snow wrote:

Part of the problem is that people _assume_ that legislation fixes problems. It doesn't. Laws just give society permission to punish the offender.

Prosecutor: "You should find this nanny guilty of murder because young people like to party." Jury: "Duuhhh...OK!" What I find ironically hilarious, offensive and sad, is that there are still so many new laws being passed, in spite of the fact that they are no longer really needed. Courtrooms now pretty much just serve as an arena for engaging in the age-old sport of public stoning. Whoever does the best job of finger pointing, while working the crowd into a frenzy, wins. Tim McVeigh was Dead Meat (TM) the minute the judge ruled that fingers in the courtroom could only be pointed at Terrible Timmy. I guess I'm an old fart...I remember when $15 million could buy you a decent attorney. I don't own any guns, so I guess when the Feds kick my door in, I'll just point at the dog, and hope they go for my clever ruse. Hell, I'm even willing to testify... Not-Me!