Dumb Law Alert: South Carolina - Granite Grok

Dumb Law Alert: South Carolina

Saw this over at Slashdot:

"It looks like in an act that defies common sense, a bill has been introduced in the South Carolina State Senate that seeks to outlaw the use of profanity. According to the bill it would become a felony (punishable by a fine up to $5000 or up to 5 years in prison) 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". I’m not sure if "in writing" could be applied to the internet, but in any event this is scary stuff."

Here’s the actual text of the Act:

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 16-15-370 SO AS TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL TO COMMUNICATE PROFANITY IN A PUBLIC FORUM OR PLACE OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION; BY ADDING SECTION 16-15-430 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF DISSEMINATING PROFANITY TO A MINOR AND PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR THE OFFENSE; TO AMEND SECTION 16-15-305, RELATING TO DISSEMINATING OBSCENITY, SO AS TO SPECIFY BOTH ORAL AND WRITTEN PUBLICATIONS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 16-15-375, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS FOR PURPOSES OF MORALITY AND DECENCY OFFENSES AGAINST MINORS, SO AS TO INCLUDE THE OFFENSE OF DISSEMINATING PROFANITY TO A MINOR.

I try hard not to use vulgar language.  Real hard.  My feeling that one should think about their words before letting their tongues start to wag.  Some may use profanity for emphasis (and only for that reason) while others just let it loose to appear tougher/older than they are (teens?) or out of plain laziness.

I also don’t particularly care to listen to solid streams of swear words either – again, it shows a lack of clarity, of thinking, or just a plain lack of manners.  That said, it should not be the role of government to constrain free speech – for that is what this is about.  

Sure, tell someone you don’t appreciate their words, shame them if you can and avoid them if you must (predicting that you cannot change their behavior).

But it should not be up to Government to pick and choose the "winners and losers" of words in such a broad manner.

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