Comments on: Mass. Town Could Start Issuing Tickets for Cursing

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 05 May 2012 03:31:27 +0000

The First Amendment exists, not to protect popular or polite speech, but rather, that which is unpopular. Maybe it pisses you off. But this is a Republic, not a democracy, which Jefferson spoke of: “a democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what’s for dinner. A Republic is a well armed lamb contesting that vote” in other words, just because you may not like something, the will of 99% of the people in America cannot truly take away one single person’s rights. That’s why they are called natural, or God given, rights. People don’t give them to you, not even thru government. But they often want to seize them away.

By: fthepolice

fthepolice — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:08:25 +0000

so let me get this straight, cops waste less time writing out a ticket then they would by just ignoring the swear? that makes sense…

By: T.T

T.T — Fri, 04 May 2012 04:43:31 +0000

I think this,is insane yet not a bad idea given the fact some parents who teach they’re kids not to curse go out and you have people cursing,next thing you know your kid curses. I must agree cops should be focusing on more serous crimes, its a waste of they’re time. Im sure the cops are not gonna go out of they’re way when they get a phone call that someone is cursing while someone else is probably getting stabbed, or someone robbed a bank

By: doublehearted

doublehearted — Fri, 04 May 2012 02:29:23 +0000

are these people serious!? .. We are NOT robots, and I’ll be damned if someone tries to ticket me for stubbing my toe and letting out a F@!K. I think the police should be concentrating on actual crimes. Everywhere we turn the damn government is taking our money, and this would just add to that list.

“I don’t think it will solve the problem but it will make them understand what is acceptable behavior and what is not,” Mimi Duphily told WBZ-TV <– and what the heck does that even mean!?!? I'd like clarification of what "acceptable behavior" is in miss Mimi's view. This is what's wrong with the world.. too many people trying to fix problems that don't exsist and not enough doing what they're actually supposed to.

By: Calladus

Calladus — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:33:13 +0000

Well congratulations on reading the Bill of Rights to the Constitution. Now read the 14th Amendment, which applies the Bill of Rights to all of the States.

By: Mick

Mick — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:42:14 +0000

Wrong you are, or the Feds wouldn’t be able to go bust up dispensaries in cities and provinces where it has been voted to legalize. Better get a little more educated, or you’ll keep getting inter-owned.

By: Rob S

Rob S — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:04:05 +0000

Your comment is obscene – to me. Therefore it oughta be illegal?

By: Rob S

Rob S — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:03:00 +0000

“I don’t think it will solve the problem but it will make them understand what is acceptable behavior and what is not,” Mimi Duphily told WBZ-TV.

Yeah, because legislating ‘acceptable behavior’ (whatever that means) is a legitimate function of a government of ‘free people’. /scorn

By: Al

Al — Wed, 02 May 2012 16:17:16 +0000

Obscenity is not protected by the First Amendment.

By: Cas

Cas — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:45:06 +0000

While you are right that the Constitution is Federal, you are incorrect that the State can supercede the rights given to all in the US. They are basic human rights. The individual state can chose to give it’s people more rights but they cannot, in fact, take any rights given by the federal government, away.

By: jack

jack — Wed, 02 May 2012 11:15:15 +0000

The constitution limits the federal government, because it is assumed that all people have natural rights that cannot be taken away. The constitution limits the government, not the people.

By: Steve C

Steve C — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:19:05 +0000

People! You have the Constitutional argument wrong! Read the dadgum thing hahahha it says what? Congress shall not…. Translation? “Congress” aka Your Federal gov’t!!! Not your state or city or whatever. THis is well in the power of the state or a city to do! The US Federal Constitution has NO, ZERO, NADA, power for a city hahaha. Come on people learn the dadgum thing & think instead of using incorporation doctrine (dumb) for blanket rulings. Notice every state HAS a state constitution. The Bill of Rights are things the FEDERAL gov’t cannot do to a state.

By: CyniCAl

CyniCAl — Wed, 02 May 2012 04:12:25 +0000

Has the police department in Middleborough starting receiving prank calls yet? They should probably disconnect their phones.

By: Bergman

Bergman — Wed, 02 May 2012 03:46:00 +0000

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that giving cops the finger is protected speech. I find it unlikely that actual speech is entitled to less protection than something merely considered to be speech.

By: John Marshall

John Marshall — Wed, 02 May 2012 02:23:21 +0000

I think this law is a great idea. It will teach people proper manners and respect. After this I suggest a few other laws to improve the quality of life in Middleboro:

1) Make *** marriage illegal again
2) Bring prayer back to the schools
3) Require a 2-week waiting period and a $500 tax for abortions
4) Arrest any negro who dates a white woman
5) Put all the Muslims in internment camps

By: Swearwords

Swearwords — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:02:44 +0000

This wrong not only via the Constitution, but on many levels. It on face value is a good idea though. How many of us have been out with the family and kids, and are forced to listen to some crotch-grabbing, monkee, wannbe, jerk, going off about his momma, or your momma, always one or the other.

By: Swearwods

Swearwods — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:00:03 +0000

LMAO

By: Loretta

Loretta — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:25:55 +0000

If they weren’t such douche nozzles in the first place maybe their “subjects” wouldn’t curse so much.

By: Bruce H

Bruce H — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:14:54 +0000

Quite aside from the constitutional issue, which is valid, the proposed ordinance wouldn’t actually do anything remedy the situation. If the city really wants to moderate what they feel is a problem with obscenities, then they should undertake a promotion campaign. PSAs on TV and Radio, billboards, and the like.

That would be much more effective at combating the problem than levying fines for “violations”.

By: Walt G

Walt G — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:25:17 +0000

**** that ****.