If heās so anti-authoritarian that he is upset about refusing pajamas in court, certainly he has no respect for keeping discussion threads on topic.
How to Decrease the Chances of an Unpleasant Experience in Court
Get a haircut within 48 hours of your appearance, even if you canāt afford a good haircut. Do not wear a hat or any clothing with visible writing on it. Wear the cleanest, best fitting formal business suit you can afford to buy or rent - if you canāt afford any at all, wear the cleanest, least ragged thing you own. If your attire is less than perfect make a point of apologizing to the court - at your first opportunity to speak before the judge state that you would have preferred to be more appropriately dressed. Do not behave in any way that might appear to be purposely āsexyā and do not ogle, make advances, or attempt to arrange dates with anyone. Never use the female honorifics Mrs or Miss or Maāam, always use Ms, which is pronounced āMizā. Speak in the most respectful and formal language you command, and always use titles - if you donāt know a manās last name and honorific, call him Sir, unless heās a judge, in which case always call him Your Honor. Donāt cross your legs or arms. Donāt discuss any topic unrelated to the court case that might require the use of violent or disrespectful language - talk about your World of Warcraft guild or your LARP adventures some other time and place. Refuse to take offense at any minor slight or insult, from any quarter. If you are forced to physically defend yourself for any reason, do so non-aggressively, and donāt stop shouting āhelp!ā as loud as you can until a court official has taken charge of the situation.
Edit: In case it isnāt obvious, this is actual advice I give to kids in trouble.
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Well, Iām certainly in no place to point fingers in this thread, Iām bringing Mentos in the morning to apparently watch two lawyers make out.
Justice in the US is so weird.
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When I had Jury duty in Portland, they explicitly pointed out that chainsaws were not allowed in the courthouse. I asked the guard what had prompted the sign. He said there was a hardware store near the courthouse and one time a juror saw a chainsaw on sale and bought it on a whim during the lunch break and was then surprised an upset when they wouldnāt let him back in with it.
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Thanks, now I know how to get out of jury duty!
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Be glad weāre not in England ā weād all be be-wigged!
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Who is to say this message was meant for defendants? Maybe the public defenders had been letting themselves go.
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Actually true at McDonalds. I used to get a mc muffin and potatoesā¦ The combo with coffee was cheaper than the two alone, by a substantial amount. The would get confused when I ordered the combo but didnāt want the coffee.
As an outsider looking in, I canāt say Iāve seen this as an American value at large in my lifetime.
I agree with your premise, but would state that in a free country, that respect is optional. Iām not a Christian, but choose to show respect both in apparel and behavior when invited to an event occurring in a church (because I like to think Iām not a total dick). Likewise, if I had a court appearance, Iād dress respectably. Partly because I believe that thatās what is socially expected, but also because of the (perhaps false) but implied reciprocity that if I respect the court, I will be regarded with some degree of respect. Same thing in martial arts dojos etcā¦
However, that should be a part of a voluntary social contract only, not legally enforceable. If my clothing doesnāt violate existing law, then it should be acceptable in any public venue.
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Here, have a Snickers. You get cantankerous when you get hungry.
I think the basic premise is that you do not have to have respect for the institution to have respect for the beliefs or efforts of the humans who believe/work/whatever in that institution.
You probably would appreciate/expect some degree of basic respect in your interactions with other humans. Is it so difficult to expect that you would be compassionate enough to offer the same? i.e. I would not disrespect you by offering you payment of any sort covered in my bodily fluids, I would expect you to do the same. Similarly, in a āseriousā situation, I would not disrespect you by dressing inappropriately (say at a funeral for a relative etcā¦).
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Iāve long since given up trying that sort of explanation. Itās far easier to just take it, and hand it to the person behind you (in the morning assuming that most people want coffee), and say āit came with my combo, but I donāt drink coffee, only teaā.
So, maybe your punishment isnāt legal but social. Like having to go home and change or come back another day not wearing PJs?
Because according to the story linked that is pretty much what theyāre going to ask to you do. Youāll still get your day in court but itās not when youāre wearing jammies.
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Nah, more of a āsure, wear your PJās in court if you feel like it, just realize that itās going to negatively effect the perception of your character by the jurorsā¦ā. Not allowing the person to have their day in court unless theyāre wearing the proper costume is a punishment to some (minor) degree. Iām all for the personal responsibility aspect of the argument. Dress in accordance with the degree of respect that you wish to be given. Wanna wear a clown suit? Go aheadā¦
Kind of like if you wear PJās during a day visit to my house. Not going to kick you out, but Iām sure going to give you some ribbing for it (hmm, laundry day is it?).
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I expect civility, not respect. I see respect as a thing earned and given. If itās compelled, be it by a law, a judge, or society, how can it be respect? No, I think respect has little to do with any of this. There is a judge wearing long silk pajamas who is on a power trip. He thinks his word and will are sacrosanct. Heās forgetting that he is not a god of the law but rather a simple functionary and he has decided how people should dress. Respect is just a red herring the banana guy wanted to argue.
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I think itās āpubic and privatesā but I havenāt looked at a US dolla bill in a while.
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Christ, what an asshole.
All day and all night long, baby!
