Distinguished Abuse
We’ve inherited the Brit way of talking and using words like “distinguished”, “honourable” and “gentleman”. So MP’s are referred to as honourable people. Never mind the murders, rapes and thefts they may have committed. Wouldn’t it be appropriate to just drop all such syrupy sweet, ass kissing terms for entire categories of people? After all, if we use those terms selectively for some guys in the category but not for others, it would just create a new issue of why use it for this guy but not for that guy? I prefer the American way of just addressing people as “President” or “Senator” or “Judge” or whatever. I guess that’s American pragmatism at work: while both Lincoln and Nixon (or George W. Bush, if you prefer) were presidents, it would be insane to place them in the same category! And why grovel before a judge? Wondering what triggered this blog? I just saw something on the Internet where the usage of such terms crossed a line: “…to be helmed by the distinguished p...