In many circles today, 'obedience' is seen as a four-letter word. We would not be a Nation today had not our founders been disobedient colonist fed up with rules that they felt unfair and powerless to affect. In America, one of our first national flags was the Gadsden Flag that shows a coiled snake ready to strike and the words "Don't Tread on Me". We do not like our individual freedoms infringed upon and we do not like to feel like we are being taxed unfairly; remember: we dumped a load of tea into the Boston Harbor over that issue. In contemporary disagreements over rule of law, some cite extreme examples of obedience, like the Nazi party or doomsday cult followers, as an argument for disobedience. Others call rule followers unkind names like 'sheep' or 'sheeple', and just like any instance where there is name calling, it proves unproductive and only widens the gap between sides.
It is okay to have an opinion and it is appropriate to stand up for what is morally right. Yet, do not go down the path of thinking 'obedience' is a bad thing. In this republic called the United States of America we have laws at the national, state and local level that are voted on and approved by our elected officials, and often held to scrutiny by our judicial system. Obedience to laws is a part of being a productive citizen in our society. Someone may want to smoke in a crowded restaurant, drive 120 miles per hour through a school zone, or practice rifle marksmanship in a subdivision, but those are not recognized freedoms because they have the potential to cause harm to others. Our businesses also have a say on what goes on in their establishments. For example: "no shirt, no shoes, no service"; "you must be 21 to enter"; "coat and tie required"; or "you must be taller than this line to ride". Rules are all around us.
Individual freedoms are an important part of our society. They are so important that many of the founding fathers would not approve the Constitution until the Bill of Rights were added, establishing amendments to the Constitution defining those inalienable rights. Over the course of two centuries, legislation and courts have shown that many of these rights are not open-ended, and have placed limits where one's freedom harms another, e.g., albeit the 1st Amendment guarantees the right to free speech, one cannot yell "fire!" in a theater when there is no fire, as it can cause panic and trampling. We have established mechanisms to change laws. When a rule is too overreaching or there is a need for another rule, we have the ability to make change by introducing new legislation through our elected officials. If one is really passionate about a cause, he or she sometimes runs for an elected office to make needed change for his/her community.
In a nutshell, we are a nation, commonwealth and community of laws. In one lens, one may see a law denying one of a freedom, where another's perspective may see the same law as delivering protection. I encourage you to understand your perspective and attempt to see things from another's perspective. Meanwhile, follow laws, because that is part of being a good citizen. If you do not see the law as fair, take productive and legal steps to change the law so that it best serves our society.
A Scout is Obedient.