ever since I was in a car seat. (says my mom) I grew up with it being the right thing to do, so that's what my belief is. Seat belts are there to keep people safe, so people should have to wear them. I don't trust motorcycles--they scare me. I definitely believe that anyone riding a motorcyle should have to wear a helmet! Those things are far too dangerous in the first place, the rider should at least take that small precaution that could save his life. Although you should wear a helmet when riding a bicycle, you are not riding at such high speeds, as a motorcycle. The chance of dying from a motorcycle crash is far higher than a bicycle crash. Like I said before, I think a lot of the smoking laws being passed are rediculous!!! I was told by a friend that people weren't even going to be aloud to smoke a cigarette in thier own front yard! That is pushing things too far. People pay thier hard earned money for taxes, and all the goverment does is restrics us more and more.
Hope I've answered everything to your liking!
Emily Bown
I think that most of the laws that seem unneccesary or in the way of our personal freedom are there becuase some people don't make the right decisions. Now, carding someone who looks like they are older than forty is a little ridiculas. But if people aren't wearing seatbelts or helmets while they are on motorcycles, maybe they need to be told to. It's just the governments way of saying that they care if you die in car accident. I don't know why someone would be upset that the law is trying to save their life. I do agree with a state wide smoking ban. I know how hard it is to be in a bar drinking without being able to smoke, but it is a lot harder to die of lung cancer. And to think that when I smoked I could have caused some innocent person who never smoked a day in their life to have their tongue removed due to second hand smoke is horrible. I can't imagine having to live with that guilt. There are some laws that I think are silly and so not need to exist, but some of them are just trying to save lives.
Katie Moore
I do think there are some laws out there that could be changed. I think it is silly to ask someone to show their ID when buying alcohol if they're obviously 65 years old. But, the question is at what age should you draw the line to ask for id? I think that's why servers are required to ask EVERYONE. Yes, it's common sense when someone is 65, but what about 35? There are those who are 35 and look to be in their younger 20s. Sometimes it is hard to tell. I don't like the helmet law or the seat belt law. I think it is a personal choice to wear a seat belt or a helmet. I personally like to wear a seat belt, but I don't appreciate the government telling me I HAVE to wear a seat belt. I do think it's good to have the law in effect for children under 18. The law does need to protect children until they are considered adults and can make their own decisions. I don't think some parents would make their children buckle up if it wasn't the law. I am not a smoker, but am against the ban. Bars and restaurants should be able to section off a part of their building to host smokers. Particularly in bars. A bar is a place to go have a good time and hang out with friends. And, usually where there's beer there's smoking. Unfortunately, smoking is a big part of a lot of people's lives. They will avoid the bars and restaurants, or at least won't stay as long, if they can't light up. That hurts the local businesses.
Angie
I believe the laws in our country are fairly resonable. They are only for our safety. With everyone having to show an id before purchasing alcohol I think is a good law, I mean if they didn't make this law people wouldn't be checking because then the law would be to leanent. Wearing a helment on a motorcyle and not on a bicycle is a perfectly reasonable law, motorcyles have a motor in them and go way faster than a bike. So helment is nessesary on a motocycle. I think that the smoking law is perfectly fine, if you want to stand the chance to kill yourself don't bring others into it and make them victims. So even in bars their are people who don't smoke and they shouldn't have to suffer because you want to. If you want to smoke so bad then go outside, its really not that hard to walk outside smoke and then come back in. I think all of these laws are good laws and should stay as laws. I didn't really see any mentioned that weren't their to protect american citizens from harm.
Jenna Kirts
I think the laws are there for a reason, and that is to protect all the people. I think that people should show ID no matter the age, and with knowing this show be ready to be asked. I also agree with the seat belt laws also, even though I don't like wearing one. When riding a motorcycle you should wear a helmet. I have heard of a lot of people that got into real back motorcycle crashes and survived by wearing a helmet. Bicycling is not nearly as dangerous as motorcycles and if the operator is careful nothing too serious will happen. The smoking ban does not bother me as much as it used to. Since I do not smoke in my house, I step out side, I am used to not being able to light up inside. The out come of the ban, I think, will be good and hopefully it will benefit all of us. The gun law in Illinois is the only law I would like to see changed. I feel that criminals and other mentally sick people can get their hands on a illegal gun as easily as they do, some one who followed all the safety requirements and has all the necessary papers should be able to carry a concealed weapon.
