Dumb Laws

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how a look at some of the laws still on the books in our states and cities makes the reader wonder what the lawmakers were thinking when they passed those laws. These "protective" laws may not have actually protected many people or animals from very much. It explores some of the dafter regulations that still hold today that cover issues of dress, language, and animals.

From the Paper:

"Language is another behavior that many cities and states felt they needed to regulate on public streets. Some laws had a legitimate reason. For instance, in Jonesboro, Georgia, it is illegal to say "Oh Boy!" That sounds pretty silly at first, but as it turns out, after slavery ended, it was common for former owners to call to their slaves by saying "Oh, Boy!" Several would respond, fighting for the right to do whatever job the man had in mind. By forbidding "Oh Boy," the law owners forced the former slave owners to use the former slaves' names, ending the confusion, and fights over the job to be offered."

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