Ⅰ. 细品味经典文章
Of course, not everyone in America abides by the law. Crime is a growing problem. For that reason, law enforcement officials will never be out of a job. Police officers have their hands full trying to arrest lawbreakers. Detective agencies spend countless hours trying to figure out unsolved crimes. Nevertheless, most Americans still like to believe that the “long arm of the law” will eventually nab the bad guys.
But even bad guys in America have the right to a fair trial. When a person is brought to an American court, he is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Many ancient Eastern systems, in contrast, viewed an accused person as guilty until proven innocent. They used torture and other extreme measures to find out the truth. The American system tries to protect the rights of the accused. Still, the system is far from perfect. Court cases involving celebrities can become media circuses. Skilled lawyers sometimes use minor issues to get their clients set free. And prison inmates may live even better than many poor citizens.
No one believes a perfect legal system is possible. Yet every society has laws. Whether people follow the letter of the law or just the spirit of the law, they recognize the need for laws to keep order in society. Without them, chaos would result. If every man were a law unto himself, no man would be free.
