Close your eyes if you're in South Carolina!

South Carolina has made it illegal to transmit "material containing words, language, or actions of a profane, vulgar, lewd, lascivious, or indecent nature".

Well, darn. Dang it all to heck.

Actually, it looks like it doesn't take effect until approved by the governor, so we have a little grace period. After that, though…they're going to have to sweep up everyone on the internet and imprison us for 5 years.

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Definitions? Those are some awfully squishy terms.

By gravitybear (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

It's a little more than approval from the governor. It has to pass House and Senate first.

It says that the creator of this bill is a democrat? What the hell? Are democrats in SC really closet republicans?

That's a flat out attack on the Constitution there, pardner.

If I were President, I'd send the Marines to the SC statehouse.

Seriously. Anyone voting for this would be... detained.

By Quiet_Desperation (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

I assuming that the intent of this bill was to prevent cyber-bullying. But, jeesh, these guy have got to learn to how say what they mean. As worded, this could be used to censor anything. It would probably shut down every blog in the state.

So I take it cybersex is not illegal in SC.

This could get a little hard to enforce! What if I get a website hosted in SC, which has a swearword in it? Love to see them try to extradite me...

And who, oh who, gets to decide what is profane, vulgar, lewd,etc. If it's me, then broadcasting some guy running into a bus over and over on "America's Most Beloved Deadly Videos" would get an "indecent" tag, but explicit male/male sex scenes (or any other sex scenes involving consenting adults) would not.

Go figure.

bam

P.S. Vulgar just means "common" for FSM's sake.

I say we all go to South Carolina and start reading from some of the more "saucy" sections of the Bible and see if we get arrested for publishing verbally lewd and lascivious material. Or better yet bring suit against any religious store that sells the bible. Song of Solomon has got some pretty racy scenes in it and they offend me. We could then also make it so that the churches can not hand out bibles to kids.

I thought that was already the case? Certainly when I was at USC Columbia, rumor was that it was illegal to have a bumper sticker that said something construable as indecent, with the exception of the pro-USC-sports sticker that said, "GAMECOCK: an ass-kickin' chicken."

By DrBubbles (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Are the politicians and lawyers that bored?

By Snowed In (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

I guess that means if I ever want to visit South Carolina (and why the hell would I?) that I can't bring any of my trashy romance novels with me. Or any of my novels where sex is discussed.

Will this mean "transmitting" Bibles will become illegal in SC then? There's a fair amount of indecency in THOSE motherfuckers.

Oh shit, I think the works of Shakespeare have some lewdness in them. Won't somebody think of the goddamn childrens?!

Senator Robert Ford, (D) South Carolina -- what a cocksucker. And, um... bugger off!

Jesus H. tapdancing Christ on a rubber fucking crutch.

I can see SC's new license plate!

"South Carolina, the Decent State"

Btw, I don't think the bill goes far enough!
It should also include words, language and actions of a boring, stupid, ignorant, thoughtless, bigoted, hateful, deceitful and anti-scientific nature.

And while they're at it, let it also forbid spam and TV commercials.

South Carolina will have to dig up George Carlin and arrest his carcass for the Seven Dirty Words.

Before flying off the handle at this guy, read the comment thread at Stranger Fruit and click on the links for other bills sponsored by Senator Ford. He is a strong proponent of gay rights. That's a big deal, especially in a place like SC.

Hmmm...I am sure *THIS* will hold up in a Federal court...

*sigh*

"Ohhh, some people don't like you to talk like that. Ohh, some people like to shut you up for saying those things.
You know that. Lots of people. Lots of groups in this country want to tell you how to talk.
Tell you what you can't talk about. Well, sometimes they'll say, well you can talk about something but you can't joke about it.
Say you can't joke about something because it's not funny. Comedians run into that shit all the time.
Like rape. They'll say, "you can't joke about rape. Rape's not funny."
I say, "fuck you, I think it's hilarious. How do you like that?"
I can prove to you that rape is funny. Picture Porky Pig raping Elmer Fudd."

lessee here: piss shit fuck cunt cocksucker motherfucker tits.
Thanks George.

Sounds like these representatives are comitting treason to me or at the very least a very disloyal action to the constitution.

Oh, by the way, it's called the first fucking amendment, ass-hat cock sucker.

