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Do you know all the laws in your country? What about America? America has some incredible laws. Did you know that in the state of Alabama it’s illegal for donkeys to sleep in bathtubs? Yes, that’s it. You are prohibited from taking your pet donkey and placing him in the bath in order to wash him. This is the start of a new mini-series on some of America’s dumbest laws. Here are some from Alabama, Alaska and Arizona (US English spelling)

I t is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while operating a vehicle. Alabama.

Dominoes may not be played on Sunday. Alabama.

It is illegal to wear a fake moustache that

causes laughter in church. Alabama.

Putting salt on a railroad track may be punishable by death. Alabama.

It is legal to drive the wrong way down a one-way street if you have a lantern attached to the front of your automobile. Alabama.

You may not have an ice- cream cone in your back pocket at any time. Alabama.

Masks may not be worn in public. Alabama.

Men may not spit in front of the opposite sex. Alabama.

You may not wear blue jeans down Noble Street. Alabama.

Moose may not be viewed from an airplane. Alaska.

While it is legal to shoot bears, waking a sleeping

bear for the purpose of taking a photograph is prohibited. Alaska.

It is considered an offense to push a live moose out of a moving airplane. Alaska.

Hunting camels is prohibited. Arizona.

A class 2 misdemeanor occurs if one places a mark upon a flag which is “likely to provoke physical retaliation”. Arizona.

When being attacked by a criminal or burglar, you may only protect yourself with the same weapon that the other person possesses. Arizona.

It is unlawful to refuse a person a glass of water. Arizona.

Anyone caught stealing soap must wash himself with it until it is all used up. Arizona.

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Hopefully, this fake moustache won't

cause any amusement in church.

GLOSSARYdumb adj USstupidblindfolded adjwith a piece of cloth covering your eyes so you cannot see fake adjnot real; an imitation a moustache na line of hair above your mouth and below your nose a railroad track none of the two metal lines on which trains travel a one-way street na street that only permits traffic in one direction a lantern na lamp in a metal frame with glass sides and with a handle so you can carry it a cone na cone-shaped wafer used for holding ice cream to spit vbto force liquid out of your mouth a moose na large North American deer live adjthat is living – not dead a misdemeanor na crime that is not really seriousa mark na stain on clothing caused by coffee or dirt a couch na sofa

Why dumb?

The truth is, there’s a story behind every one of these seemingly dumb laws. Take this one, for example. In Colorado it is illegal to place a couch on outside porches. This may appear very strange, but there is a good reason for it and it goes like this. The University of Colorado in Boulder is famous for its party atmosphere. A common tradition at the University is to burn couches following big events (i.e. winning a football game). To stop this potentially dangerous activity, a law was passed to discourage it. Makes sense, doesn’t it? So, you see, there’s a logical explanation for every one of these laws, even if they do appear dumb to us now.

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