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An £80 Fine for f***ing swearing!?


Zauls

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8546253/80-fine-for-swearing-in-public.html

 

This is stupid. Authorities in Barnsley, UK, are now going to start fining members of the public for using profane language because people might find it "offensive". While this is obviously just an attempt at council revenue-raising and will be impossible to properly enforce anyway, just the fact that people are so "offended" by words that don't affect them in any way is crazy. Most of the time, swear words are used for little more than emphasis or expression of feeling. The only time one can justify taking offence at them is when they are used as a direct insult. Also, what a stranger chooses to say in public is nobody else's business. People need to forget about their cosy, safe existences and stop needlessly and meaninglessly judging people.

 

/rant

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I remember Stalin too, but I'm not sure we need him to take the reigns again.

Like, if someone is screaming at someone else, or using hate speech, that's one thing, but some people can't talk normally without throwing a few f***s and shits in there. 

While it's not an inherently good thing to say bad words, it's kind of stupid to actually take up the police force's time rather than being focused on other crimes.

It's almost like kindergarten lol

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It's a month long trial, by a single local council, and the £80 fine is the maximum possible charge for the offensive, not the only potential thing to happen. More than likely, because police are somewhat reasonable and use discretion, you'll just be told to watch your mouth. Which means this is just a worrying trend as opposed to outright insane. 

 

It is unlikely to see this implemented across the country, it's more likely just a cash grab. Attempts to make it national would get opposition. If it's refined to say you can't direct offensive language towards others with the intention of causing harm, then it's not outrageous. Because you know most people agree to the idea that you shouldn't be an arse in spite of free speech. 

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It's a month long trial, by a single local council, and the £80 fine is the maximum possible charge for the offensive, not the only potential thing to happen. More than likely, because police are somewhat reasonable and use discretion, you'll just be told to watch your mouth. Which means this is just a worrying trend as opposed to outright insane. 

 

It is unlikely to see this implemented across the country, it's more likely just a cash grab. Attempts to make it national would get opposition. If it's refined to say you can't direct offensive language towards others with the intention of causing harm, then it's not outrageous. Because you know most people agree to the idea that you shouldn't be an arse in spite of free speech. 

80 pounds (almost 120 dollars) for a funk you seems terrifying

 

Reminds me of this

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I got kicked out of a game store once for my language. There weren't any kids around at the time, but I still totally understand the rationale of them not wanting swearing in their establishment. Public, of course, is a matter its own, though this doesn't seem as big a deal as people are making it out to be.
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this counts as a form of censorship right? i'm pretty sure this is a form of censorship. i can understand not wanting people swearing left and right, but this is essentially consequences for strong language, which really shouldn't be tolerated by anybody who might be affected. i prefer not to swear often in public, and i get that some people might not like others who do swear in public but i can't imagine this law doing anything positive for the citizens as a whole. it may raise a few bucks, but it'll do more harm than good in the long run.

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