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LMAO, Max!  Clearly sesquipeda LINKanism will be the primary victim. 
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The story goes that the punishment for contravening any of Draco's laws was death. When asked why he said something along the lines that death was a suitable punishment for contravening the most minor of crimes and he couldn't think of anything worse for major crimes.
Bingley
Bingley
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Thanks Bingley. I kept meaning to post something about this, but never found the time to do it when I remembered and forgot when I did have the time. Indeed, as you suggest, Draco's code was quite benign - not a lot of laws, really - but the punishment for contravening them was severe. The consequences are called draconian, not the laws themselves. For instance, the new terrorism laws in Britain are not at all draconian, i.e. they are, in theory, not something the average citizen has to go about in fear of breaking. But the consequences of breaking them (or being in contravention of them) are indeed draconian - indefinite imprisonment without trial and with only a very small and inadequate set of safeguards to ensure that the imposition of this penalty is not continuously abused.
In terms of the draconian abuse of human rights, the Head Prefect and his cabinet of fifth form plonkers have excelled themselves in this instance. Still, he'll probably get full marks and a pat on the back from Headmaster Bush as well as an assured A-level in right-wing Labour politics!
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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Thank you for your expertise on british law, CK. Do the "facts" you note have anything whatsoever to do with President Bush, or are you just leaping gratuitously from them into your Bush-whacking?
Is this an appropriate forum for political opinionating?
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old hand
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old hand
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Is this an appropriate forum for political opinionating?
Let me personally warn you: no.
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I claim no "expertise" in British law. However, I do defer to the Lord Chief Justice's opinion. If he says something is an abuse of human rights, who am I to argue? http://politics.guardian.co.uk/attacks/story/0,1320,626446,00.htmlHe used the word "draconian" in a BBC Radio 2 interview for which I couldn't find a transcript on the Net. And this is one of the less vitriolic press reports about the current state of the "special relationship": http://politics.guardian.co.uk/attacks/comment/0,1320,616858,00.html
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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I do defer to the Lord Chief Justice's opinion. If he says something is an abuse of human rights, who am I to argue? [emphasis added] CK, he said nothing of the sort -- at least, not according to your citation. He simply noted the "concern" and said taht if a case is brought before the court, "the courts will rule on that." I believe the BBC entire interview with the justice (which I have not yet played) can be heard at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/reports/interview/interviewoftheweekdec.shtml(Your other link is merely to the opinion of a coumnist. Quick googling suggests that that gentleman is more given to sensational soundbites than to moderate and balanced thought. [E.g., Jan. 12, 2002: "Inching back towards membership of the human race" ... "power-mad, tendentious and anti-democratic"])
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Wrong interview. That was Radio 4. I listen to Radio 2.
I would also add that the Lord Chief Justice doesn't appear given to commenting on every law passed in Britain. This was exceptional. My political funnybone was tapped.
And I did say that my second citation was one of the less vitriolic press reports ... I didn't claim it as being anything else. Believe it or not, the Guardian seems to support the Labour government, by and large.
I was using the hurried passage of the anti-terrorism laws and the fuss that's caused here as an example of "draconian" consequences, but with a bit of humour.
THAT'S ALL!
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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