fla-gypsy wrote:
Jail time? What a warped society this has become. It was a rock, people! It was stupid to do in a park setting. How many of you have done things in park settings that were against the rules? Like having your pet off leash, picking up a neat looking rock you found or some artifact,? How many of you went off trail to see what was off in another direction? Pay a fine and move on!
I don't understand this attitude. When I visit our parks (or do anything else), I obey the law. I don't speed, I don't litter, I pay my taxes. If I don't agree with a law, I try to change it, I don't decide it doesn't apply to me. If this were an allowable defense, people would use it to justify murder, arson, etc.
While jail time may not be called for, our society needs to do more than fine people for their (in this case blatant) disregard of the law. Significant public service and loss of other privileges are called for. If we're just going to levy fines, maybe we should just set up a system where we can charge people a fee up front to break the law. Install a sign at the park entrance: "Rock Tipping: $200, Littering: $100, Illegal Campfire: $50". For many, a small (for them) fine is not a deterrent at all.
Maybe I'm an anomaly for being a law abiding citizen, but I was raised to believe that a properly functioning society depends on an adherence to the law.