My state's constitution seems to contain a provision requiring that once every two years we must pass a bill which dazzles the entire country in its glittering, bejeweled stupidity. Not all of them are bad. I rather like the absurd ones. For instance, it is illegal to go whale hunting in Oklahoma. That law is certainly a nice gesture {whales both sing and have giant brains, putting them one point ahead of many legislators}. But humpback poaching has never really been problematic in our part of the country, what with it being landlocked and all.
In Andrew Heaton's book "Laughter is Better Than Communism," he humorously points out an absurd provision in his state's constitution that mandates the passage of ridiculous legislation every two years. He reflects on the nature of some of these laws, noting that while they can be silly, some, like the prohibition of whale hunting in Oklahoma, are amusing in their absurdity. This particular law is particularly noteworthy given Oklahoma's landlocked status, making whale hunting impractical.
Heaton suggests that these odd laws, despite their nonsensical nature, can sometimes be appreciated for their whimsical characterization of political life. The humor arises not just from the laws themselves, but from the juxtaposition of bureaucratic processes and the surreal scenarios they create, highlighting a certain charm in legislative foolishness.
