On Fri, 20 Mar 2009 03:09:41 -0400, Warp wrote:

> Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
>> On Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:42:21 -0400, Warp wrote:
> 
>> >> Ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law, though, and it's far,
>> >> far better to err on the side of caution with something like this
>> > 
>> >   Hmm, exactly how is it illegal to make an assumption about the
>> >   legality
>> > of someone's action in a certain country/state?
> 
>> It's not illegal to make the assumption.  But if you make the
>> assumption it's "safe" and it's illegal, you aren't going to catch a
>> break - because ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it.
> 
>   It was a rethorical question. I just wanted to point out that I said
> nothing about whether it's a good idea to do it or not. My original
> point was that people seem to always assume it's illegal without
> actually knowing the actual laws of the place.

Sure.  But at the same time, you would agree, I think, that it's better 
to err on the side of legality, not illegality.

>> >   Ok, maybe if a lawyer did that and he is mistaken, he could get
>> >   sued for
>> > malpractice or something.
> 
>> We're talking about two different things, I think.
> 
>   I was just being sarcastic. I apologize.

No problem, I actually didn't understand the comment, even with sarcasm 
tags in place.

>> >>, lest you
>> >> end up in jail for statutory rape with a bunch of people who REALLY
>> >> don't like rapists.  From what I hear, people convicted of that -
>> >> especially when minors are involved - tend not to do very well in
>> >> the general prison population.
>> > 
>> >   And if you really are innocent and convicted wrongly, tough luck.
> 
>> Welcome to the justice system in the USA....
> 
>   I don't believe being beaten up in prison is part of the justice
>   system.
> Not the legal one, at least.

Those who have been in prison (I haven't, but I have family who has been) 
describe an entirely different code of conduct between prisoners.  There 
is a very distinct type of order, and while there are guards who will 
keep things from getting too far out of hand, there are things they don't 
interfere in either.

Jim

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