You and I are pretty much on the same page here. My comment was not on the law itself but was with the idea espoused by some that those enforcing the law should somehow be afforded a break in how they enforce it. The idea that the ends justify the means is wrong.
"I hear it all the time when an abuse is pointed out. So and so has a tough job, we need to allow him some leeway in applying the law."
This should never be an excuse for sloppy police work.
My comment is only about the "its a tough job" excuse.
If it is a good excuse I hope you feel the same way about a doctor that cuts off the wrong leg during a surgery.
Michael
It's not. Had the BP agent incorrectly demanded the citizen answer or be detained for refusal to cooperate, I would be saying she was wrong. Same for the former officer who threatened to "cap" the guy whom he refused to allow to notify he was carrying concealed on a traffic stop. Ignorance of the law is no excuse and there is no excuse for arrogance of the law either. I was merely pointing out that in the OP's example, no rights were violated, according to the law.
Self ownership is the First Principle of being free. Violation of this first principle one iota negates the entire thing, the same as a drop of piss in clean water no longer makes clean water pure. Considering that each payday property is taken without consent by government regulates men to being nothing but serfs. Asking permission to arm oneself at anytime regulates us to subjects. Demanding that we stop for checkpoints makes us no better than animals to be herded. The government's only ability to coerce participation in these actions is to hold the threat of physical violence against those who attempt noncompliance. It's been pointed out on this thread and many others on this forum, "... go ahead and see how that works out for you." The implication is that the moment you attempt to exerice your self sovereignty that harms nobody else... the use of physical violence will be brought to bear on you by government employees. They have the guns, the courts... the prisons.
The US is the world's largest basketcase of hypocrisy. Everyone says "land of the free"... but reality proves otherwise. Many on this forum for some reason can not or will not acknowledge that government is the problem, not the solution. Those who continue to support government in any manner (support the police, the troops, etc.) perpetuate the growth of government and ensure the infringement of liberty. Straddling the fence supporting one entity of government while decrying the actions of another is nothing but hypocrisy at it's finest.
What you're espousing is anarchy via absolutism. Absolutism leaves no room for societal norms or codification of societal violations. Everyone suffers under your utopian view of a perfectly free world. Humans are flawed creatures and incapable of perfect behavior. The only way you'll ever get what you want is self-imposed isolation. I'd contend that you have no right to expect other humans to consider you so highly.