Today, implementation of legislative or executive policies having force of law are seen by misguided Utahns as mass shaming events. People in authority are trying to make other people feel bad about their personal behavior and choices.

Yes, that is exactly what law does, and it is a good thing, not a bad thing.

What would our American history look like if we hadn’t shamed white racists in the Confederate south? How about if we had not shamed sexual harassment by movie producers and executives? What would our world look like if we hadn’t shamed aggressive action taken against our navy at Pearl Harbor, or not used pedophile registries to shame sexual offenders? What would the American dream look like today if we never shamed kids for sluffing school and deciding to sell drugs instead? Are we to stop shaming air and water polluters, and excessive water users in drought areas now?

If we want to have a shame-free society, we had better understand it will be a law-free and democracy-free society. The definition of rule of law is a society that empowers the majority to decide what will be shamed and what will not be shamed.

I wonder if the great Anti-Shame Game being played by some Republicans and Democrats today is done just to deflect criticism of the immense accumulation of wealth and power by business leaders and politicians at the expense of ordinary people. We are doing nothing wrong! Stop shaming us!

Kimball Shinkoskey, Woods Cross

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