Public swearing outlawed in Massachusetts town

[rockin'robin]

Reuters) - Lobbing F-bombs and other curses across the leafy streets of Middleborough, Massachusetts is now an offense punishable by a $20 ticket.

The ordinance outlawing public swearing, approved by town residents on Monday night, was the brainchild of Mimi DuPhily, a member of the town's beautification committee.

She pushed for the law after becoming upset over loud swearing by teenagers hanging around the small town about 50 miles south of Boston.

"We're not talking about just conversation but screaming it across the street," DuPhily, 63, a former selectman, said in an interview on Tuesday.

"Dropping F-bombs and so on. It was the same group of kids. It was very irresponsible behavior, and it was getting out of hand."

The ordinance does not specify which curses are banned, and police can decide whether to ticket offenders.

"It does not affect you if you are sitting at a café," said DuPhily. "It only affects you if you are verbally abusing someone across the street."

Legal analysts said the law could raise issues for the town under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Part of the Bill of Rights, the amendment prohibits the making of any law that abridges freedom of speech, among other things.

DuPhily said her support for the law, which passed 183-50 at the meeting, has made her an object of ridicule in the media.

"The talk radio is making hysterical fun of me. They're calling me the granny-nanny," she said. "People didn't know what to do. They felt uncomfortable walking down the street with their kids."

Public swearing outlawed in Massachusetts town - Yahoo! News

 

[airportcop]

I am all for it in this case. We used to have it here but they took it off the books a few years ago or declined prosecution. Loudly cursing in public is uncalled for and unnecessary.

 

[VacationGuy234]

I am all for it in this case. We used to have it here but they took it off the books a few years ago or declined prosecution. Loudly cursing in public is uncalled for and unnecessary.

Tell me, how would you be more expressive in speech? How else would you convey emotion? Those words exist for precisely that reason. It's protected speech for precisely that reason.

If a cop pulls me over and swears at me, do I get the $20, this was an interesting point that someone brought up.

 

[airportcop]

Tell me, how would you be more expressive in speech? How else would you convey emotion? Those words exist for precisely that reason. It's protected speech for precisely that reason.

If a cop pulls me over and swears at me, do I get the $20, this was an interesting point that someone brought up.

Yes indeed cops have no business cussing at anyone unless nothing else seems to work and with that said it sometimes seems necessary in rare circumstances. Sometimes you must treat a dog like a dog but in most cases it is highly offensive and unnecessary and unprofessional. If cops cuss they too should pay up! Why should offensive language when not necessary (most all of the time) be protected since it is usually offensive to many?

 

[VacationGuy234]

Yes indeed cops have no business cussing at anyone unless nothing else seems to work and with that said it sometimes seems necessary in rare circumstances. Sometimes you must treat a dog like a dog but in most cases it is highly offensive and unnecessary and unprofessional. If cops cuss they too should pay up! Why should offensive language when not necessary (most all of the time) be protected since it is usually offensive to many?

I agree. But, this: "unless nothing else seems to work" is exactly the reason why kids swear, nothing else seems to work. Kids are never taken seriously by adults and that is the problem. Worse, they are often abused by them. So, it's only natural that they rebel because that is part of becoming a adult, the break between doing what you are told and what you choose to do. It has to be expressive or it doesn't work.

 

[MsSaraB]

It may be silly of them to scream it across the street, but the woman said it was the same group of kids doing it. However, instead of talking to the kids that were the problem, they imposed a law on everyone. The kids may not be the only silly ones, in my opinion.
I can see how it would get tiring to deal with, but I think that freedom of expression is more important than the matter of being irritated once in a while.

 

[Barbaro]

Bleh. It violates the First Amendment. Ron Paul would throw a fit.

 

[Babyblue]

Wirelessly posted

When ones freedom impose on another persons rights. It does become a difficult situation.

 

[rockin'robin]

The language of teenagers today....every sentence they speak has gotta have the F-word in it....
Do I like it?...Hell no. And don't allow the F-word in my home, but I know my boys get by with it whenever I'm out of vision range.

