Let’s
see….the word
….illegal, what was
the meaning of that
word again?
Oh, yes….as I recall
it means something
is against the law.
I think the key word
here is …against.
This means the
opposite of for the
law…it’s against the
law…seems like it
should be very
clear.
However up in the
great city of
Dallas, Texas, there
seems to be a heated
discussion going on
at this time over
whether or not
persons driving
motor vehicles
should be required
to have liability
insurance or not. It
seems some silly old
mean council person
drafted a ordinance
that allows the
police to tow your
car or truck if you
don’t have a valid
insurance policy for
that vehicle.
You’d think this was
a no brainer
wouldn’t you?
Apparently not in
Dallas, Texas.
Nope, the ordinance
was opposed by
several council
members who felt
that having
insurance would
place an undue
hardship on those
who cannot afford
any more expenses.
The ordinance was
opposed on the basis
that poor people
should not have to
choose between food,
shelter, clothing
and insurance. One
member of the
council stated their
opinion by saying
that they wanted the
police to be
‘enforcing the law
and fighting
crime….not writing
tickets to the poor
in our society who
cannot afford to buy
car insurance’.
I’m sorry, but I
thought driving
without insurance
was already a crime
in this state. Just
because it’s
somewhat
inconvenient and
places a financial
burden upon others,
is that a reason to
allow members of our
society to drive
anywhere they want,
have wrecks and get
off free because
they could not
afford to buy
insurance?
I don’t think so.
If we use that
analogy, then why
lock people up for
theft or selling
drugs? After all,
these people are
just stealing or
selling drugs
because they’re
broke and don’t have
the money to pay
their bills. Why
enforce the law at
all? In fact why
even have any laws
of any kind at all?
You and I know that
there are some laws
out there that are
not going to make
everyone happy, so
why have any at all?
Why not just let
people observe
whatever laws they
want to observe and
skip the rest if it
isn’t convenient to
them?
I don’t like red
lights and speed
limits, so why
should I bother? Why
not just drive as
fast as I want and
run every light I
come to at every
intersection?
Because there is a
law that says I must
obey these laws in a
civilized society.
The burden of
financial distress
for allowing
uninsured drivers
works both ways. If
an uninsured driver
hits some person,
then that person is
forced to fix the
damage out of their
own pocket or file
on their own
insurance which will
probably make their
own rates go up when
it comes time for
renewal. Go one step
further, let’s say a
woman is walking
across the street to
go to work and some
uninsured driver
hits her. The driver
could not afford
insurance because he
is paying for his
food, shelter and
other things,
remember? So, who
pays for the lady’s
injuries if not the
driver?
I’ll tell you who.
You and me…that’s
who.
Perhaps we should
set up some program
to pay for everyone
who can’t afford
insurance on their
car. Remember
driving is a
privilege, not a
right. But let’s
forget about that
for a moment and
just say that our
society should
establish a fund to
pay for everyone who
can’t afford
something in order
to meet the
requirement of the
law.
I’ll go for that as
long as they
establish a fund to
pay for the traffic
tickets I’ll get for
speeding and running
red lights.
Why should I have to
pay for something I
can’t afford? Why
can one person
consciously violate
the law and others
can’t? Why have laws
on the books if they
are not going to be
enforced? You
probably are saying
something like… ‘boy
are you cold
hearted. …those poor
people need help.’
I’m concerned over
the poor in our
society, but let’s
be real….the more we
hand out, the more
that gets expected
to be handed out. A
gift today is a due
tomorrow. We need
better education and
more job
opportunities to
push people up in
our society not keep
them forced down by
winks and nods at
the law. A practice
that allows them to
skirt common sense
as well as societal
responsibilities
does nothing but
harm all elements of
our country.
All of us, at all
levels of society,
not just the poor.
