Summary Of A Red Light For Flaws By Frank Trippett

Frank Trippett, in his excerpt from “A Red Light for Scofflaws”, claims that these days, every law-abiding citizen commits crimes no matter how big or how small. First, he provides general facts about the average citizen and what they do that goes against the law. He continues by stating that more and more people are becoming criminals by their actions. Trippett’s goal is to inform the public that whether a bank is being robbed or trash is being thrown out the window, it is still a crime. The author asserts an informative and knowledgeable tone for anyone who may think the word “crime” only has a strong meaning when it is related to a life-threatening or dangerous act. The author’s claim is agreeable because although there are much more serious

According to Trippett, “...[Americans] are taking increasing liberties with all sorts of ‘minor’ laws that are nonetheless designed to protect and nourish society.” Laws are set for a reason, so if somebody is doing something that disobeys a law, they are breaking that law and they are essentially a criminal. Everyday laws are being broken, from littering to speeding. For example, I often find myself driving over the speed limit, and although I trust myself enough for it to not be a danger to me, anything can happen and so I am not only putting myself in danger but also the other drivers around me. What seems like such a miniscule crime to commit, could potentially turn into a very big one. Additionally, with more and more people thinking it is perfectly okay to break minor laws, it eventually gets out of hand and becomes an even bigger problem than it would have been had everyone followed them to begin with. For example, if one person throws a small piece of trash along the road, it does not seem like that big of a problem but when that one person’s trash is added to everyone else’s littering, it really puts it in perspective. All together, if someone is not abiding by the law, it is a