The latest hand-wringing in society is over the fact that “hoodies” are now banned at Bluewater. (That Bluewater is not a public street but private property, and that consequently it is quite legitimate for them to proscribe certain behaviour as they see fit, seems to elude some right-wing commentators.)
And the government is all over us on “respect”. Mark Steyn writes, trenchant as ever:
“…respect is a two-way street, and two-way streets are increasingly rare in British town centres. The idea that national government can legislate respect is a large part of the reason why there isn’t any. Almost every act of the social democratic state says ‘don’t worry, you’re not responsible, leave it to us, we know best.’ The social democratic state is, in that sense, profoundly anti-social and ultimately anti-democratic.”
And the government is all over us on “respect”. Mark Steyn writes, trenchant as ever:
“…respect is a two-way street, and two-way streets are increasingly rare in British town centres. The idea that national government can legislate respect is a large part of the reason why there isn’t any. Almost every act of the social democratic state says ‘don’t worry, you’re not responsible, leave it to us, we know best.’ The social democratic state is, in that sense, profoundly anti-social and ultimately anti-democratic.”
Mark Steyn, Daily Telegraph, 17 May 2005
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