So-called sovereign citizens, like the Waukesha Parade attacker Darrell Brooks, frequently ask very silly questions during court proceedings. For instance, “Is that a lawful law?” a statement which, judicially, is meaningless. But, philosophically, it’s worth asking what makes a law lawful? A law is only lawful if it can be enforced. Walter Benjamin astutely pointed out how the use of violence is the means by which the law achieves its ends.
Citation:
