AFTER DEALING WITH A DISRUPTIVE PAX AN MD80 PIC QUESTIONS WHY PAX ARE NOT AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THEY MUST ACCEPT THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY CREW MEMBERS. FLT TO ZZZ; US.

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DURING CLIMBOUT; THE FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED THE COCKPIT TO ADVISE US OF A PAX WHO REFUSED TO REMOVE HIS HEADSET DURING THE SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS BRIEFING; IGNORING ALL EFFORTS TO POLITELY ADVISE HIM OF THE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION. THEY SAID HE WAS BEHAVING ALL RIGHT AT THE MOMENT; AND ADDED THEY WOULD LET ME KNOW IF HE ACTED UP AGAIN. OVER AN HOUR LATER; THEY CALLED US AGAIN LOOKING FOR A FORM THAT THEY COULD HAND TO A DISRUPTIVE PAX TO WARN OF LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERVENTION IN THE EVENT OF REPEATED FAILURES TO COMPLY WITH SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS FROM FLT ATTENDANTS. THIS WAS TO BE A PREVENTIVE MEASURE IN THE EVENT OF SUBSEQUENT REFUSALS. NONE WERE FOUND ABOARD. DURING DESCENT; WE WERE NOTIFIED OF A REPEAT PERFORMANCE OF PAX AND A REQUEST TO HAVE THE AUTHORITIES MEET THE AIRPLANE AT THE GATE. THIS WAS DONE THROUGH DISPATCH AND STATE POLICE BOARDED THE AIRPLANE UPON GATE ARR AND ESCORTED THE PAX OFF WHILE ALL OTHER PAX REMAINED SEATED. THIS ALL WOULD SEEM INSIGNIFICANT IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE FACT THAT WE WERE BEING REROUTED FOR WX BY ATC AND GIVEN CHANGES TO OUR ALT; HEADING; AND FLT PLAN WHILE SUPPOSEDLY STEPPING ON BRUSH FIRES. THIS WAS A GREAT DISTRACTION TO OUR COCKPIT DUTIES THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN PLACE. PAX MUST KNOW THAT CREWMEMBERS GIVE INSTRUCTIONS FOR A REASON; AND ONES THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE EXPLAINED TO EACH PAX PERSONALLY.