We have another story out of England raising questions about increasing limitations on free speech. In this case, David Hoffman, 63, placed a poster in his window that showed David Cameron and the word “wanker.” He was handcuffed by police on election day and forced to remove offensive campaign literature from his home.
The police said that the poster would have been “alarming, harassing or distressful” to an ordinary citizen. It took four police officers to restore order to the neighborhood by stripping Hoffman of his campaign material.
Hoffman is a leading photojournalist who has been documenting police abuse and brutality.
Just for those of us on this side of the pond, a “wanker” is defined two ways in British parlance: “n. Chiefly British Vulgar Slang
1. A person who masturbates; 2. A detestable person.”
For the full story, click here.
Don’t look now, but the US is going down the same path….
shagwhittery
Thank you, Maaarrghk! for the new word. Although I lack certainty as to proper definition, I think its general meaning is clear enough from the context.
Think of stuff like the smoking at work ban.
The excuse not to repeale such shagwhittery will go something like “We were never against the ban as such, just the way that Labour intoduced it”. Or some such drivel.
My hope is that the Liberals might have some restraining influence on the worst excesses of toryism that Tom describes.
By the way Tom, the economic policies followed by the “New” Labour project were pretty much pure Thatcherism and our Blue Collar workers have been heavily betrayed by them. Sadly they deserved to lose the election.
Sadly Spamheed, I am inclined to agree with Tom. Sure, they made a good start in dropping id cards and I applaud them for it.
But all of the other legislation that has made us one of the worlds most spied upon and controlled nations will probably stay.
Hopefully this type of stupidity will be a thing of the past once the wanker and the rest of his gang get their ducks in a row.
The law is very much an Ass, with a large number of Donkeys happy to enforce it
Maaarrghk! 1, May 13, 2010 at 2:30 am
That Wanker.
AKA the new British Prime Minister.
Yes, the pc PC’s really did walk right into that one. But this sort of response is exactly the sort of thing that has turned many here against “New” Labour. They have had 13 years in power and not done a great deal to protect our jobs but plenty to control every aspect of our lives.
===================================
May I offer an attempt at a translation to colloquial American English: “total f’ing douchebag.”
I somehow doubt that the new wanker/douchebag is going to curb police excess or scale back the intrusiveness of the state in the UK compared with the old wanker/douchbag/Bush’s poodle. What the new wanker/douchebag certainly will do is reduce spending on programs that help low-income and disadvantaged folks in the UK. We all remember how wonderful the Thacher years were for “blue collar” brits. Well, at least Billy Bragg will have a chance at full employment again.
Buddha,
I could have used imbibe but I like the picture of a fiesty christmas tree zapping each passerby with it’s hook thus snagging every pint of grog in the room … okay, I’ll stop now.
Buddha Is Laughing
Thank you, Blouise. You’re making me blush. And that’s not easy to do to a green dude.
=================================================================
Equal portions of green and red light produce the color yellow but I can’t picture you that color so I’ll envision a merry christmas tree gaffing pints of grog.
Actually, I think this is pretty damned funny! People really need to lighten up – there are far more important things to get one’s knickers in a twist about.
Thank you, Blouise. You’re making me blush. And that’s not easy to do to a green dude. 😀
“Obama Rejects Rush Limbaugh Golf Match: Rush ‘Can Play With Himself’
bwahahahahahahahahahhahahahahhahahha!
OMG, there goes another shirt…..
So if you are or do both, what does that make you?
Without comment:
“Obama Rejects Rush Limbaugh Golf Match: Rush ‘Can Play With Himself’
First Posted: 05-12-10 09:31 AM | Updated: 05-12-10 09:31 AM
“In Rush Limbaugh: An Army of One,” which is due out later this month, author Zev Chafets reports that the President rebuffed a suggestion to meet his nemesis on the links. From the New York Post’s Page Six:”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/12/obama-rejects-rush-limbau_n_573122.html
From the “Urban Dictionary”
“wanker”,
the term “wanker” is seldom if ever used in British slang to denote “one who wanks”. It is quite wrong to infer from somebody’s being a wanker that they in fact wank (and vice versa), but of course, fair to assume they do in any case. Herein lies the genius of the insult: if you call someone a wanker, it’s probably true, but only literally.
I suppose it all originates from our repressed Victorian sexualities, from back when everybody thought they were the only ones to suffer the secret shame of being an actual wanker.
Most children these days learn the word “wanker” long before they learn its literal meaning.
You’re such a wanker.
Oh gosh! How did you know?
He lost both of his hands in a childhood kiting accident.
What a wanker! “
That Wanker.
AKA the new British Prime Minister.
Yes, the pc PC’s really did walk right into that one. But this sort of response is exactly the sort of thing that has turned many here against “New” Labour. They have had 13 years in power and not done a great deal to protect our jobs but plenty to control every aspect of our lives.
I did not vote for the wanker in question (I voted for his new deputy, who’s financial spokesman is very good) but the irony of this affair is that the new government is the one most likely to put a stop to this kind of meddling with free speech.
Whilst I am a natural “Proper” Labour voter, I do wish the new government luck and hope that the Labour party will use its time in opposition to stop worshipping big money and disassociate itself from the dafter elements (most of them) of the pc brigade.
Buddha
” … McCain – Old Fart
Palin – Caribou Barbie (a favorite around here)
Obama – Constitutional What?
Biden – Mr. Malapropism
Cheney – Satan
Bush – Simple Chimp
Clinton – Man-whore
Gore – Bore”
==============================================================
Sooo good it deserves repeating.
And if the guy really is a wanker, it’s just truth in advertising. Which we need more off. Imagine the change in our campaigns.
McCain – Old Fart
Palin – Caribou Barbie (a favorite around here)
Obama – Constitutional What?
Biden – Mr. Malapropism
Cheney – Satan
Bush – Simple Chimp
Clinton – Man-whore
Gore – Bore
I like it.
I’d like to say I’m surprised the British police were stupid enough to do something like this to a photojournalist who covers police brutality and abuse but rabbits do walk into traps.
Suckers.