Respect is Earned

So Jacob Rees-Mogg was “insensitive” apparently.

He said: ‘All the countries who are least interested in their people call themselves “people’s”, don’t they?

‘So the People’s Republic of China? Oh, that’s communist.

‘And the People’s Republic of…jam jar, or something like that, of Libya, was what it was called when Colonel Gaddafi was in charge.’

To which the rational response is so what? He’s accurate in what he said. He could have referred to the use of democratic by such regimes – that is for example the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea which certainly ain’t democratic, nor is it the people’s.

However, the usual suspects line up to accuse him of casual racism [there’s a smart one? – Ed].

But Mr Rees-Mogg has been criticised for making the remark at the meeting – with Labour MPs accusing him of insensitivity.

Well, they would, wouldn’t they? Insensitive to what? Reality?

Labour’s shadow business minister Chi Onwurah tweeted a link to the MP’s remarks with the sarcastic comment: ‘It’s their respect for other countries and attention to detail which will be such an asset for the hard Brexiteers as they negotiate trade deals post Brexit.’

Okay. In what way is Libya, either then or now, due any respect? I don’t respect it, nor did I when Gaddafi was in charge. Indeed, I do not respect any totalitarian regime and nor should we. Rees-Mogg is simply saying it as it is. It is not racist to point out that these regimes are totalitarian. Not recalling the exact name is neither here nor there. The usual fuss from the usual suspects. If JRM is guilty of anything, it is giving these creatures ammunition.

Lib Dem frontbencher Christine Jardine told The Daily Mirror: ‘This sort of remark is becoming too common from the Brexiteers, coming as it does in the wake of Boris’s recent burka jibes.

Another selective memory at play. If this cretin had actually read what Johnson said, he was disagreeing with the ban being imposed in Denmark. That he used humour to do so has passed way over the heads of these hard-of-thinking morons. Again, there is no reason to kowtow or show respect where none is due. It is one thing to defend someone’s right to wear what they want. Doing so does not mean that we have to show any respect whatsoever to those who do so choose, for they are due none. Respect is earned, not granted as a right.

‘Insulting other people is not the way I want my country represented and the public see it for what it is, petty politics.’

Why not? It’s much like the respect that is accorded those primitive savages in Saudi Arabia. A little more brutal disrespect is in order there, too. As for petty politics – well, hypocrisy, thy name is Christine Jardine.