Here is James Arlandson writing at American Thinker:
Several years ago, my city installed cameras at various intersections, and I got caught three times. After paying the fines of $500.00 each, my driving “miraculously” improved. The penalty imposed by the law taught me virtuous driving and restrained my carelessness.
You too have experienced the law as teacher that fosters virtue and as restrainer that checks your vices.
But what happens when we don’t allow the law to teach us or restrain us? What if we instead jettison it because it “cramps our style” – usually our sexual misconduct and drug use and other vices?
We don’t need to talk in detail about the troubles caused by lifting restrictions on abortion, which fosters more abortions, or no-fault divorce, which paves the path toward the breakdown of the family. And will states legalize a bad drug – marijuana?
Will we lower standards or submit to just laws we don’t like? The law legislates morality, but maybe we’re not listening.
My city no longer has those cameras.
Though I can’t vouch for every idea in a philosopher here, they still have great ideas and texts to remind us of the law’s two main purposes.
Plato
In the book titled Laws, he says the city is ordered like the soul and body. Each part must work with the others to function properly, or in excellence. Law teaches them the way.
Read more: American Thinker
Image credit: www.barbwire.com.