But if you guys must, please provide an extensive and exacting list of the words that fit this bill. I want to know if it's just Carlin's seven dirty words. I hope 'god', 'jesus', and 'sin' are on the list, cause shit I'm sick to fucking death of hearing them.

Oh, yeah, I'm sick of the all the conjugations of the phase 'to be'. Let get rid of that and the word 'the'. That make me happy.

How in the world will this be enforceable, and who gets to decide what is vulgar, etc.?

That's government for you ... especially when good ol' boys run it.

By the way, I think someone said "fuck" around here in the last 24 hours. We might want to keep an eye out for the man.

It says that the creator of this bill is a democrat? What the hell? Are democrats in SC really closet republicans?

Yes, Virginia, Democrats can be dumbasses, too! They just tend to exhibit dumbassitude in different ways. It's like finches on the Galapagos islands. They evolved to fill different political niches of dumbassery. Many people are oblivious to this because they occupy the same political niche as their favorite finches. The blinkered point of view from any niche blinds them to the intrinsic dumbassness of their own niche, and it amplifies the perceived dumbassination of the other niches and finches.

Now off to bed, sweetie, and tomorrow I'll read to you about the Sneeches with stars and the ones without.

By Quiet_Desperation (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Kryth,

"No not 'is'; you won't get far in life not saying 'is.'"

Nee!

By OrchidGrowinMan (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

We're all overreacting, here. This bill was just introduced and is now languishing in committee. I was pretty exercised about it when I first saw mention of it, too, until a friend pointed out that "a lot of insane stuff gets introduced in our fine state legislatures. doesn't mean it has a chance of passing, even in s carolina." True nuff.

Of course it's batshit crazy, but that's nothing new. And it'd be pretty damn entertaining if it did pass. But that's many unlikely steps away.

Apparently the SC legislature feels the need to look like it is doing something to make up for the fact that its state-subsidised fundy christian license plates have been shot down by the courts. It has picked an opportune time to do this, however. By simply activating the National Guard, searching every house in the state, disconnecting all cable services and confiscating all the new converter boxes, the state can ensure that, as of mid-Feb, no one in SC can watch TV, which is the main source of the offending transmissions.
Of course, that still leaves all the folks who receive transmissions from deities. Since there is no way to ensure that the voices in their heads are not actually telling smutty stories, it would be best to prevent this. The only way I can think of involves a guillatine, but I'm open to suggestions on this one.
It will all backfire, of course. If people can't get their dirty entertainment, some will take up reading just to kill time. That will lead to higher education levels, which will lead to SC legislators losing their jobs.

Sometimes bills like these even pass. But the opposition is all ready (probably with coaching) to file a suit in federal court which will declare the bill void on first admendment grounds. Then the pols can tell their people "we tried" and get re-elected. And then go back to downloading their porn as usual.

By Nerd of Redhead (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

A man from South Carolina taught to cuss and I didn't even have the decency to thank the motherfucker.

By terrylong (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Son of a bitch.

Yep that's my representative too.

They do make it hard to defend the fact that not all of us South Carolinians are assbackwards fuckheads.

I promise you it isn't as bad as our more vocal residents and representatives make it seem.

I'm sick of the all the conjugations of the phase 'to be'. Let get rid of that and the word 'the'.

In Soviet Russia, article drop YOU!

What #27 said. It's in committee, with little chance of passing - plenty US courts have stricken down profanity and disturbing the peace charges already as being basically dumbassery, and those were misdemeanors. It won't stick.

By James Haight (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Yes, the "protect the womenfolk and children from knowing about s*e*x and naughty language" mentality. *Much hand-ringing ensues*

Do you know the most often used phrase used by twelve year old girls from South Carolina? "Git offa me Daddy, yer mashin' ma cigarettes."

(badoom doom chic)

Before flying off the handle at this guy, read the comment thread at Stranger Fruit and click on the links for other bills sponsored by Senator Ford. He is a strong proponent of gay rights. That's a big deal, especially in a place like SC.

True. He has sponsored several anti-discrimination bills that explicitly cover (among other things) sexual orientation and gender identity.

