Town bans profanity? What the fuck Massachusetts!

[Kurokikaze]

Better not have tourettes in that town... lol

[chazzyphizzle]

be well, Massachusetts

[Qeomash]

[Aksannyi]

Uhm... I mostly get my point across about how I feel without feeling the need to go through the laundry list of SAT words since they mostly make the person talking sound like a jackass.

This.

I'm not the type to drop a cuss word in every sentence, but I don't censor myself either. I honestly don't see the point. Again, the words don't hurt anyone. If you have stabbing jolts of pain if/when I say "fuck," then you might want to go get your head checked.

Or you could ignore it, which is what I'd suggest people start doing. You're honestly going to use police man-hours to fine people who are using foul language, instead of chasing after the people who are robbing convenience stores, raping women, killing people, driving under the influence, and any number of worse offenses? Do they think swearing is a gateway to crime? Do they think it's going to cultivate a society of respect for the police? Do they think that if Joe Schmoe gets a fine for swearing that it's automatically going to stop him from robbing your local Blockbuster? What do they seriously hope to achieve here?

If they're going to hire more people just for this swearing thing, I have to question the use of taxpayer money here. If there's a lot of crime elsewhere for which an increase in police force would be justified, why would they hire the police force to enforce a swearing ban over hiring the police force to work on stopping the other criminal offenses?

The whole thing is incredibly stupid to me.

[Alleya]

It's not that the words are offensive (unless directed at you - but at that point any words are going to be threatening if your tone reflects it). Is our society going to degenerate to the point where we have only seven words to describe how we feel? Where is the civility in it? We will forever tie profanity to offensive and salacious behavior, and you'll be looked at as an inferior for using it as your modicum for speech. Is it so hard to use a vocabulary that isn't entrenched in the avant garde of profanity to express yourself as an individual of equitable intelligence?

Let me distill your argument, so you can see what you're actually saying.

"My sensibilities are more important than your rights."

[Komm Suesser Tod]

Let me distill your argument, so you can see what you're actually saying.

"My sensibilities are more important than your rights."

I'm curious where the notion that you can't say fuck and use an extensive vocabulary came from.

[Jaybar]

Hence why I was on the fence. The law seems to fine those that are using profanity loudly in public, but does not care about private conversational swearing. I'm arguing that we don't need to use profanity to express ourselves in public, but I'm not arguing against small private/casual profanity which I think most people here are accustomed to (and seem to think that I am against).

However, if this law is trying to curb teenage profanity, then they are going about it the wrong way (I suppose that's what the lawmakers were trying to do based on the article?)

[jmc]

However, if this law is trying to curb teenage profanity, then they are going about it the wrong way (I suppose that's what the lawmakers were trying to do based on the article?)

That's what I believe they are trying to pursue with this

[Dimmauk]

I disagree. I think that people need to stop being offended by every little word people might say. This culture we have right now is so damned offended by everything and I'm tired of it. They're just words, as long as their meaning is not that of full disparagement of a race (words like nigger, for the most obvious example), I don't see what the big deal is. Does it physically harm someone when I say fucking fuck motherbitching shit? People need to grow some balls and get over it, seriously.

I only get pissed at people cursing in front of my kids. Mostly cause I don't want to have to explain what a "FUCKING COCKBAG" means

[Zeb]

We will forever tie profanity to offensive and salacious behavior, and you'll be looked at as an inferior for using it as your modicum for speech.

That sounds fucking bigoted to me.

[Hiryo]

I can't drive around Mass without hearing at least 1 f-bomb a day. Tbh, middleboro is slightly east of the worst parts of math, but I highly doubt this will last long. Too many aholes up here to write that many citations.

[Jaybar]

Is it bigoted? You would weigh someone that uses profane language as their primary means of expression the same as someone that avoids it for a vocabulary that is considered decent in the public's eye?

[Alleya]

Hence why I was on the fence. The law seems to fine those that are using profanity loudly in public, but does not care about private conversational swearing. I'm arguing that we don't need to use profanity to express ourselves in public, but I'm not arguing against small private/casual profanity which I think most people here are accustomed to (and seem to think that I am against).

However, if this law is trying to curb teenage profanity, then they are going about it the wrong way (I suppose that's what the lawmakers were trying to do based on the article?)

Abridging speech is never OK, or reasonable. Perhaps you're aware of the first amendment? If someone is being truly disruptive, there's already something for that: disturbing the peace/disorderly conduct/etc. Creating laws that specifically target speech that's deemed "profane" (by who, exactly?) is, not to put too fine a point on it, anti-american.

[Xno Kappa]

Is this the part where we start implanting v-chips into kids so they get shocked when they curse and it'll ultimately save us from Satan and Saddam Hussein taking over the world?

[Aksannyi]

Is this the part where we start implanting v-chips into kids so they get shocked when they curse and it'll ultimately save us from Satan and Saddam Hussein taking over the world?

I blame Canada.

[hey]

I only get pissed at people cursing in front of my kids. Mostly cause I don't want to have to explain what a "FUCKING COCKBAG" means

Your kids probably swear more than most people.

[Dimmauk]

Your kids probably swear more than most people.

My daughter is 5 and my son is 8 months.

[hey]

I stand by what i said.

[Jaybar]

Abridging speech is never OK, or reasonable. Perhaps you're aware of the first amendment? If someone is being truly disruptive, there's already something for that: disturbing the peace/disorderly conduct/etc. Creating laws that specifically target speech that's deemed "profane" (by who, exactly?) is, not to put too fine a point on it, anti-american.

Well it appears they are decriminalizing it so that they don't have to go through lofty court cases for those infringements. In this case, they are piling profane language into disorderly conduct, decriminalizing it, and placing a fine with it.

[Dimmauk]

George is rolling over in his grave.