If I could hear, then I would more than likely go through 50 bars of soap to wash their mouths out a month. Then again, I'm guilty of yelling the F-word whenever I'm extremely angry at someone.

Just don't think the $20 fine is gonna hold much water.

 

[deafdrummer]

I am all for it in this case. We used to have it here but they took it off the books a few years ago or declined prosecution. Loudly cursing in public is uncalled for and unnecessary.

Why do we need laws? It's the parents' responsibility. Don't restrict my right to say what I want, especially if I am cave woman and mad about something.

 

[Reba]

Tell me, how would you be more expressive in speech?

I guess you need a thesaurus to expand your vocabulary so that you can be more expressive in your speech.

How else would you convey emotion?

Do you mean you have obscene feelings that can only be expressed with obscene language?

I know plenty of people who can very clearly convey their emotions without using profanity.

 

[Reba]

I agree. But, this: "unless nothing else seems to work" is exactly the reason why kids swear, nothing else seems to work. Kids are never taken seriously by adults and that is the problem. Worse, they are often abused by them. So, it's only natural that they rebel because that is part of becoming a adult, the break between doing what you are told and what you choose to do. It has to be expressive or it doesn't work.

"Nothing else seems to work" but swearing "works?" Do you really think adults will take more seriously a kid if the kid swears? Or will the adult be distracted by the profanity and not focus on the real problem? Does swearing stop abuse? Really?

 

[Babyblue]

Wirelessly posted

I agree. But, this: "unless nothing else seems to work" is exactly the reason why kids swear, nothing else seems to work. Kids are never taken seriously by adults and that is the problem. Worse, they are often abused by them. So, it's only natural that they rebel because that is part of becoming a adult, the break between doing what you are told and what you choose to do. It has to be expressive or it doesn't work.

"Nothing else seems to work" but swearing "works?" Do you really think adults will take more seriously a kid if the kid swears? Or will the adult be distracted by the profanity and not focus on the real problem? Does swearing stop abuse? Really?

I agree. People can get their point across without swearing. I think kids swear because they think it is "cool" to do or say things that are forbidden.

 

[Reba]

Yes indeed cops have no business cussing at anyone

Agree.

unless nothing else seems to work and with that said it sometimes seems necessary in rare circumstances.

Don't agree.

Sometimes you must treat a dog like a dog but in most cases it is highly offensive and unnecessary and unprofessional. If cops cuss they too should pay up! Why should offensive language when not necessary (most all of the time) be protected since it is usually offensive to many?

I don't see how profanity is ever "necessary" to get the job done. I see it as an expression of frustration for not having the right words and actions to actually get the job done.

 

[VacationGuy234]

I guess you need a thesaurus to expand your vocabulary so that you can be more expressive in your speech.


Do you mean you have obscene feelings that can only be expressed with obscene language?

I know plenty of people who can very clearly convey their emotions without using profanity.

Show me...

 

[Babyblue]

Wirelessly posted

A judge gets his point across to criminals without cussing at them. .

 

[Reba]

It's a shame that people feel the need to legislate common decency. I don't think imposing a fine will solve anything. As long as parents and society accept profanity, nothing will be gained by making laws against it.

Adults need to convey to the children that, no, swearing is not cute or cool, and, by example, show that there are other ways to convey one's feelings.

 

[VacationGuy234]

"Nothing else seems to work" but swearing "works?" Do you really think adults will take more seriously a kid if the kid swears? Or will the adult be distracted by the profanity and not focus on the real problem? Does swearing stop abuse? Really?

I'm not saying it works or stops anything. I'm saying, IMO, it is the reason they are expressive. An adult should try to remember what it was like to be a kid instead of using a wholesale nobody swears rule pushed on everyone.

The people who made this law couldn't deal with a bunch of teenagers? Really?
I don't know about you, but I don't see any adults here.

 

[Reba]

Show me...

Show you what?

 

[rockin'robin]

People who constantly use the F-word seem to me to have a very limited vocabulary. And I detest people who use the G-D word....leave "God" out of it, please

There's actually no reason under the sun to have a "potty" mouth...And my way of seeing it...if you spew shyt...it comes right back atcha'.