[caption id="attachment_3518" align="alignright" width="186" caption="Image courtesy of minifig/Flickr"] [/caption] Yesterday's post about the Tea Party movement somehow denigrated into an argument about immigration. I, of course, chose the polemic side of the argument, stating that what makes it illegal is the lack of paperwork. Not surprisingly, many commenters disagreed, but I was struck by the number of people who seemed to think that just because something is codified as law, it is automatically right, just, and makes sense. So, I set out today to show to those people that at times the law can be quite ridiculous, and easily broken. There's a whole website called DumbLaws.com that is devoted to this, so I'll just pull out my favorites. All of these are still on the books in their respective states, although many are no longer enforced due to intervention by the judiciary. Actual text of the law is in quotes where length permits, otherwise they've been summarized.

• California: Women are not allowed to drive in a housecoat.
• Colorado: It is unlawful for any person to willfully mar, mutilate, deface, disfigure, or injure beyond normal use any rocks in recreation areas of the state.
• Connecticut: It is illegal to dispose of used razor blades.
• Florida: "If any man and woman, not being married to each other, lewdly and lasciviously associate and cohabit together, they shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree."
• Idaho: It is illegal for a man to give his sweetheart a box of candy weighing less than 50 pounds.
• Kansas: "It is unlawful for any person or persons, while operating a motor vehicle on the streets or highways of the city, to accelerate or speed the vehicle in such a manner or to turn a corner in such a manner as to cause the tires to screech. Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction be punished by a fine not to exceed $500, imprisonment for a period not to exceed 30 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
• Louisiana: It is a $500 fine to instruct a pizza delivery man to deliver a pizza to your friend without them knowing.
• Michigan: "Any man who shall seduce and debauch any unmarried woman shall be guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison not more than 5 years or by fine of not more than $2500"
• Mississippi: "If any person shall profanely swear or curse, or use vulgar and indecent language, or be drunk in any public place, in the presence of two (2) or more persons, he shall, on conviction thereof, be fined not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) or be imprisoned in the county jail not more than thirty (30) days or both."
• New Jersey: "The driver of an overtaking motor vehicle not within abusiness or residence district shall give audible warning with his horn or other warning device before passing or attempting to pass a vehicle proceeding in the same direction."
• Oklahoma: "No owner, operator, partner, manager, or person having supervisory control of any establishment licensed to sell or serve intoxicating beverages shall permit any of the following on or about any commercial premises where intoxicating beverages are dispensed or consumed: (1) The performance by any person of acts, or simulated acts, of sexual intercourse, masturbation, sodomy, bestiality, oral copulation, flagellation, or any sexual acts which are otherwise prohibited by law...(4) Any person to perform acts of, or acts which simulate, sexual acts which are prohibited by law, or permit any person to use artificial devices or inanimate objects to depict any prohibited activities or permit the showing of films, still pictures, electronic reproductions or other visual reproductions depicting any of the prohibited activities described in this paragraph."
• South Carolina: "It is unlawful for a minor under the age of eighteen to play a pinball machine."
• Tennessee: "The intermarriage of white persons with negroes, mulattoes, or persons of mixed blood, descended from a negro to the third generation inclusive of their living together as man and wife in this State is prohibited. The legislature shall enforce this section by appropriate legislation."
• Texas: "A person commits an offense if he engages in deviate sexual intercourse with another individual of the same sex. An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor [An individual adjudged guilty of a Class C misdemeanor shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $500.]."
• Virginia: Radar detectors are illegal.
• Washington: It is a misdemeanor to be out in public if you have a cold.
• West Virginia: "If any person arrived at the age of discretion profanely curse or swear or get drunk in public, he shall be fined by a justice one dollar for each offense."
• Wyoming: "A person is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00) if he opens and neglects to close a gate or replace bars in a fencewhich crosses a private road or a river, stream or ditch."

In conclusion, human law is imperfect. Just because it exists doesn't make it right. Not all law-breakers (which is most of the population) are bad people.