Oh yeah, and this:

S 0042 General Bill, By Ford

A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 20-1-18 SO AS TO ENACT THE "CIVIL UNION EQUALITY ACT", TO PROVIDE THAT TWO PERSONS MAY FORM A CIVIL UNION IF THEY ARE OF THE SAME SEX; TO PROVIDE THAT ALL LAWS APPLICABLE TO MARRIAGE APPLY TO CIVIL UNIONS AND THAT THE SAME BENEFITS, PROTECTIONS, RIGHTS, AND RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE LAW GRANTED TO SPOUSES IN A MARRIAGE ARE ALSO GRANTED TO THOSE JOINED IN A CIVIL UNION; [ ... ] AND TO PROVIDE THAT THIS ACT MUST BE CONSTRUED LIBERALLY TO SECURE TO CIVIL UNIONS THE ATTRIBUTES, EFFECTS, BENEFITS, AND PROTECTIONS EQUAL TO THOSE AFFORDED MARRIAGE.

This showboating presentation of an unpassable law suggests something to me.

You see, I'm sure if they actually passed this into law, then you could immediately ban the bible, something that I'm sure goes against the intentions of the politician backing it. (To get reelected.)

But what if you got a small production crew to sell a television show to all the religious channels, of animated bible reenactments. Get a viewership going, contracts signed everywhere, then start releasing the shows based on some of the more... entertaining bits. Elisha and Lot bits come to mind.

Pretty soon, you'd get headlines like "churches banning bible show" and "Bible porn? No thanks!"

This kind of effort would get some brave animators a LOT of attention.

By Nangleator (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Oh, yeah, I'm sick of the all the conjugations of the phase 'to be'. Let get rid of that and the word 'the'. That make me happy.

In that case the first line of Hamlet's immortal soliloquy would start: "or not"

By Lee Picton (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

i live in rural SC. that kind of nonsense passes for common sense around here. quick! i need safe passage out of Redneckistan! time to revive the underground railroad.

By EmbarassedCarolinian (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Posted by: KH | January 15, 2009 12:42 PM

Before flying off the handle at this guy, read the comment thread at Stranger Fruit and click on the links for other bills sponsored by Senator Ford. He is a strong proponent of gay rights. That's a big deal, especially in a place like SC.

That's great (seriously- gay rights is one of my highest voting priorities) but introducing an all-up assault on free speech still makes him an asshole.

I should move to South Carolina. Sounds like a great place. The state legislature has apparently taken care of problems like the economy, infrastructure, and civil rights, and now has nothing better to do than debate about people cussin' in public.

You starvelling, you eel-skin, you dried neat's-tongue, you bull's-pizzle, you stock-fish--O for breath to utter what is like thee!-you tailor's-yard, you sheath, you bow-case, you vile standing tuck!

Hey, somebody had to go to the Shakespearean Insulter eventually...

By damnedyankee (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Good news. That means, the bible is now illegal in S.C. because it's content fully qualifies.

This from a state where the age of consent is 14? That's pretty rich... (no really, go look it up, I'm not lying. Someone pointed that twisted fact out to me).

I seriously need to get out of this state.

By Toast Museum (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

I'm thinking that if I can come up with something that violates this law without being morally reprehensible to me, I'll have to drive the two hours or so and see just how serious they are about it (if it goes through). Putting the ACLU on speed dial first might be a good idea too.

I'd be very concerned about the precedent of this if it passes. "Profane" need not describe only what we generally consider "dirty language". Profane is also defined as anything that is secular, or is marked by contempt for what is sacred. Take out all the "profanity" in this blog, and it's contents could still be interpretted as profane.

#32

Son of a bitch.
Yep that's my representative too.

I hear he's also planning on making a run for governor.

I wonder if this is something he's introduced (with hopefully no chance of being passed or enforced) to build up his "save the children" street cred.

If they pass this then the two most obscene words in that state will be South Carolina.

By NewEnglandBob (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

State Senator Ford was arrested 73 times for participating in Civil Rights protests.

*head asplode*

Internet Clueless Hall of Fame: Ted Stevens of Alaska, and now State Sen. Ford of South Carolina, among others. What is it with legislators? Is it like a requirement to be simply ignorant and out of touch to get that job?

For someone who otherwise appears to be a reasonable Democrat for SC, I cannot understand his willingness to take on the first amendment in such a broad form. No doubt he's been mocked before about this, but learned nothing. Sad.

