Dumb laws

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Dumb Laws, also weird, strange, or loony laws, are laws that are perceived to be stupid, useless, or funny. There are relatively few real "dumb laws" on the books, but large amount of hoax or exaggerated dumb laws are circulated on the internet and in the print media. Common characteristics of these laws, are prohibitions against seemingly benign behaviors (for example it is claimed that in California "bathhouses are against the law" ^[1]) or prohibitions against acts that one is realistically unlikely to carry out (such as an Arizona law prohibiting hunting camels, while camels are not native to North America .^[2]). However, when put in proper context the "dumb laws" will often no longer appear dumb. In reality, California only bans bathhouses that encourage sex, in order to prevent the spread of AIDS ^[3] and the Arizona law was designed to deal with aftereffects of a failed army experiment to use camels as a military animal. ^[4]

Several books have been written and numerous websites exist on the internet purporting to list "dumb laws" in various jurisdictions(see "External links" section)^[5]. The "dumb laws" are also often circulated via e-mail chain letters.

Some of the purported ""dumb laws" have no basis in reality, or are an exaggeration of real laws. For example a reasonable law about preservations of rare cactus species ^[6] may be presented as humorous statement that "There is a possible 25 years in prison for cutting down a cactus."^[7]. The meme's popularity is attested to by existing websites that generate the "dumb laws" at random. ^[8] Local communities often express concern when their laws get cited on one of the lists on the internet, and see it as a cause to change the law.^[9]

Contents 1 Example 2 Reasons for dumb laws 3 Dumb laws in popular culture 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Example

Some laws are well known hoaxes:

• The law that claims that sorority houses are illegal since more than a certain number of single females living together constitutes a brothel is well known fake.^[10]

Some laws are however real and still exist on the books:

• In New Orleans it is prohibited by the fire code to curse a fireman when he is engaged in his official duties.^[11]
• In Tennessee duelists and atheists are not allowed to be elected to public office. ^[12] This can be further seen in the Governor's oath.

• Section 165-55 of the Australian A New Tax System (Goods and Services) Act 1999 ^[13] says:

For the purpose of making a declaration under this Subdivision, the Commissioner may:

a) treat a particular event that actually happened as not having happened; and

b) treat a particular event that did not actually happen as having happened and, if appropriate, treat the event as:

i) having happened at a particular time; and

ii) having involved particular action by a particular entity; and

c) treat a particular event that actually happened as:

i) having happened at a time different from the time it actually happened; or

ii) having involved particular action by a particular entity (whether or not the event actually involved any action by that entity).

[edit] Reasons for dumb laws

Many dumb laws are antiquated, and are based on the standards of their days, such as numerous ones prohibiting work or various other activities on Sundays (see blue laws), or those restricting what women can do. The times have since changed, thereby permitting more freedom. Some cultures, however, still strictly enforce laws that seem antiquated in other parts of the world.^[14]

Often, the laws are misunderstood by the standards of the present time, whereas at the time they passed, they had a meaning well known to their times.

[edit] Dumb laws in popular culture

An episode of The Simpsons had the police ordered to fill the jails. The police arrest Homer Simpson for violation of a dumb law on the books which states that in Springfield tin cans may not be kicked more than five times, as it would constitute "illegally transporting litter".

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Dumb Laws
• Dumb Laws by state