From a reader:

Jonah,
Wait, what’s the argument for “the law is a ass”?

The phrase is from Oliver Twist:

“If the law supposes that,” said Mr. Bumble,… “the law is a ass—a idiot. If that’s the eye of the law, the law is a bachelor; and the worst I wish the law is that his eye may be opened by experience—by experience.”

Our Brits and other literary lights may want to pronounce on this controversy. But I’ve got to finish a slippery mag piece.