People believe that laws made by the government are meant to protect the people. However, many laws are made by the government simply because people believe they protect people, and not because the laws actually do protect people.
There are several laws that fit the before mentioned description, but today I'm going to talk about certain laws that are less controversial, traffic laws. Anyone who has ever gotten a ticket before has probably thought to themselves, "god I hate that law."
There have been studies that show that if there were no regulations of the speed limit the amount of accidents don't really change. Also, after the click it or ticket campaign that have been running forever people have been wearing there seatbelts more. That's a good thing right? Well yea, except studies have shown the more safety features that people use in the car the more careless they drive and the more accidents they get into. And anyone who read the new Freakonomics book knows even though we are tough on drunk drivers, more people die per mile walking home drunk then driving home druunk.
All of the before mentioned laws have had upsides, no doubt. However, they all have the factor of they make money for the government, and they all make people think they are safer, when the facts and figures don't necessarily match up.
If what I have said so far is not proof enough, the cameras at red lights are absolutely the worst example of laws that make us feel safe. Since those cameras have been instituted more crashes have occurred, because instead of making the safe decision of driving through the lights when they turn yellow people slam on the brakes and get rear-ended. So let's understand this law completely. If you do the right thing and go through the light you might get a ticket that you have to pay. The government punishes you for doing the right thing. If you do the wrong thing and slam on the brakes you get into an accident, which ultimately you end up paying for.
Feel safe now?
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Burning Books is Never Good
On the anniversary of 9/11 there has been a lot of patriotism. On a day, that certainly will be filled with historic quotes, I am reminded of a specific Abraham Lincoln quote. "A house divided cannot stand." Most people have heard it, but over the past few days I question how many people actually take it to heart.
It doesn't surprise me that on such an emotional day certain extremist will attempt unspeakable acts; what does surprise me is how accepting people have been. I'm not referring to muslim extremist, I am referring to the Christian extremist.
The same extremist who plan on burning the Koran on a day that should be filled with love and rememberance, and not hate. I have heard many people say they are totally okay with people burning the Muslim book of worship. They say that they have pledged to kill us, and they burn the Bible all the time. First, I want to say that everyone has the right to burn books. With that said, we as Muslims, Christian and American people cannot endorse such acts of destruction.
The people who burn the Bible are assholes. The people who burn the Koran are just as big of assholes. It is natural and even fundamental that we not forget the evil that caused 9/11, but we also have to remember that the evil was caused by a small group of extremist.
This would be like the Klu Klux Klan committing an unspeakable act, which has happened, and having the entire Christian religion blamed.
Regarding the book burning, in World War 2 America faced an ultimate evil, similiar to what we face today. One big difference is that in World War 2 the Nazis were the ones burning books.
Speaking of Nazis would it be okay for Jews to start burning the Bible, in response to the Nazis?
As a statement of fact, I have never seen a person burn a book and think to myself "there's a role model." We can trick ourselves into believing it served a higher cause or that it is warranted, but really at the end of the day all anyone really did was burn a record of knowledge.
It doesn't surprise me that on such an emotional day certain extremist will attempt unspeakable acts; what does surprise me is how accepting people have been. I'm not referring to muslim extremist, I am referring to the Christian extremist.
The same extremist who plan on burning the Koran on a day that should be filled with love and rememberance, and not hate. I have heard many people say they are totally okay with people burning the Muslim book of worship. They say that they have pledged to kill us, and they burn the Bible all the time. First, I want to say that everyone has the right to burn books. With that said, we as Muslims, Christian and American people cannot endorse such acts of destruction.
The people who burn the Bible are assholes. The people who burn the Koran are just as big of assholes. It is natural and even fundamental that we not forget the evil that caused 9/11, but we also have to remember that the evil was caused by a small group of extremist.
This would be like the Klu Klux Klan committing an unspeakable act, which has happened, and having the entire Christian religion blamed.
Regarding the book burning, in World War 2 America faced an ultimate evil, similiar to what we face today. One big difference is that in World War 2 the Nazis were the ones burning books.
Speaking of Nazis would it be okay for Jews to start burning the Bible, in response to the Nazis?
As a statement of fact, I have never seen a person burn a book and think to myself "there's a role model." We can trick ourselves into believing it served a higher cause or that it is warranted, but really at the end of the day all anyone really did was burn a record of knowledge.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
If We Picked Our Spouse The Way We Pick Our Presidents
For the past 20 years, America has had presidents after presidents with ridiculous quirks. I have to imagine that if America picked it's spouse in the same manor, we would have a divorce rate of, well, what the divorce rate is now.
In 1988 George Herbert-Walker Bush was elected president under the campaign slogan "read my lips: no new taxes." Well, he raised taxes, which is a lot like a man marrying a woman and saying, "Honey, for richer or poorer, I promise I'll never steal from the neighbors." And the next day being caught walking out of the neighbors house carrying their television.
Four years later, Clinton pointed this fact out and won the presidency. But, what about Clinton? Here's a guy who lied to the entire country and cheated on his wife with a fat chick. That's like a woman marrying a man who lies to the entire country and cheats on her with a fat chick. (I realize it's not much a simile)
George W. Bush gets elected eight years later and commits to a war on the basis of false intel and a search for weapons of mass destruction. It's kind of like a man planning to consummate a marraige with the belief that the clitoris is somewhere in the foot.
Now we have Barrack Hussein Obama. He was one of the most inexperienced members of congress when he became president. This may offend some sensibilities, but there's a reason people who get married young usually don't last. His ideals sound like they come straight from pot-filled college dorm rooms, which also probably explains why he did so well in the polls with young people.
It's no wonder why the divorce rate surrounds 50 percent and why presidents are limited to two terms.
In 1988 George Herbert-Walker Bush was elected president under the campaign slogan "read my lips: no new taxes." Well, he raised taxes, which is a lot like a man marrying a woman and saying, "Honey, for richer or poorer, I promise I'll never steal from the neighbors." And the next day being caught walking out of the neighbors house carrying their television.
Four years later, Clinton pointed this fact out and won the presidency. But, what about Clinton? Here's a guy who lied to the entire country and cheated on his wife with a fat chick. That's like a woman marrying a man who lies to the entire country and cheats on her with a fat chick. (I realize it's not much a simile)
George W. Bush gets elected eight years later and commits to a war on the basis of false intel and a search for weapons of mass destruction. It's kind of like a man planning to consummate a marraige with the belief that the clitoris is somewhere in the foot.
Now we have Barrack Hussein Obama. He was one of the most inexperienced members of congress when he became president. This may offend some sensibilities, but there's a reason people who get married young usually don't last. His ideals sound like they come straight from pot-filled college dorm rooms, which also probably explains why he did so well in the polls with young people.
It's no wonder why the divorce rate surrounds 50 percent and why presidents are limited to two terms.
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