By (No) Free Lunch (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

You might also enjoy the Georgia General Assembly's bill that defines "abortion" as "fetal murder." It goes on to declare that the Supreme Court doesn't have jurisdiction over state laws punishing murder, so Roe v. Wade doesn't apply to Georgia.

(I managed to work the "Preview" button right this time.)

Is it like a requirement to be simply ignorant and out of touch to get that job?

He's a politician. End of story. He's there because he's an idiot who managed to bamboozle enough other idiots to vote for him.

Honestly, what are people missing here? Why are they still baffled when stupidity happens in politics?

Do you know the most often used phrase used by twelve year old girls from South Carolina? "Git offa me Daddy, yer mashin' ma cigarettes."

Isn't SC the state where "Watch this!" is most common last utterance before an embarrassing death occurs?

By Quiet_Desperation (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

#4 said It says that the creator of this bill is a democrat? What the hell? Are democrats in SC really closet republicans?

Democrats in this state have this odd belief that if they act like Republicans, they may get elected. Meanwhile the Republicans just call them liberal even though they are to the right of center.

Fuck fuckety fuck fuck fuck.

@27 - "Of course it's batshit crazy, but that's nothing new."

All the more reason to write to him and let him know that it won't be tolerated.

the reason batshit crazy ideas dont pass is because people react and express their dissent.

to say "its crazy, therefore, it won't pass" is lazy and gives voice to the crazies who support it.

you SHOULD over-react

write to Senator Ford and express your displeasure in a civil manner

RIF@scsenate.org

Speaking of what's illegal to say on teh intertooobz, once I got over the schadenfreude attendent on this tale of an Ohio faith-based initiatives officer gone to sin, I started scratching my head.

I can see where running a raffle in which the prize is a date with a prostitute would probably violate state gambling laws, and pandering/pimping statutes as well... but the article as written implies that it was illegal per se for him to run a hooker-rating website.

Really? It's illegal, now, to comment on the illegal activities of others? To publish the anonymous, unverifiable (and potentially fictional) descriptions of others' illegal activities?

Now, I know a hooker-review website is a pretty unsympathetic thing to be defending, but wouldn't this have implications for real journalism regarding illegal activities?

About time someone's gotten down to bringing back a little fuckin' civility. What's that? It is on the list? Well, poopy then. What's that? Poopy's on the list too? Who's in charge of this dagnabbit list anyway?

By jimmiraybob (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

I hear he's also planning on making a run for governor.

I wonder if this is something he's introduced (with hopefully no chance of being passed or enforced) to build up his "save the children" street cred.

With the baggy pants ordinance, probably.

"It says that the creator of this bill is a democrat? What the hell? Are democrats in SC really closet republicans?"

This is why I'm neither democrat nor republican. Being registered independent kinda sucks for primaries, though.

Oh my stars!

This is why I'm neither democrat nor republican. Being registered independent kinda sucks for primaries, though.

Register as a D and vote/canvass/phonebank/rally for liberal/progressives in the primaries. Even if they don't win, you'll at least be letting your neighbors know there are such things as liberals (and liberal ideas)... and eventually they will win.

As a wise man once said, "the arc of moral history is long, but it bends toward justice."

Come on, people. South Carolina has not done anything yet, and won't. The freaking thing was only introduced two days ago.

We all know what this is. His idiot constituents wanted him to do something, so he smiled at them and said "Ok!" and introduced it. And everyone in the legislature, including Ford, knows it's unconstitutional and unenforceable and will die in committee. Shit like this happens all the time. It's not even remotely interesting.

Definitions?

pro⋅fane   /prəˈfeɪn, proʊ-/ adjective, verb, -faned, -fan⋅ing.
–adjective
1. characterized by irreverence or contempt for God or sacred principles or things; irreligious.
2. not devoted to holy or religious purposes; unconsecrated; secular (opposed to sacred ). 3. unholy; heathen; pagan: profane rites.
4. not initiated into religious rites or mysteries, as persons.

vul⋅gar   /ˈvʌlgər/ –adjective
1. characterized by ignorance of or lack of good breeding or taste: vulgar ostentation.
2. indecent; obscene; lewd: a vulgar work; a vulgar gesture.
3. crude; coarse; unrefined: a vulgar peasant.
4. of, pertaining to, or constituting the ordinary people in a society: the vulgar masses.
5. current; popular; common: a vulgar success; vulgar beliefs.
6. spoken by, or being in the language spoken by, the people generally; vernacular: vulgar tongue.
7. lacking in distinction, aesthetic value, or charm; banal; ordinary: a vulgar painting.