Thursday, July 19, 2007 8:47:00 PM
Lena Fatheree
Most laws in this country have changed to be politically corect infact every new law has been politically corect. For the ID chek if you look like your over 40 years old than you shouldn't have to show your ID. Every person driving a veicle needs to wear a seatbelt just for saftey. I believe that every perosn driving a mortorized vehicle and when a person is riding a bicycle. It's also a law that when you are driving a mortorcycle that you need to wear some kind of eye protection.
Brian Siscoe
I think most of our laws in the U.S. are pretty legitament. Although some laws stand in our personal freedom, most are there for our own protection. Yes, if you are 65 years old and clearly old enough to buy alcohol, you should not need to show an ID. I believe if you are young, that you should be asked to show your ID. I believe the seatbelt law and helmet on a motorcycle are very important. Seatbelts save so many lives each year, and it would be so rediculous to say it is a dumb law. Even though you are in your own car, why would it matter to take 3 seconds and put on a seatbelt, if it could save your life. It is funny that on a bicycle you do not need to wear a helmet, but a motorcycle can go much faster than that. But most bicylce riders are smart, and the ones that need the helmets that are going fast, usually have them on. I think the state-wide smoking ban in restraunts is very good. It will make everywhere more pleasent to be, and those people with cancer and allergies will not be affected. Those who want to smoke can step outside. It will make food taste much better and not make peoples clothes smell too!
Meghan Lehr
most of the laws in this country are understandable, though there are some that are rediculous. as far as the no smoking law goes, I dont smoke and I dont like to breath it while i am trying to enjoy a meal or something. i could go either way with that. as far as the seat belt law goes, i can see both sides of that argument but i am against the law. i think that it should be up to the driver if they want to risk thier lives and not wear it. the idiot light drives me insane because i usually dont wear my own. i do not drink and dont like the abuse of alcohol. i do think that carding a 65 year old lady for a beer would be rediculous. with the motorcycle helmet, like the seat belt i think it should be up to the driver. i do know of a rule that i dont like that ties in with the immigrant topic. i recently went with a friend to get his license renewed, when we got to the dmv the lady asked him for a piece of mail, a social security card, and a picture id. we had waited an hour and he didnt have his ssc, as we were told to leave and come back we watched as a foriener with a green card and a translator walked up to the counter and got his license. think about that the next time you call yourself american.
caleb
I think that the smoking ban should be changed. If a bar has a certain amount of alcohol on the property than they can have people there to smoke if they want. If there is little or no alcohol on the property like McDonald's then there should not be any smoking allowed.
You should have to show your I.D. if your 65. If you look younger than your age. Because people mature diffently.
I do think that wearing your seatbelt is a good law. It only takes one crash to kill someone.
Wearing a helment on a motorcylce is a two way answer. If you do get in a wreak chance are slim of surviving it if your travling above 70 mph. But if your just in town then you might be required to wear one. On the other hand it could save your life. All am saying is use your best judgement.
On a bicycle I don't think that you need a helment if you old enough. When your younger I could see little kids wearing one. If your going of long trips then yes you should wear one.
Simon Auth
I'm against laws in general, though I think some of them might be necessary. I appreciate the more practical laws, such as making it a law that everyone goes on green and stops on red. If people were allowed to drive however they wanted with no penalities, we'd all be driving like they do in third-world countries, or in Boston.
But I am against most laws. Laws discourage people from thinking for themselves. I think it's more important for people to think ethically than legally. If we didn't have so many laws bossing us around like children, maybe we'd be forced to think things through for ourselves now and then.
If I ran things, I'd kill half the laws out there. We have way more laws than a civilized society needs. I hate being bossed around. We're supposed to be a free society, so lets get rid of the laws that limit our personal freedoms. If I want to go naked to the liquor store at 17, why the hello shouldn't I? Who's to say that nudity is wrong and that drinking is wrong? I find they make a nice mix.
Nick Wiggins
Some laws that restrict an adults freedom of chioce are unfare, like seatbelt laws. I wear my seatbelt not because it is a law but because I don't want to die. though I think it should be a law for persons under the age of 18 to have to wear them. Checking ID's though is to protect the "grey area" It is to easy for someone to say "they look old enough". this is not a victomless crime at all and there for I fell is important.
Jason Gordon
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