[2001convSVT]

You are right. Without a respect for the LAW civilization will break down into chaos. The police represent the law and therefore crimes against uniformed, on duty police (or other officers of the law)are the most grievous.

[coloradan]

There are lots of places where respect for THE LAW is paramount, e.g. North Korea, Soviet Union, etc. So there’s gotta be something else at stake here.

[spunkets]

"Without a respect for the LAW civilization will break down into chaos."

Without a respect for life and rights civilization breaks down. The worth of the law is how well it measures up to protecting life and individual rights. Coloradan's right, when he said, some people are more equal than others. If the car owner had interfered and been killed, the law holds his life as less worthy of protection and punishment. What's to be protected here is life and equal protection under the law requires that the law applies equally to all.