This covers a lot of things - the Constitution is a profane document for a start.

Rev. BigDumbChimp, you have my sympathies for being an assbackward South Carolinian. I'm a knuckle-dragging Floridian. It's only a matter of time before we do something even more stupid.

I don't like the wording on that bill. It seems like a perfect way to enact censorship especially on minorities. It's South Carolina, put it to a vote and even the word "Atheist" is profanity against their just and almighty God.

I can't leave Carolina,
for I spoke forbidden word;
I shouted out a hearty curse,
and a group of schoolgirls heard.

So now I rot in this locked cell
as the day and year count mounts.
There were thirty-seven schoolgirls,
I was convicted thirty-seven counts.

A hundred-ninety years I face
for not having the pluck
to start an angry killing spree
and instead just shouted "Fuck!".

By horse-pheathers (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Hmmmm can site "Cohen v. California (1971)"?

Appellant was convicted of violating that part of Cal.Penal Code § 415 which prohibits "maliciously and willfully disturb[ing] the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or person . . . by . . . offensive conduct," for wearing a jacket bearing the words "Fuck the Draft" in a corridor of the Los Angeles Courthouse. The Court of Appeal held that "offensive conduct" means "behavior which has a tendency to provoke others to acts of violence or to in turn disturb the peace," and affirmed the conviction. Held: Absent a more particularized and compelling reason for its actions, the State may not, consistently with the First and Fourteenth Amendments, make the simple public display of this single four-letter expletive a criminal offense. Pp. 22-26. 1 Cal.App.3d 94, 81 Cal.Rptr. 503, reversed. Opinions HARLAN, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which DOUGLAS, BRENNAN, STEWART, and MARSHALL, JJ., joined. BLACKMUN, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which BURGER, C.J., and BLACK, J., joined, and in which WHITE, J., joined in part, post, p. 27.

Or is that too obvious?

By BeamStalk (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Fuck that should have been "can I site"

By BeamStalk (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Okay my english are bad today, site - cite....

I are no english major that be fur shure

By BeamStalk (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

This reminds me of a movie that came out a little while ago. Let's call this bill "The Assassination of the First Amendment by the Coward Robert Ford."

Hm.. many states have "blue laws" on the books still, that haven't been challenged in the courts. Mostly because no one attempts to enforce them. But adding a new blue law now?
surely this guy must know that such a law is too broad to be applied ? ::shrug::

Uh, call me paranoid, but couldn't that be used to try to compel bookstores or libraries to stop carrying a lot of books? There are a lot of classics with "material containing words, language, or actions of a profane, vulgar, lewd, lascivious, or indecent nature". Off the top of my head, 1984, The Catcher in the Rye, Huck Finn, Madame Bovary, all of Shakespeare's comedies and some of the tragedies and dramas all seem to fall under that heading. At the very least, the first definition I found, "To send or forward, as to a recipient or destination," could be used to send phone or online sales way down.

Also, I've always considered the internet to be something of an autonomous state. This law is gonna be hell to enforce.

This guy is freakin' weird. Some of his legislation proposed is pretty good, then, just as soon as you're about to say "okay, he isn't too bad," you get this piece of batshit crazy, or the baggy pants one...

Weird, weird dude...

By dogmeatib (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Considering that there's a large Navy base and an Air Force base in Charleston, an Army base at Fort Jackson, and one of the two Marine Corps basic training depots at Parris Island, I'd say there's a fair bit of profane, vulgar, lewd, lascivious, or indecent language used in South Carolina.

By 'Tis Himself (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Monty Python's Flying Circus in the beginning of The Life of Brian pretty much says it all for me. At the stoning the judge officiating attempts to explain why they're stoning the criminal convicted of saying the word that is not to be said. Eventually the crowd insists on know what the word is that no one is supposed to say and in a fit of exasperation the judge says "Jehovah" then the crowd stones the judge. Any piece of legislation specific enough to hold any weight would have to specify the words themselves, thus making the legislation (a public document by definition) an obscenity and outlawed by ... wait for it ... itself.

