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I have no problem with adults who want to dress up in school uniforms, but this one went too far and reaped the rewards. This sort of thing must make the British look barmy to the rest of the world. See the link below.
http://news.uk.msn.com/odd-news/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1...
Angharad.
Comments
What?
What's an anti-social behavior order?
In the US, I think that what he did would come under his first amendment 'freedom of expression' rights -- as long as he isn't creating a clear and present danger, he isn't libeling or slandering anyone, and his 'naughty bits' aren't showing. (That includes the 'flasher attire,' as long as he doesn't open his lab coat.)
As far as the British looking barmy -- well, you are well-known for your lovable eccentrics. I don't think that Monty Python, The Doctor, Red Dwarf, Fawlty Towers, or Benny Hill are doing anything to reduce that perception.
And I won't even mention the Teletubbies. ;-)
British Barmy?
Well, that's a given, init?
Mr. Ram
ASBOs ...
... were introduced by the current authoritarian government. They were introduced with the claim that they would "stop" unacceptable behaviour by anyone aged 10 or more. (They used reports like drunken hooligans harassing innocent individuals in town centres to justify the legislation.) However, the legislation was very badly worded. (Cynical individuals might suggest it was carefully worded.)
The law *has* been used by the police and local authorities to persecute harmless activity far beyond the statements of the ministers when the legislation was debated. Furthermore, those who were the intended targets of the law often view an ASBO as evidence that they have "made it", with the perverse result that it has increased the actions it was intended to stop! (I know of at least one gang in Brixton who only take members who have an ASBO.)
When an ASBO is ordered, an individual is prohibited from certain actions (e.g. entering shops, entering a given town, playing loud music, or even, in one case, feeding pigeons!)
In addition to the misuse of this legislation far beyond its stated objectives, an ASBO is, surprisingly, a civil offence, not a criminal offence, and even (unbelievably) allows hearsay statements as "evidence"!
Even more authoritarian, "breach of an asbo" is a criminal offence, so (in effect) ASBOs allow the police to write their own criminal law - for example, the police imposed a curfew by ASBO on some teenagers in Peterborough, and then, because there a bus strike, three teenagers were given a criminal record!
A nasty piece of legislation, on every count.
I think there is something more important here
I mean OK he dressed as a school girl but further down the article it says that "On several occasions he also wore a knee-length laboratory coat and appeared to be wearing nothing underneath, the authority added." now that's scary ( hide her head under a pillow) .
Lily.
Scary?
There are many, many people who think that LGBT people are scary, and should be kept from small children -- and society in general, for that matter.
I agree that it would be prudent to watch this guy, even if it called 'profiling,' but he is still innocent until proven guilty.
Ray Drouillard
LGBT - Scary? Apparently
Here in the US, that's apparently so... Where Same Sex couples can no longer be foster parents... And cannot marry. We're such a bad influence on our children.
Funny that, if memory serves, the "separation" (or divorce) rate among same sex couples is significantly LOWER than for the general population. *sighs* (here in the US anyway)
Annette
Barmy not Balmy?
I need to stea ... borrow my sister's Brishisms dictionary.
John in Wauwatosa
P.S. Remember the late Noel Coward and his song "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun..."
John in Wauwatosa
Try an English dictionary John,
it happens to be our native language.
Angharad
Angharad
ASBOs
Chapter and verse from Wiki - what would we do without it? (Wiki I mean).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASBO
Angharad
Angharad
Praise be to Wiki, our great and powerful mistress ...
Ang,
you'se Brits speak British English, us n' Amercans speak da real English, Capce?
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
All right then John, Where
does that leave me??? With both an English English background and an American English background??????
I suppose I should go off and form my own country and call it Atlantis???
God Bless You All...
Shades of 1984
The article is just a small blurb and, to me at least, raises more questions than it answers.
There are serious implications and nothing to corroborate them, as the discussion of hearsay being admissible in cases brought up using this legislation seem to support. Was Trigger a child molester? That sure seems to be a concern, not written, but definitely one unmistakeably left for the reader to infer. This equation, placing two completely unrelated topics in close proximity in a speech or text and letting the audience draw the conclusion, (in this case transvestism and child molestation) is a tactic well known to the world from the antics of the soon-to-be-not-current Bush administration, whose most famous debacle with this strategy of manipulation involved convincing the American public of the connection between Saddam Hussein and Weapons of Mass Destruction.
In the States, the whole controversy surrounding the adoption of the original Patriot Act and its applications sound very similar to the issues raised by the law mentioned in the article, especially with how it's being implemented.
Scary? Yeah, I'd agree with that summation.
YW
He conquers who endures. ~ Persius