Fine for Swearing in Public

My filthy Aussie news.
Yeah, how about that? In the UK you can get a lofty 80 bob fine for swearing, and down here you can be given an insane $240 fine for dropping a C-bomb. Is there anything similar in other parts of our tiny blue marble?

So, uh, what does everyone think about that?

:australia:

:uk too:

Fuck that I have a fucking right to be a filthy mouthed bitch and by god I will die before I give up that right.

Also, on a vaguely serious note isnt that a violation of a humans right to freedom of speech?

They do some shit like that here too.

Why the hell do they care what people say? It's the people's personal problem on how they want to talk. It's not like they're disturbing the peace or something.

Escorting someone from a building or other public place would be fair. Fining them I would say is akin to rationalized theft.

While I am for First Amendment rights, I am also for civility and self-control. Swearing a lot in public makes you sound like an asshole.

This is absolutely true, but still, you should have the right to decide for yourself whether or not you want to be perceived as an asshole.

there's swearing and then there's being belligerent i can understand giving fines for disorderly conduct. (for example some asshole cursing out a cashier over something stupid) this is plain fucking stupid, however judging from their AU's completely fucking nanny state quest to make AU into Pleasentville I am not surpised in the least. on the up side their protest signs will be super simple. "Fuck this"

Well true, that falls under the umbrella of infringing on another person's rights.

I think the idea that you have a right to not be offended is nonsense. I'm not offended by swearing, and I would never want anyone to be disallowed from doing it. Even if someone's being an asshole, why should that be considered a crime? Let them be an asshole who goes around swearing at people. They'll probably get kicked out of stores and nobody will like them. You don't need to have the police punish them over something so frivolous. They'll either adjust or live a sad life.

I don't mean a right to not be offended, I mean a right to earn a decent living in peace, and if that is infringed upon, a right to escort someone off of your property. Outside of the store, if they continue, well that's different.

I think we should just round up and castrate and de-vocal cord all of the stupid people.

I don't mean a right to not be offended, I mean a right to earn a decent living in peace, and if that is infringed upon, a right to escort someone off of your property. Outside of the store, if they continue, well that's different.

You're just talking about private property rights at this point, which exist mostly exist.

Right, I know. I'm saying that's enough. This sort of legislation on top of that is needlessly constrictive.

It doesn't seem to have made a difference here. People still swearing like stereotyped sailors. It could be because the fines haven't been around long, but it's more likely that everyone's just an asshole.
@All the talking about rights in this thread... We don't have a Bill of Rights. In fact, we're lucky we can do anything.

Worse: People who let their dogs purify their systems on sidewalks and parks.

Dog shit is an enduring malign: it stinks, it gets on shoes, it gets into buildings and cars, and it's shit. It's not the dog's fault that it had to defecate, it's the owner's for letting it do it in an inappropriate area.