Thoughts to Build On

There is considerable variation in the degree
of certainty with which our laws and regulations are en-
forced. We excuse this because of the human, and there-
fore variable, interpretations of the severity of the infrac-
tions. Law enforcement has become a somewhat personal
prerogative of the individual or organization entrusted with
seeing that laws and regulations are obeyed-strictly, ex-
actly, within their full meaning and intent.
The situation in the field of law enforcement
has become so lax that private citizens and pressure groups
arrogantly and publicly announce that they will obey only
those laws and regulations which suit their personal pur-
pose and that they deliberately will openly disobey any
law which, in their own individual judgment, is not to
their benefit or is deterring their aims. No nation which
tolerates such open and hostile defiance of its laws by its
own citizens can long survive. Even the threat of such
defiance should incur such disciplinary action as to make
the act itself avoided because of the assured severity of
certain punishment.
No individual, because he is a leader or a vocal
member of a dissident pressure group, deserves immunity
from, or should be given probated or trivial punishment
for, deliberately and defiantly breaking a law or regulation.
We have developed a fear of making martyrs because it
might enhance their publicity and propaganda value. This
is a dishonorable fear which can be eliminated by making
the punishment for self-provoked martyrdom suffiCiently
severe to make it undesirable. Otherwise, we shall con-
tinue to have our law enforcement officials under frequent