Poll: Victoria police given permission to fine swearing

[UberNoodle]

The right to fine bad language vs the right to be a rude, offensive, loud mouth bogan who's sunk too much piss and really needs to grow the hell up or go home.

It's a toss up, that's for sure!

 

[Klarinette]

Maybe not a fine, but ... I don't know, some people feel the need to yell and swear really loudly, especially when they're having a screaming match with someone walking away from them. That's not really necessary. Also, on the bus.

Other than that, a fine seems pretty excessive, especially if it's a situation where you're having a regular conversation with someone, and say a cop happens to walk by and hear you swear. I'd be pretty pissed, and my displeasure with the situation would probably end up with more fines. $240?? That worse than a speeding ticket, and you're not going to kill anyone by swearing.

 

[nondescript]

I agree that fine is way too high for something I'd but below littering, but I've wanted such a law in place a couple times when low-browed wannabes started trading "motherf%#$er" back and forth in front of my nieces.

This law, if passed, would be no different than Indecent Exposure. You can still strip naked, but don't do it where someone would obviously take offense.

 

[Ashcrexl]

lol free speech. since when has any government on earth allowed free speech?

 

[Slangeveld]

Kind of dislike the "Freedom of speech" argument against it and think that excessive swearing and insults directed at a person should be finable. Not this though.

 

[Dogstile]

lol free speech. since when has any government on earth allowed free speech?

I love it when people quote freedom of speech when it involves anywhere outside america.

 

[TiefBlau]

New laws are giving Victorian police in Australia to give people $240 on the spot for swearing. What do you think of this?

I think it's great that people are getting paid $240 to swear. Most people have to critique video games or go to a comedy club to get that privilege, and I think it's great that they're extending this benefit to all other citizens as well.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

Awesome, you guys get fined now for saying words? That sucks. There is nothing bad about most the words, it is just the tone and meaning expressed behind it that is bad...

 

[Woodsey]

I thought Australia was supposed to be chilled. This is stupid.

Although laws are based on opinions.

 

[Normalgamer]

So if I type C*nt over and over again, and call every other poster on this thread C&nt, and just tell you all you're C%nts.
I would....
a) receive applause and accolades from everyone for my use of 'free speech'
b) start some kind of war with people who believe in 'free speech', but don't like being called names
c) get banned because calling people offensive names is, gosh, offensive.
The average age of the Escapist user becomes apparent in forums like these.

Your poll is biased, how about D) You have no reason to call us a ****, but if you did noone should do anything since your defended by free speech. Voltaire - "I disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it". Also, doesn't work on the escapist, it's a private "property", thus they can enforce whatever laws they wish, while in a public setting one should be allowed to say whatever they want as long as it doesn't impede on someone else(Disorderly conduct) the only age that has been revealed here is your's.

 

[Gindil]

This has become mandatory:


Ain't free speech great?

 

[Random berk]

So, does this mean Zero Punctuation is finished?

 

[plastic_window]

So they're denying you the right to say whatever you want?

Shit's fucked up.

 

[Sark]

This can't be anything but good. If all the idiots who use fuck as every second word get fined for speaking like that in public, I have absolutely no problem with it. This law will also breed creativity in insults and derogatary statements which can only be a good thing.

 

[6037084]

an extremely bad law, nuff said

 

[wammnebu]

America. Land of the free. And land of taking your freedom away.

You do realize he's speaking of Australia eh? lets face it, if that happened in America 99% of politicians and rappers would go bankrupt in 0.5 seconds.

but just think impose a 5 dollar fine on new york city, we would pay off the national debt in 3 weeks

 

[similar.squirrel]

What a positively Victorian outlook on profanity.

 

[Pelgrims]

Why stop at swearing? I'm completly sure that sneezing, coughing and may the gods forgive me for this: breathing! Can easaly be used to fill a country's budget holes.