Absurd Files: New Year, Old (Really Old) Laws.

I thought that, since we are beginning another new year, a reminder of some old laws which still remain on the books might be in order. After all, "Ignorance of the law excuses no one". These are all laws which are still in effect, although I doubt if any of them has been enforced in many years. But, then, you never know when knowing one of these laws might actually save you a fine, or even a stint in the local jail.

Therefore, with a sense of civic duty in mind, I present them for your reading pleasure:

1. In Billings, Montana, it is illegal for anyone to sell, harbor or give away rats as pets or toys for any purpose other than to feed snakes or birds of prey. Scientists, however, can keep lab rats. (There goes my Christmas wish list! Any laws against owning skunks?)

2. Using profanity is against the law on playgrounds and in public parks in Columbia, Md. (Did anyone inform the kids of this law?)

3. The last Sunday in June each year is Log Cabin Day in Michigan. (Because, secretly, haven't you always wanted your very own log cabin?)

4. In Michigan, it is legal to kill a dog for attacking chickens, livestock or people, but you can't snuff the pooch in a high altitude decompression chamber or by electrocution. (Michael Vick could have used this information!)

5. In West Virginia, anyone who taunts someone who decides not to participate in a duel or who declines to accept a challenge is guilty of a misdemeanor and can be sent to jail for up to six months and fined up to $100. (Yeah, we don't want any sissies duelling each other, right?)

6. In Kentucky it is illegal to sell, exchange, offer to sell or exchange, display, or possess living baby chicks, ducklings, or other fowl or rabbits that have been dyed or colored. It is also illegal to dye or color baby chicks, ducklings, fowl or rabbits. And unless they are at least two months old, the aforementioned animals must be sold in batches of six. (So it's illegal to dye OR sell dyed chicks and ducklings, but if you do it anyway be sure to sell them only in batches of six?)

7. At shooting ranges in Massachusetts, it is illegal to shoot at targets depicting a human -- whether as a figure, effigy or a silhouette -- unless you're a public safety officer performing official duties. (You have to drive to New York to do this, and then you can even use real humans!)

8. In Alabama it is against the law to alter the natural appearance of the teeth of a horse or mule to make the animal appear younger than it actually is. (You know how vain those horses and mules are!)

9. In Alabama anyone performing a marriage rite is entitled to a fee of $2 per marriage. (Since it's in Alabama who pays the two dollars, the brother or the sister?)

10. In Alabama it is against the law to exploit a bear by promoting, engaging in or being employed at a bear wrestling match, or by subjecting a bear to surgical alteration of any kind, including, but not limited to, declawing, tooth removal and severing tendons. (I guess they determined that bear wrestling was all fake, huh?)

11. In Texas, when two trains meet each other at a railroad crossing, each shall come to a full stop, and neither shall proceed until the other has gone. (That could take a while. I guess that's why I have to sit so long waiting for trains to pass.)

12. In Texas it is illegal for one to shoot a buffalo from the second story of a hotel. (Well, how else can we get rid of all those pesky buffaloes?)

13. In California Women may not drive in a house coat. (I know, those housecoat-wearing women drivers can be so distracting, right?)

14. In Vermont women must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth. (What about wearing other "falsies"?)

15. In Barre, Vermont, all residents shall bathe every Saturday night. (This law is fairly vague; so can the residents bathe together?)

This is just the tip of the iceberg, as far as these old laws are concerned. Every state has many of them still on the books. Many of them are quite humorous, but they really are a great way to compare lifestyles and community sentiment of days gone by with today.

Article source: here and here