© 2014 Michael Wenkart

ISBN 9783735765949

„Herstellung und Verlag: BoD – Books on Demand GmbH, Norderstedt“

Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek: Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliografie; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über www.dnb.de abrufbar.

CRAZY, STUPID LAW

‘The law is an ass’ said Mr Bumble in Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. Generally I don’t know if I would completely agree with this but I do have to admit there are times when courts do come up with some bizarre decisions and interpretations.

However, lawyers and judges can’t be held responsible for the battery of crazy, stupid laws that are enacted by government, local and national, for the so-called protection and benefit of the public at large.

Some of these might be funny and often appear completely unnecessary regardless of when they were passed into law. Why any Idaho woman would need a box of chocolates of more than fifty pounds weight seems extraordinary in any age. And the plethora of laws regarding what you can and cannot do with strange animals (camels, iguanas and elephants come to mind) would seem more relevant to the African bush or the Amazon jungle rather than downtown wherever in whatever state the weird legislation applies.

But there are more sinister and worrying statutes regarding the rights of minority groups, especially women and homosexual people, where the infringement of their basic rights is real, damaging and extremely threatening. It would be nice for the western hemisphere to think that these abominations of laws applied to the unenlightened in Arab or third world nations or places like China where individual freedom is not yet valued as highly as in the developed world. Unfortunately this is not entirely the case. For example there are 29 states in the USA where you can be legally fired for being gay.

This is a compilation from around the world although US state law does form a significant proportion of the ridiculous legislation. We are not getting at America here at all; but I suppose with so many legislatures and such a variation in cultural, social, religious and ethnic characteristics some bizarre ideas were bound to shoot up and embed themselves in the statute books. We hope you find these snippets entertaining and thought-provoking. And spare a thought for anyone who has fallen victim to any of these – and the poor law enforcers who have to make sense of them and put them into practice (sometimes!).

CONTENTS

10 OF AMERICA’S WEIRDEST LAWS

Check out some of the funniest and most bizarre laws still on the books in the United States.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on March 21 2010

Your little girl plays so well with that sweet boy from next door. Don’t you wish you could steer her clear of all those sleazy guys she’ll meet in high school, and just marry her off right now?

Well, if you live in Arkansas, you had your chance a few years ago. Thanks to a typo in a law passed in 2007, the state government’s opened the door for children of any age to enter the state of holy matrimony (with parental permission, of course). The bill passed without a proofread, and stayed on the books for over a year before a correction was finally made.

Have no fear, Arkansonians: The rest of us have our own bizarre rules, too. Here’s a small sampling of America’s oddest laws.

  1. Well, okay, Arkansas – you’re not off the hook yet. Apparently, it’s illegal to pronounce your name incorrectly (so for those passing through the state who’d like to avoid jail time, it’s ar-kan-SAW, just in case you didn’t know).
  2. Don’t like it when your son jumps over puddles? If you’re in California, just try to stop him – you could end up with a fine for your spoilsport ways.
  3. They like their dogs dumb in Hartford, Connecticut: It’s illegal to educate your four-legged friend.
  4. In Saratoga, Florida, it’s against the law to sing while wearing a bathing suit (we suppose doing it naked is just fine, though).
  5. A certain filthy phrase is illegal in Jonesboro, Georgia: “Oh, boy!” (Hope we didn’t get any Jonesboreans in trouble just now.)
  6. In Idaho, it’s against the law for a man to give a woman a box of chocolate that weighs less than 50 pounds. So if you want to celebrate Valentine’s Day right, that’s the place to be.
  7. It’s illegal to speak English in Illinois. Um, pardonnezmoi?
  8. Cleanliness is next to godliness in Kentucky, where it’s on the books that everyone must bathe at least once a year.
  9. In Massachusetts, Christmas was banned in 1659. Did anyone remember to tell Santa?
  10. And possibly the best law of all is from Texas, where they’re counting on their criminals to be prepared and polite: All criminals in the state are required to give their victims 24 hours notice either orally or in writing, explaining the nature of the crime they plan to commit. A post-crime thank you card is optional.

http://gimundo.com/news/article/10-of-americas-weirdestlaws/

DEMAND FORT MADISON STOP PRACTICE WHEN A 911 CALL COMES IN

Petitioned City of Fort Madison

Caleb Laieski

Phoenix, AZ

Fort Madison Fire Department - “The fire department is required to practice fire fighting for fifteen minutes before attending a fire.”

Photo Credit

To:
City of Fort Madison

I just learned through numerous resources that “the fire department is required to practice fire fighting for fifteen minutes before attending a fire.”

I am requesting clarification on this and if this is a true I am demanding an immediate repeal.

When people contact 911 - it means that it is an emergency and needs URGENT attention.

Looking forward to your response,

Sincerely,
[Your name]

WEIRD LAWS IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA

Laws in the State of Alabama

  1. Bear wrestling matches are prohibited.
  2. Incestuous marriages are legal.
  3. It is illegal to impersonate a person of the clergy.
  4. It is illegal to maim oneself to escape duty.
  5. Dominoes may not be played on Sunday.
  6. It is illegal to wear a fake moustache that causes laughter in church.
  7. Boogers may not be flicked to the wind.
  8. Putting salt on a railroad track may be punishable by death.
  9. It is legal to drive the wrong way down a one-way street if you have a lantern attached to the front of your automobile.
  10. You must have windshield wipers on your car.
  11. It is illegal for pigeons to eat pebbles from composite roofs. (Mobile)
  12. You may not have an ice cream cone in your back pocket at any time.
  13. Masks may not be worn in public.
  14. It’s against the law for a man to seduce “a chaste woman by means of temptation, deception, arts, flattery or a promise of marriage.”
  15. Men may not spit in front of the opposite sex.
  16. You cannot chain your alligator to a fire hydrant.
  17. Women are able to retain all property they owned prior to marriage in the case of divorce. However, this provision does not apply to men.
  18. Men who deflower virgins, regardless of age or marital status, may face up to five years in jail. (Auburn)
  19. It is illegal to sell peanuts after sundown on Wednesday. (Lee County)
  20. ‘Spray String’ is banned. (Mobile)

STRANGE SAN FRANCISCO

blogspot.com

Jennifer ObloySF Writing Examiner

October 22, 2011

Practically every state in America has its fair share of questionable, odd, or downright laughable rules. In the spirit of writing, Halloween, and an ode to all things atypical, here are ten strange laws specific to the San Francisco Bay Area:

LOS ANGELES, CA.:

It is illegal for a man to beat his wife with a strap wider than 2 inches without her consent.

You cannot bathe two babies in the same tub at the same time.

You may not hunt moths under a street light.

It is illegal to cry on the witness stand.

Toads may not be licked.

It is a crime for dogs to mate within 500 yards of a church.

I have never flown in Iowa, so part of my pre-flight planning included familiarizing myself with local laws.

Ignorance is not an excuse, so consider yourself briefed on these more obsure Iowa statutes.