Speech Codes

[DGS49]

What if a TRUTHFULSTATEMENT is likely to provoke a violent reaction? "You are too fat to fit in this booth, lady"

 

[buckeye45_73]

"Hey Ossifer, I have a question. What the fuck is this ordinance about?"

"That'll be five hundred bucks".

"But you haven't even told me what the goddam words are" .

"That's a thousand".

"Oh shit".

None specific in the actual ordinance. I finally did track down Ordinance 14-61 (b) 1

• ARTICLE IV. - OFFENSES AGAINST THE PUBLIC PEACE5) ---
  State Law reference— Offenses against the peace, S.C. Code 1976, § 16-7-10 et seq
  
  
  
• Sec. 14-61. - Disorderly conduct; breach of the peace.
  
  
  
  (b)
  
  It shall be unlawful for any person within the city limits to intentionally engage in any act or conduct inciting public disorder or a breach of the peace in light of the surrounding circumstances of time, place or nearness of other persons, including but not limited to acts or conduct characterized:
  
  (1)
  
  By making, uttering or directing toward another person any lewd, obscene or profane or libelous expletive or epithets or "fighting" words, which as a matter of common knowledge, when addressed to the ordinary citizen are inherently likely to provoke violent reactions, including but not limited to calls, threats and invitations to immediately engage in physical violence, fisticuffs, duel or personal combat;

Yup, all under "Disorderly Conduct" as mentioned previously including loud noises ("and said sound shall include bass reverberation"), hooting, screaming, hornblowing, loud loading of packages, car exhausts, hawkers, drummers, pile drivers and my favorite hate, gas powered brooms sold under the name of "leaf blowers" although they only restrict those between 9pm and 7am (personally I think anybody operating a gas-powered broom at any time of day or night should be taken out and shot in the public square).

This is pretty standard stuff for any community. As you note there's no list of words at all. The closest it gets and its grayest area seems to be under public drunkenness: "By being grossly intoxicated or appearing so appreciably impaired while engaging in lewd, obscene, profane, boisterous, riotous, tumultuous or violent acts or conduct, as those terms are commonly defined and understood"

I'd like to have some laws like that here to shut up the barking dogs that go on all night. At least nobody's running gas-powered brooms which is why I left the city.


It would appear then that the OP article purportedly about outlawing either "profanity" or "cursing" is full of proverbial shit.

So if it's about disorderly conduct, they already have that law. If you're being a nuisance, then sure, but why have this policy. Its like making it illegal to kill people with a gun. It's already illegal to kill people......

WHY are you all debating this and pulling it apart as if it mattered? This ordinance already exists, it apparently works, and I'd be very surprised if it is the only one in the country. If you can't possibly hold back from hurling offensive words at someone, don't go to Myrtle Beach on vacation.

If you can't control your self when people hurl them at you, go to anger management. I don't typically just toss shit out to piss people off, but deal with it, people talk shit.

 

[OldLady]

There's some rather vague language in the ordinance in that it kind of insinuates any language that is likely to provoke a violent reaction from another person.

That alone should render the ordinance facially unconstitutional, but you know as well as I do that the number of fucks governments give about liberty is equal to the number of supermodels I banged last week.

Where in the Constitution does it defend your right to start fights? Some people need to remember that along with rights come responsibilities.

 

[OldLady]

"Hey Ossifer, I have a question. What the fuck is this ordinance about?"

"That'll be five hundred bucks".

"But you haven't even told me what the goddam words are" .

"That's a thousand".

"Oh shit".

None specific in the actual ordinance. I finally did track down Ordinance 14-61 (b) 1

• ARTICLE IV. - OFFENSES AGAINST THE PUBLIC PEACE5) ---
  State Law reference— Offenses against the peace, S.C. Code 1976, § 16-7-10 et seq
  
  
  
• Sec. 14-61. - Disorderly conduct; breach of the peace.
  
