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Monday, 9 September 2024

The details are still unclear



Labour backs new 'respect orders' to fight anti-social behaviour - but isn't yet sure how they will work

Dame Diana Johnson admits many who suffer from anti-social behaviour are still being let down by police and councils.

Labour has defended the concept of new 'respect orders' for fighting anti-social behaviour - but admitted the details are still unclear.


respect
/rɪˈspɛkt/

1. a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements.
"the director had a lot of respect for Douglas as an actor"

2. due regard for the feelings, wishes, or rights of others.
"young people's lack of respect for their parents"


It's a problem when politicians and political activists support their fantasies by meddling with the meaning of words. 'Respect' is just another example and not a new one. In activist parlance, 'respect' seems to be something imposed, either politically, legally or by coercion of some kind, essentially the unearned respect the powerless must show towards the powerful.

A futile word to have adopted in this case. Or maybe slightly chilling when we consider official reactions to recent disturbances. The details are still unclear.

6 comments:

Sam Vega said...

"Young man, as this is your first offence, I am imposing an immediate Respect Order, and you are expected to fully comply. If your Respect Order Monitoring Person (ROMP) reports to this court that you have insufficiently developed respect, be in no doubt that I will then impose an Affection Order, such that you will need to become all soppy and well-meaning towards the community. Thereafter, you can be sentenced to a lifetime of Adoration and Worship towards all sentient beings..."

dearieme said...

I dare say they mean "respec' bruvver" orders.

DiscoveredJoys said...

They are not sure how the respect orders will work - because they haven't worked out how to apply them to people who do not 'respect' politicians without causing an outbreak of heated criticism.

We are not far off the point where ordinary people will start using cunning euphemisms to get around authoritarian hypocrisy - just like they used to in Communist countries.

A K Haart said...

Sam - ha ha, they must wonder where they are going with it too. We're bound to see a Respect Order Monitoring Person (ROMP) at least.

dearieme - I'm sure that's what they mean and "Yo" ought to be in there too. Or maybe that's the US version.

DJ - I agree, we are bound to see a healthy euphemism growth and English is just the job for it.

Doonhamer said...

Can you define social behaviour?
Then you might be able to define anti social behaviour.
Now, can you, somehow, in precise legalistic terms, using the English language, define any correlation between social behaviour and respect?
Naw. We are just going to slap naughty persons into those full to bursting gaols because they shouted at a dog. Because we don't like them.
It's Catch 484. It's the nicest catch in our modern legal system.


A K Haart said...

Doonhamer - it is a Catch 484 because it can be widened and ramped up as far as they choose and is always one-sided so the details are likely to remain unclear.