My favorite community standards story: some townsfolk tried to sue to have the local porn store shut down. The porn store provided the court a list of the zip codes reported by its customers (no customer names). This showed that some large percentage (I can't remember, it was maybe around 15-20%) of the population of the town were its customers. The defense attorney therefore made the argument that the porn store's customers comprised enough of the community that the store passed the community standard test. The judge allowed it and dismissed the case. (If anyone's interested I can try to dig up citation(s) for this).

Contradictions and convolutions : that's entertainment!

Heh!

Thepresent law isn't exactly screwed (opps!) down tight.

First of all:

[M]aterial is obscene if:

the average person applying contemporary community standards relating to the depiction or description of sexual conduct would find that the material taken as a whole appeals to the prurient interest in sex;

However:

Obscenity must be judged with reference to ordinary adults except that it must be judged with reference to children or other especially susceptible audiences or clearly defined deviant sexual groups if it appears from the character of the material or the circumstances of its dissemination to be especially for or directed to children or such audiences or groups.

Next:

"sexual conduct" means:

(a) vaginal, anal, or oral intercourse, whether actual or simulated, normal or perverted, whether between human beings, animals, or a combination thereof;

So, basically, anyone who exhibits animals having sex to children who might find it purient (and what healthy teenager wouldn't?) is guilty of obsenity.

There goes the 4-H!

Exitus (#8) said:

This could get a little hard [...]

By zaardvark (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Dark Matter #83

Uh, call me paranoid, but couldn't that be used to try to compel bookstores or libraries to stop carrying a lot of books?

People try to have removed from the shelves Huckleberry Finn, The Catcher in the Rye and many more titles from public libraries and public school libraries all the time. Librarians call these "challenges."

For those interested, the American Library Association has a list of Most challenged books of 2007 that may prove interesting if not entertaining.

I know you were trying to use unoffensive substitutes for cusswords with your darn, dang, and heck, but I knew some Baptist kids when I was a child who considered even those kinds of words "nasty words" and would run crying to tell their parents if anyone said them.

In short, a very large chunk of the stories in the Bible

By Twin-Skies (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

This from a state where the age of consent is 14? (no really, go look it up, I'm not lying.

It was raised to 16 in the last election (constitution ammended).

If (on the rare possibility) this passes, you will find me being arrested at the corner of Broad and Meeting (aka the "Four Corners of Law") with my ACLU attorney and a film crew.

Considering that there's a large Navy base and an Air Force base in Charleston, an Army base at Fort Jackson, and one of the two Marine Corps basic training depots at Parris Island, I'd say there's a fair bit of profane, vulgar, lewd, lascivious, or indecent language used in South Carolina.

Shit, I fucking live here in Charleston. I make up my fair share of the above.

And people wonder why I want to move to France...

By Levi in NY (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Sigmund @ 28:

Here's a song for Bobby Ford.

A handy word indeed.

My pus driping cock they will! If those motherfuckers want to regulate MY speech they can come to my house and try. I'll squeeze the shit right out of their heads!

By Eric Paulsen (not verified) on 15 Jan 2009 #permalink

Jesus-on-a-Stick, what will these anal stenotics try to ban next? Dirty looks? There's no wanker wankier than the one that wants to fuck with everybody else's freedoms because he can't handle it.

WTF happened to free speech! Doesn't directly effect me much in the UK, but this sort of thing in the US has a way of effecting everyone in the end.

By Prosthetic Head (not verified) on 16 Jan 2009 #permalink

Shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits!

Shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits!

Shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits!

UH OH I owe 'em 5000 bones.

Come on, people. South Carolina has not done anything yet, and won't. The freaking thing was only introduced two days ago.

We all know what this is. His idiot constituents wanted him to do something, so he smiled at them and said "Ok!" and introduced it. And everyone in the legislature, including Ford, knows it's unconstitutional and unenforceable and will die in committee. Shit like this happens all the time. It's not even remotely interesting.

Oh, fuck this. Fuck this shit! I don't care if it's unconstitutional and unenforceable -- the fact that it was even introduced is fucking disgusting and wrong. The fact that people spent time and money on this piece of garbage is wrong. The fact that our GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS give this crap the time of day is fucking wrong. Slippery slope, and all that.