  
  
  (b)
  
  It shall be unlawful for any person within the city limits to intentionally engage in any act or conduct inciting public disorder or a breach of the peace in light of the surrounding circumstances of time, place or nearness of other persons, including but not limited to acts or conduct characterized:
  
  (1)
  
  By making, uttering or directing toward another person any lewd, obscene or profane or libelous expletive or epithets or "fighting" words, which as a matter of common knowledge, when addressed to the ordinary citizen are inherently likely to provoke violent reactions, including but not limited to calls, threats and invitations to immediately engage in physical violence, fisticuffs, duel or personal combat;

Yup, all under "Disorderly Conduct" as mentioned previously including loud noises ("and said sound shall include bass reverberation"), hooting, screaming, hornblowing, loud loading of packages, car exhausts, hawkers, drummers, pile drivers and my favorite hate, gas powered brooms sold under the name of "leaf blowers" although they only restrict those between 9pm and 7am (personally I think anybody operating a gas-powered broom at any time of day or night should be taken out and shot in the public square).

This is pretty standard stuff for any community. As you note there's no list of words at all. The closest it gets and its grayest area seems to be under public drunkenness: "By being grossly intoxicated or appearing so appreciably impaired while engaging in lewd, obscene, profane, boisterous, riotous, tumultuous or violent acts or conduct, as those terms are commonly defined and understood"

I'd like to have some laws like that here to shut up the barking dogs that go on all night. At least nobody's running gas-powered brooms which is why I left the city.


It would appear then that the OP article purportedly about outlawing either "profanity" or "cursing" is full of proverbial shit.

So if it's about disorderly conduct, they already have that law. If you're being a nuisance, then sure, but why have this policy. Its like making it illegal to kill people with a gun. It's already illegal to kill people......

WHY are you all debating this and pulling it apart as if it mattered? This ordinance already exists, it apparently works, and I'd be very surprised if it is the only one in the country. If you can't possibly hold back from hurling offensive words at someone, don't go to Myrtle Beach on vacation.

If you can't control your self when people hurl them at you, go to anger management. I don't typically just toss shit out to piss people off, but deal with it, people talk shit.

I understand why you started this thread, but I disagree with the almost continual whining here about the right's threatened "free speech." People talk shit where it is permitted. In Myrtle Beach it isn't, so deal with it.

 

[Bootney Lee Farnsworth]

Where in the Constitution does it defend your right to start fights? Some people need to remember that along with rights come responsibilities.

What starts a fight? Speech or action?

 

[Bootney Lee Farnsworth]

I understand why you started this thread, but I disagree with the almost continual whining here about the right's threatened "free speech." People talk shit where it is permitted. In Myrtle Beach it isn't, so deal with it.

So, free speech is not permitted in Myrtle Beach?

 

[OldLady]

Where in the Constitution does it defend your right to start fights? Some people need to remember that along with rights come responsibilities.

What starts a fight? Speech or action?

Is the pen mightier than the sword?
I'm going to start that thread someday. We'll talk about it then.

 

[OldLady]

I understand why you started this thread, but I disagree with the almost continual whining here about the right's threatened "free speech." People talk shit where it is permitted. In Myrtle Beach it isn't, so deal with it.

So, free speech is not permitted in Myrtle Beach?

Bootney, read the ordinance if you have any questions, and enjoy your vacation.

 

[Natural Citizen]

With people like Maxine Waters using her political power to stimulate people into inciting violence in the direction of people who are simply out in public pumping their gas or buying bubblegum it becomes a little scary.

I could be out just pumping my gas and some asshole could just start a fight because they're offended at my very presence in public. And we have seen this play out many times since she started that nonsense.

That's how bad it's getting. People are being programmed to become offended at someone elses very presence. Our very presence effectively becomes ''fighting words''

 

[Bootney Lee Farnsworth]

Bootney, read the ordinance if you have any questions, and enjoy your vacation.

