When funk music great Charlie Wilson of the Gap Band wrote the song "Disrespect" in 1985, as the story goes, it was directed at Prince, who had thrown him out of a concert when he tried to join Mr. Purple Rain onstage. Those musicians don’t like to be interrupted or upstaged.
When Calvin Say wrote the "disrespect" bill, the thought was that he might have had a certain concert-crasher in mind, though Say says that’s not the case. Legislators don’t like to be interrupted or upstaged. Regardless, the result is a funky piece of proposed legislation, but not good-funky. Just funky.
House Bill 2751 would create the offense of "disrespect" of a house of the Legislature by a person who is not a member of the Legislature.
Nobody expects our legislators to have the precision of poets (though Sen. Will Espero is known to pen online poetry now and again) but choosing the word "disrespect" just seems to take all the seriousness out of the intent.
Clearly what is meant is disruption, disorderly conduct, screaming, yelling and generally acting like a jackass when state lawmakers are just trying to get their work done and move the proceedings along. Can’t fault them for wanting to put a lid on that.
The term "disrespect," though, brings forth the idea of high status, a protected class, those who must be revered and feared. Clearly they can’t think they can pass a law demanding respect for themselves, right? The word’s contemporary association with hip-hop and street culture makes the whole idea of the decidedly un-hip and un-street reverse-print aloha shirt gang at the Capitol talking about disrespect even more laughable.
Most of the behavior covered in the bill is already prohibited, like assaulting any member of the Legislature or public during session or threatening bodily harm.
Other stuff like incessant shouting, refusing to remain seated on orders from the sheriff or sergeant-at-arms, and refusing to shut up when being told to shut up already can get you bounced from most government meetings (unless you’re Tom Berg, which means all you get is another video clip on YouTube).
And then there’s this: Being yelled at comes with the job. When you work in customer service, you have to listen to lots of jerks complain. When you work in public service, you have to listen to lots of jerks complain.
But unlike the lady working the phone at the cable company or the return counter at Walmart, legislators are insulated by aides and secretaries, protected by sheriffs, hidden by locked doors. Respect or the lack thereof can’t really be legislated and in public office, very often, loudmouths and disruptions must be tolerated.
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Reach Lee Cataluna at lcataluna@staradvertiser.com.
