# "The people of the State must 'heed' the Governors orders" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 21, 2020, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979 "2020-03-21T20:44:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/1 "2020-03-21T20:44:03Z")
Do you think most people in English speaking countries believe the word “heed” in this sentence means “obey”? When used together with the word “must”, it gives the impression that “heed” means “obey” which, of course, it does not. The Title sentence simply means that the people of the State should “consider” or “pay attention to” the orders, but these orders do not carry the weight of Law and are not compulsory and cannot be enforced by the police or the Courts. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/2 "2020-03-21T21:03:46Z")
Ok ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/3 "2020-03-21T21:12:33Z")
Was there fringe on the flag in the room where the order was written? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/4 "2020-03-21T22:50:43Z")
Okay, [you don’t like the safety precautions](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=892134). We get it already. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/5 "2020-03-22T02:41:47Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > Do you think most people in English speaking countries believe the word “heed” in this sentence means “obey”? When used together with the word “must”, it gives the impression that “heed” means “obey” which, of course, it does not. > > The Title sentence simply means that the people of the State should “consider” or “pay attention to” the orders, but these orders do not carry the weight of Law and are not compulsory and cannot be enforced by the police or the Courts. Is the Governor’s order based on a statute of any sort? Could you provide a link to the order? ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/6 "2020-03-22T04:56:51Z")
The thread title is in inverted commas. What is it a quote from? If possible, a link to the document in question? ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/7 "2020-03-22T10:17:42Z")
[Cambridge](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/heed) dictionary definition. > [@](#): > > to pay attention to something, especially advice or a warning: > The airline has been criticized for failing to heed advice/warnings about lack of safety routines. “Obey” is implied in the example. But a little further down the page, there’s this entry for US English: > [@](#): > > to listen to and follow advice: > The airline failed to heed warnings about security. “To listen to and follow” is obey. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/8 "2020-03-22T10:46:43Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Okay, [you don’t like the safety precautions](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=892134). We get it already. He is really going to be upset if he ever finds out about the CA Governor’s broad legal authority to draft able bodied males between the ages of 18 and 45 that already exists in state law for emergencies like the one already declared. That could literally be all of that demographic that don’t fall into the realm of one of specified exemptions in the law. Private Mangosteen could be very, very unhappy. Oooops, I let the cat out of the bag. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/9 "2020-03-22T13:24:36Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > He is really going to be upset if he ever finds out about the CA Governor’s broad legal authority to draft able bodied males between the ages of 18 and 45 that already exists in state law for emergencies like the one already declared. That could literally be all of that demographic that don’t fall into the realm of one of specified exemptions in the law. Maybe the Gov could start with all the folks living on the streets. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/10 "2020-03-22T18:24:56Z")
Words mean what the speakers think it means and that is it. Since most people (me included) think it means obey, that’s what it means. Don’t throw some outmoded dictionary definition at me. ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/11 "2020-03-22T19:28:08Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Words mean what the speakers think it means and that is it. Since most people (me included) think it means obey, that’s what it means. Don’t throw some outmoded dictionary definition at me. I’m the only one who mentioned dictionaries, so, you talking to me? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/12 "2020-03-23T03:57:34Z")