You honestly don't see how this ordinance can be abused by the entity that has a near-perfect track record for abusing power---GOVERNMENT???

 

[OldLady]

With people like Maxine Waters using her political power to stimulate people into inciting violence in the direction of people who are simply out in public pumping their gas or buying bubblegum it becomes a little scary.

I could be out just pumping my gas and some asshole could just start a fight because they're offended at my very presence in public. And we have seenthis play out many times since she started that nonsense.

That's how bad it's getting. People are being prograsmmed to become offended at someone elses very presence. Our very presence effectively becomes ''fighting words''

She's talking shit, too. I know for a fact, no one around here is acting like that, thank God.

 

[OldLady]

Bootney, read the ordinance if you have any questions, and enjoy your vacation.

You honestly don't see how this ordinance can be abused by the entity that has a near-perfect track record for abusing power---GOVERNMENT???

It's to stop fights. You got a problem with that?

 

[Bootney Lee Farnsworth]

It's to stop fights. You got a problem with that?

YES.

"Stopping" fights does not justify shitting on free speech. What starts a fight is violent action, not words.

No amount of words can cause bodily injury. Sticks and Stones.

 

[Natural Citizen]

It's to stop fights.

Will it, though?

 

[OldLady]

Okay. I've been arguing about free speech and all this tripe for days now--all weekend and right through. I think I've hit "full."
I've had to look at my intolerance for intolerance and my old fashioned "what's the big deal" attitude about not using certain offensive speech in certain places.
I've done about all the thinkin' about the subject I can stand for the moment.

Being an old lady school teacher, I expect a certain level of decorum in my classroom. I don't accept certain language or disrespect for other students. If that makes me a Nazi, so fuckin' be it, I guess. I don't see anything in the least threatening or wrong with Myrtle Beach's rule, however poorly the thing was written up in the article. That's just my opinion.

 

[Pogo]

Okay. I've been arguing about free speech and all this tripe for days now--all weekend and right through. I think I've hit "full."
I've had to look at my intolerance for intolerance and my old fashioned "what's the big deal" attitude about not using certain offensive speech in certain places.
I've done about all the thinkin' about the subject I can stand for the moment.

Being an old lady school teacher, I expect a certain level of decorum in my classroom. I don't accept certain language or disrespect for other students. If that makes me a Nazi, so fuckin' be it, I guess. I don't see anything in the least threatening or wrong with Myrtle Beach's rule, however poorly the thing was written up in the article. That's just my opinion.

​

 

[Harpy Eagle]

The story is confusing. On one hand they talk about profanity and then the police guy says it only applies if it can reasonably provoke a violent reaction, which sounds a great deal like the do not yell fire in the theater laws.

Provocative speech should still be protected. Individuals are responsible for their own actions. All are expected to control their emotions and refrain from violence.

Yelling in a theater is limited because it creates a safety hazard where it is not unreasonable for people to want to flee a burning building. The action of fleeing a burning building is not, nor should it ever be, illegal. Unjustified violence is illegal.

Yeah, I finally got to read the ordinance and in my opinion is is way too vague and could way to easily be abused.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Bootney, read the ordinance if you have any questions, and enjoy your vacation.

You honestly don't see how this ordinance can be abused by the entity that has a near-perfect track record for abusing power---GOVERNMENT???

I would like to add that I am also sympathetic to the desire of municipalities to make their recreation areas family friendly. I am not sure the best way to go about it.

 

[Bootney Lee Farnsworth]

I would like to add that I am also sympathetic to the desire of municipalities to make their recreation areas family friendly. I am not sure the best way to go about it.

That's the problem with most government action. It is brought on by people wanting to control other people. "Think of the children" is the excuse we always hear, but no action will be overreach under that standard. The reality is that the only control one should have over what is said is in his/her own home.

 

[Marion Morrison]

What's the penalty for showing tits?