POLL: Is Public Cussing a Crime?
A town in Massachusetts would like you to put your money where your potty mouth is. Could it work in Coventry?
Public profanity is now a punishable crime in Middleborough, Mass., based on a recent town meeting vote in the town of 21,000.
According to an Associated Press story, some of the momentum came from downtown merchants who were weary of people hanging around the downtown cussing and swearing like it was nobody's business. Residents voted 183-50 to approve a proposal from the town chief of police to impose a $20 fine on public profanity. While the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled government can't prohibit public speech just because it contains profanity, Middleborough police will now be able to ticket someone if they believe the town's cursing ban was violated.
What is your take on public profanity? Are you tired of it, too? Is it time to fine, or should all speech be free?
Vote now, and feel free to leave a comment (just don't cuss. We don't fine you, but we don't like to encourage the potty mouth here, either.)
Stephanie Caldwell
2:25 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Ridiculous.
I wonder if this law applies to profanity in languages other than English. If you can't understand the cusses how will you fine them?
Also, I wonder if this includes sign language, imagine getting ticketed for flipping someone the bird? HA!
Jennifer Gould
2:25 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Can you imagine....if the people of Coventry had to pay $20 every time they swore? They'd rack up MAJOR dough on Tiogue Avenue! LOL
I have an interest in this
2:25 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Oh here we go everyone is going to be upset & argue whether it is right to hold someone accountable for their actions. How about people just care about the impression they make? Or how about this people behave a little less selfishly & realize they are offending someone else & just plain shut their mouth save the swearing for at home or not at all? What happened to good old fashioned morals? Oh that's right morals interfere with self esteem. They make you feel bad for what you have done wrong & we don't want our kids to think badly of themselves, it's not "good for them".
Stephanie Caldwell
3:05 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
"I have an interest in this"
I'm all for being a respectful, courteous member of society. However. It is not the government's job to make sure I behave in such a way.
That girl standing in line at Gelina's last night, smoking a cigarette with families and children next to her while ordering her ice cream? Wicked rude. Totally inconsiderate. Should she have a police record for that? I'm not so sure.
The guy who took up 4 (YES 4!) parking spots at Stop & Shop with his heavy duty Ford 350 with steel testicles hanging from the trailer hitch and sticker silhouettes of naked strippers on the bumper? Totally sexist, rude and obnoxious. Police record worthy? Not yet.
Every obnoxious teenager stopped in traffic in front of my house with concert volume explicit music roaring? REALLY obnoxious. And the demographic this kind of law is aimed at. However, if the jerks from Westboro Baptist Church have their right to free speech protected while picketing soldier's funerals, then so be it. If a Constitutional right is a right you can't cherry pick who it applies to.
There's a difference between harassing someone with harsh language and offending someone with your language. Harassment is a crime. So is loitering. Being offensive isn't, or at least it wasn't. Most people in this world care about the rest of the world. And it's more responsible to be a good leader than to make silly laws with far reaching implications.
I have an interest in this
8:23 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
I think the gov't has too much control already. I'm not in favor of the enforcement of this law. I think it is sad that there is even grounds for such a law. People should think more of themselves & others. Their parents should have taught them how to behave properly in public. As far as that truck & inappropriate bumper stickers I completely agree! I have children & they see those things that I consider not age appropriate, where are my rights?
Jennifer Gould
8:00 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Stephanie Caldwell
VERY WELL SAID! I applaud you! (And yeah, I've seen that truck in town and I"d like to rip the disgusting rubber genitals off of it. GROSS! But, we live in America...Home of the Free....and that includes having to look at a disgusting sac.
coventry taxpayer 2
8:23 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Give the guy a break he's making up for something he lacks!! LOL
Korey Fratus
10:24 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Its sad that people don't know how to act on there own ..but its not the governments place to in force manners
Joe J
1:32 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
The town could make thousands off my backyard neighbors!!! But, no. If I hit my thumb with a hammer, I wouldn't want to be fined for what comes out of my mouth.