Ought There Be a Law?

Alex Tabarrok, writing at Marginal Revolution, reminds us via an essay from Stephen Carter that every law is backed up by the state, which is entitled to use lethal force in making sure its policies are carried out. Break a law, get arrested and fined or sentenced. Resist, and get taken down. Resist too strongly and get hurt. Resist with dangerous force and possibly get shot and die.

Which means, as Tabarrok notes, that the city council members of Santa Barbara, California, are willing to kill a waiter or waitress for bringing you a plastic straw.