[nina0113]

But it can't teach them how to be good people and behave with consideration for God, for others and for themselves.

No, but it can enforce the standards set by the community. At some point, someone decided that public urination and sex-toy shops operating openly did not meet those standards. Maybe it was the City Council, maybe it was a county ballot issue, maybe it was fifty years ago. However and whenever they came about, those legal standards are currently the law of the land,even if the "land" is just the township.

Maybe the community does feel that standards have changed. Instead of asking that the existing legal standards not be enforced, Joe Citizen should get out there and work to change the law. If enough of the community agrees that standards have changed, they'll vote Joe's way. If not, maybe Joe should vote with his feet and move to a community that has standards he can live with more easily.

[nathanbedford]

I think Lady Astor got it right about a century ago and her judgment has not been improved upon since:

You can do anything you like in public so long as you don't frighten the horses.

[Turret Gunner A20]

Instead of asking that the existing legal standards not be enforced, Joe Citizen should get out there and work to change the law. If enough of the community agrees that standards have changed, they'll vote Joe's way. If not, maybe Joe should vote with his feet and move to a community that has standards he can live with more easily.

Yeah .... Ken Giles was jogging in a park in Johnson City, Tenn., when, as he put it, "nature called." He went off the trail to go take care of business. .. and citizen Ken, like a good citizen he used to be [now with a record as a sex offender], shouild just pee in his pants, then hurry over and get the law changed. s/ What ever happened to common sense in law enforcement???

[Ben Ficklin]

"No, but it can enforce the standards set by the community"

Like the Taliban?

[MarkL]

No, but it can enforce the standards set by the community. At some point, someone decided that public urination and sex-toy shops operating openly did not meet those standards.

I agree with you that communities should not just allow peeing in public... However someone who does so should NOT be charged with a sex crime, which can very well follow him for life.

Mark

[timm22]

No, but it can enforce the standards set by the community.

You do mean standards for public behavior, I presume?

Both of the examples you gave were for public matters, so I thought that was what you meant. Or do you also believe the community should be able to enforce standards for private behavior, behind closed doors, between consenting adults?