We have every right to be outraged that our government fucking officials seem to shit on our constitution. It ain't right, no matter how "unenforceable" it is.

For fucking fuck's sake,don't they fucking knowing fucking anything. We only fucking say fucking because it's fucking wrong to fucking say fuck. If fucking fuck was fucking accepted fucking everywhere,it wouldn't fucking be fucking cool to fucking say fuck.In fucking fact it would get quite fucking boring to be fucking saying fuck all the fucking time.
So for fuck's sake let me fucking say fuck all the fucking time till I start fucking hating saying fuck.

If Tualha (#71) is correct, then all Ford is doing is what he's supposed to be doing: representing the interests of his constituents. His choices are: 1) Ignore them. 2) Address the concern in a statement in which he points out that any such measure is unconstitutional. 3) Do what he did.

I'd lobby for choice 2, but that's just me. The point is, we arguably should be upset with his constituents, rather than with him.

Looks like fans of my erotic books in SC will have to hide their flash drives. :)

I doubt this bill will pass. Shades of Anthony Comstock, plus there are the violation of free speech issues...

spinetingler> Good, glad to hear they made it slightly less creepy...

I happen to like Charleston, but I'll gladly contribute to that protest. Dinner at SNOB beforehand?

IST |I happen to like Charleston, but I'll gladly contribute to that protest. Dinner at SNOB beforehand?

I really prefer Jestines (or The Boathouse, but the bastards just closed it) but SNOB is OK.

The First amendment has never been interpreted as extending protection to obscenity. The wording of the bill is ridiculous, though; how are we supposed to interpret "indecent" and "vulgar?"

Keep in mind, Senator Ford isn't completely "ass backwards." He introduced bills allowing civil unions and banning discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

Bills like this are unenforceable, though. They can't possibly think they'll be able to prosecute everyone who violates this statute. Besides, what would they do with 10 year old boys cursing on the playground?

By LittleKristin (not verified) on 16 Jan 2009 #permalink

Correct me if I'm wrong (as if I have to mention that) but isn't vulgar another term for language other than Latin, as well as another word for the vernacular, or common local speech patterns?

If so, would it become mandatory to communicate in Latin or other 'cultivated' language, such as French, in S. Carolina?

That should throw a fuck into things right there.

Shit, I fucking live here in Charleston. I make up my fair share of the above.

You and me both! One thing is for sure, if this shitola becomes law, I'm doing an "all fucking night or until I go to fucking jail" comedy evening at Theater 99...Lenny Bruce style. I'm sure I can get Nate to bail me out...eventually. :)

And who, oh who, gets to decide what is profane, vulgar, lewd,etc.

Well, the classic definition of “obscene” is “anything that gives a judge an erection”, so I suppose it would be established incrementally by precedent what's in and what's out.

By Emmet Caulfield, OM (not verified) on 16 Jan 2009 #permalink

Man, we've got a lot of Charlestonian Pharyngulites on here.
We should have a gathering (but not a Magic: The Gathering).

Maybe some swearing at Sen Fords local office?

spinetingler, I would love to have a Charlestonian Pharyngulites gathering sometime this year. Where and when needs thrashed out, but I am pretty flexible. Hell, sometime in mid to late March might even be willing to host something at my home if there is enough interest. Anyone can leave a note at my blog if there is interest.

Maybe we can entice PZed down for some warm weather. I for one would welcome our octupular overlord.

Ciao y'all

I love the food in Charleston. Is the Wreck of the Richard and Charlene still around? Oh, man I love their oysters.

Posted by: KI |I love the food in Charleston. Is the Wreck of the Richard and Charlene still around?

It is indeed.

By spinetingler (not verified) on 17 Jan 2009 #permalink

From Canada
Oh brother.
It is the left wing that has brought to North America the passion to control speech and ideas.
Anything said . public or in private, against Jews, Blacks, Gays, women, other non -whites, is instantly attacked by all powers of the liberal establishment.
I have been censored on this forum for mild rebuke of homosexuality agendas in the nations. Harmless stuff but poof goes my post.
The whole country, especially Chistian, realizes its been double crossed. They were told there was too be no practical censorship or a presumption of right and wrong in words/images/ideas. If people of differing ideas are to be countrymen.
Then suddenly everybody is fired, publicaly revealed, and a general campaign to punish and teach everyone of what is permissable speech and thoughts. Plus their is a judge and he's not a real judge or elected official.

