It should be no surprise that there are a lot of laws on the books that are just asinine. In South Carolina, you must be at least eighteen years old to play pinball. I can’t remember the last time I even saw a pinball machine in South Carolina! You will find yourself in deep trouble if you keep your horse in a bathtub and it is a legal offense to get a tattoo. As kooky as these are, there are other “normal” laws on the books that appear to be asinine because are used improperly all the time, and usually no one but the police are laughing.
Imagine being arrested and jailed for simply asking a question of a public official. It can and does happen much too often; not in Iran or North Korea, but right here in Horry County and all over the United States.
One may scoff and ask, “Who would pass such a law that states, ‘Ask a question – go to jail.’” The answer is no one, of course, but what exists is what police like to call “failure to do right” laws. Disorderly conduct and interfering with a police officer in the performance of his duties are examples of this type of law. In a disorderly conduct situation, a person is in a public place creating a nuisance to others. When it comes to interfering with an officer’s duties, generally a third person gets in the way of an arrest or investigation by asking questions or being a pest.
Both of these situations are generally handled with a warning to the offending party, but all too often the police stretch these laws (and that’s putting it nicely), to a point where if a police officer is simply being asked, “What’s going on officer? Why are you taking the action you’re taking?” or “Will you explain to me what’s happening?” the officer’s immediate response is arresting the person for questioning his authority.
Of course, South Carolina law requires 1,500 hours of training for cosmetologists and only 396 for police officers. Perhaps a couple more hours of conflict training wouldn’t hurt those working towards being in law enforcement.