With all the blather about the hoax virus, it’s good to see someone addressing one of America’s bigger problem: liberals using 4-letter words. In the other thread I don’t think I got an answer to the Key Question: Are purchases of firearms and ammunition among the ‘essential business’ exempt from Governor’s [del]orders[/del] ‘recommendations’? ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/13 "2020-03-23T04:34:55Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > With all the blather about the hoax virus, it’s good to see someone addressing one of America’s bigger problem: liberals using 4-letter words. Even worse when they use bigger words like “survive” and “prevent”. > [@](#): > > In the other thread I don’t think I got an answer to the Key Question: Are purchases of firearms and ammunition among the ‘essential business’ exempt from Governor’s [del]orders[/del] ‘recommendations’? I’m in a (R) rural county. I didn’t see either firearms dealer open on my drive to town yesterday. I’ll check again on Tuesday when we go to retrieve meds. But I don’t consider shooting viral victims as “essential”. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/14 "2020-03-23T12:51:31Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > Do you think most people in English speaking countries believe the word “heed” in this sentence means “obey”? When used together with the word “must”, it gives the impression that “heed” means “obey” which, of course, it does not. > > The Title sentence simply means that the people of the State should “consider” or “pay attention to” the orders, but these orders do not carry the weight of Law and are not compulsory and cannot be enforced by the police or the Courts. Which governor are we talking about, what is the legal basis of the orders in question, and why are you posting about the etymology and definition of heed without giving some actual context? I tried an internet search on the exact wording and came up with nothing useful. Okay, that’s not true. This thread came up … Wait, that does make it true! ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/15 "2020-03-23T13:43:08Z")
**Mangosteen** ’s obsession with rejecting the science of how to deal with global pandemics, due to his feelings about liberty, are the tipping point for me. I now advocate that people who ignore these orders should be arrested and put in jail - like everyone crowding the Florida beaches in recent days. Jails where, of course, the virus is soon to be uncontrollable. But hey, the virus isn’t a big deal, am I right? ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/16 "2020-03-23T15:15:02Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Is the Governor’s order based on a statute of any sort? Could you provide a link to the order? > **[N-33-20.pdf](https://covid19.ca.gov/img/N-33-20.pdf)** ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/17 "2020-03-23T15:26:01Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > [https://covid19.ca.gov/img/N-33-20.pdf](https://covid19.ca.gov/img/N-33-20.pdf) We are to “heed” the order. Why not use the word “obey” if that is what the Governor wants? Because the use of the word “obey” would be a violation of the CA State Constitution. During a period of declared Martial Law in the state of CA, it would be possible to use the word “obey” and make following orders compulsory. However, Martial Law can only be declared when their is “insurrection” or “rebellion”. PERIOD. Not other reason, including a “health emergency”, can be used to declare Martial Law in CA. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/18 "2020-03-23T15:30:27Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > **Mangosteen** ’s obsession with rejecting the science of how to deal with global pandemics, due to his feelings about liberty, are the tipping point for me. > > I now advocate that people who ignore these orders should be arrested and put in jail - like everyone crowding the Florida beaches in recent days. Jails where, of course, the virus is soon to be uncontrollable. But hey, the virus isn’t a big deal, am I right? Imagine that. A person living in Washington DC advocating the imposition of a Police State in America. “obsession with rejecting the science of how to deal with global pandemics” please explain. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/19 "2020-03-23T15:39:22Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > He is really going to be upset if he ever finds out about the CA Governor’s broad legal authority to draft able bodied males between the ages of 18 and 45 that already exists in state law for emergencies like the one already declared. That could literally be all of that demographic that don’t fall into the realm of one of specified exemptions in the law. Private Mangosteen could be very, very unhappy. > > Oooops, I let the cat out of the bag. 😉 I am more than ready to fight for this Country or State. I consider myself to be armed and dangerous. And I agree that the Governor has “broad legal authority to draft able bodied males between the ages of 18 and 45 that already exists in state law”. However, this authority can only be used after the declaration of Martial Law. And according to the CA State Constitution, Martial Law can only be declared due to “insurrection” or “rebellion”, not a “health emergency”. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979/20 "2020-03-23T17:11:58Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > We are to “heed” the order. Why not use the word “obey” if that is what the Governor wants? Because the use of the word “obey” would be a violation of the CA State Constitution. During a period of declared Martial Law in the state of CA, it would be possible to use the word “obey” and make following orders compulsory. However, Martial Law can only be declared when their is “insurrection” or “rebellion”. PERIOD. Not other reason, including a “health emergency”, can be used to declare Martial Law in CA. You sound like a sovereign citizen telling a police officer that you don’t need a driver’s license because you’re not driving, you’re traveling. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-people-of-the-state-must-heed-the-governors-orders/849979.md?page=2)