SC Senator Sez: “Shut The F*ck Up”
Public profanity would be outlawed under a sweeping new obscenity bill sponsored by S.C. Senator Robert Ford, a Charleston Democrat (and recently announced gubernatorial candidate) who once famously said that e-mail was a “tool of the aristocracy.”
Ford’s bill would make it a felony for a “person in a public forum or place of public accommodation wilfully (sic) and knowingly to publish orally or in writing, exhibit, or otherwise make available material containing words, language, or actions of a profane, vulgar, lewd, lascivious, or indecent nature.”
Hmmm … there goes 98% of our day.
And what would the penalty be for such “profane, vulgar, lewd, lascivious or indecent” behavior?
A $5000 fine or five years in prison … or both.
Yeah … we’re actually not kidding.
Ford’s bill was pre-filed on December 10 and has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Seriously, people. WTF?
Oh, and no word yet on whether text messages (which Ford probably also views as “tools of the aristocracy”) could be subjected to this Orwellian nightmare, or words like friggin’, flippin’ or freakin’.
Also unclear is whether or not we can still say “fuck” if we insert a little star where the vowel would go … i.e. “f*ck.”
Frankly, with South Carolina imploding on all fronts (and not being in a particularly good position to begin with), we think Ford’s legislation is not only incredibly ill-conceived, we’d actually go so far as to describe it thus:
“Fucking retarded.”
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Comments
By Mab on January 10th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Better spell out >> frickin’<< Senator Ford. It is my personal favorite. It would virtually shut my mouth on any given day.
By lou on January 11th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
We do not have enough rooms in the jails for this. Bad economic idea~
By Jennifer on January 11th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Another worthless tool in the toolshed!
By Tradd on January 11th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Clay Middleton, please run and get Ford out of office. Unlike Ford, Clay will work to improve his district.
By Workin' Tommy C on January 12th, 2009 at 9:01 am
More laws are more strands in the government’s spider web and we’re the flies.
By Justhim on January 15th, 2009 at 11:22 am
A complete and utter waste of time, since as soon as it’s passed (which, honestly, it probably won’t be, since hopefully our other legislators realize this) it will be struck down as a ridiculously blatant violation of the first amendment, no matter how you try to color it as a protective measure for minors.
By Liberty for me on May 16th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Ethics and morals should be taught at home,school and church.Morality LAWS do not belong in this country.