Wacky Laws in the United States
Rania Suleiman, section editor
Tying a giraffe to a telephone pole is considered breaking the law, even if it sounds bizarre. Some laws tend to be wacky and prevent things nobody would ever consider doing. In states like California, Georgia and Florida there have been laws created that are oddly specific.
In Georgia, it’s illegal to tie a giraffe to a telephone pole or a streetlamp. Back then, the law meant that no animal could be tied to a street pole. In the 20th century, traveling circuses were a common sight. A lady, who was part of a circus, wanted to take a quick break, so she tied Elsie, a giraffe, to a pole. Elsie managed to make a great escape and explored the city; authorities scrambled to find her. When Elsie was finally found, she was safely brought back to the carnival. The law was passed to prevent animals, like Elsie, from walking into ongoing traffic. The giraffe could have also broken the telephone pole or a streetlamp which could cause a power outage.
The state of New York made it illegal to urinate on pigeons. New York City has two laws, one against public urination and another against animal abuse. New York wants to keep their pigeons protected, meaning you cannot hit, poison or pee on pigeons. Obscure laws like these are set up to prevent these situations from happening and offer extra protection for the animals.
California, specifically in the city of Blythe, has created a law that bans somebody from wearing cowboy boots unless they have at least two cattle. Most California fashion trends don’t include cowboy boots; therefore, in some places it’s illegal to wear them unless they have cattle. While this law isn’t enforced, it remains in the books to this day.
Texas has made it illegal to sell your eyeballs on the web, and it’s also illegal to buy them. The Federal National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) explicitly states that no human organ can be sold. It goes against ethical concerns and public health safety. The main reason why it specifically states eyeballs is to ensure that no organs are ever sold, and that nobody thinks eyeballs are an exception.
In Washington, specifically Seattle, there was a law passed stating that you cannot bring a fish in a fishbowl on a public bus. Some banter circulated in 2014 that the sound of sloshing water from the fishbowl would disrupt the passengers.
The state of Alabama forbids wearing a fake mustache in church. This law was set in place because it’s illegal to impersonate a religious figure, since that is considered highly offensive and disrespectful. A fake mustache could potentially mock a religious figure, so therefore, it's fully banned. Not only could the mustache be offensive, but it could also cause laughter in the church. Most churches aim to maintain a decorum during their services, so that is why they don’t want distractions from their main goals.
When students at Johns Creek High School were asked what wacky law they would create, there were some unique answers.
“Every citizen must try or acquire a new hobby every month,” says sophomore Hadley Harris.
“Make femboy day a national holiday and everyone must celebrate it,” says junior Cianna Tang.
“Eating a cupcake upside down is illegal,” says junior Charlotte Albright.
These laws are oddly specific, and it's highly unlikely for an individual to get arrested for doing any of these things. But they have a complex history and have been put into place for reasons.