It is the left that has built the new culture of speech/thought control.
Indeed its just not settled what men can be allowed to think or say in public or private. Private becomes public with revealation.
So I put to any thinking folks here. make up your mind.
if you want to curse then you must allow cursing. object is irrelevant.
For example. i insist Barak Obama is , like Bush, a typical unintelligent, relative to the position, black quota by a race conscience DEmocratic party. I see the blank look in his eyes. These blacks have not earned their place in prestiges things in America. Its a quota humbug. he's another joke already.
I could go on but this is a example to test freedom of thought/speech here on this forum.
Stay tuned folks.

By Robert Byers (not verified) on 18 Jan 2009 #permalink

Bobby Bubba Byers

If I lived in America (or Canada) I would be free to call you on being the racist, homophobic piece of flotsam that you are. Many people have earned their prestigous place regardless of their skin colour or their sexual preference (or any other aspect of their character you disagree with).

Your freedom to curse, blaspheme, etc is different from the racist drivel you are espousing in your last paragraph. If you honestly can not see this, it says a lot for your intelligence.

Also Bubba Blockhead from Canada, not everyone here is left wing, I am a center right capitalist.

By CosmicTeapot (not verified) on 18 Jan 2009 #permalink

Byers suffers from the delusion that people will read his unintelligent posts. I haven't read one of his posts for months, once I realized how mentally ill the man is. Killfile is your friend, or just look at the name of the poster before not reading the post. Works every time.

By Nerd of Redhead (not verified) on 18 Jan 2009 #permalink

Nerd

Normally I read and then ignore the stupid, but I warranted Bubba Byers racist diatribe needed a response.

Bubba needs to be in the dungeon for his racism.

By CosmicTeapot (not verified) on 18 Jan 2009 #permalink

I don't think Byers ever stops back to read responses. I believe he tried to defend himself somewhere in the archives, but this crowd was too much for him, and he didn't like his stupidity being rubbed in his face. So he does one-off posts and runs, like the craven coward he is. As to why PZ hasn't plonked him, PZ will have to answer that. Personally, if the software would allow it, all of Byers posts should go to a separate thread with like minded idiots no matter where they try to post. The title of the posts could be something like "unintelligible idiots".

By Nerd of Redhead (not verified) on 18 Jan 2009 #permalink

So he does one-off posts and runs, like the craven coward he is.

Which makes him a cowgull — I'm promoting this portmanteau of “coward” and “seagull” as a term for these hit'n'run bullshitters.

By Emmet, OM (not verified) on 18 Jan 2009 #permalink

I'll try to remember that. Cowgulls. Cowgulls. Byers is a cowgull.

By Nerd of Redhead (not verified) on 18 Jan 2009 #permalink

OK, so Ford seems to be a pretty decent chap in other ways; he's in favor of gay rights, he takes part in civil rights protests, but then he pens this cwazy bill. Is it just possible that he's trying to prove some kind of point? Is there something going on in the SC legislature and he's setting a rhetorical trap for them?

From Canada
First things first.
i make a accusation with points most Americans would agree or at least recognize some merit and instead of defending yourself you make accusations against my motives and character.
Me first.
Are you saying I'm wrong ? is your accusations based on the premise i'm wrong?
What if I'm right?
Perhaps the same lack of competence in your thinking affects everything in your intellectual life.

A poster here said the author of the bill is for gays.
aha
perhaps he has figured out that to keep censorship against speaking against gays one must be consistent. Especially in S Carolina.
You really can't expect a future where left wingers can be abusive, or perceived by those offended, as such but right wingers can act likewise.
so the empire of speech/thought control by society and gov't must expand or die.
This is the future contention just now in embryol.

By Robert Byers (not verified) on 19 Jan 2009 #permalink

@118/126: rofl.....I think. Otherwise...wozzat in English?

@#39 I like the idea about the animations...The Brick Testament in motion - especially if it were anime-esque to appeal to today's youth. Surely something like that has already been done, though. It's too good an idea to not have.