A Law Against Cursing?
2.14.99

So, the other day I was flipping through some daytime talk shows since I was home recovering from surgery... and I came across a show being done on a guy that was facing jail-time for cursing in front of a woman.

I can't make this kind of thing up. The story goes, he was canoeing with friends down a river in Michigan when the canoe tipped, dropping this guy, Tim, I think his name was, into the river. He came out of the water as most of us probably would, not too happy, and yelling out some sort of curse. Now, what he said, and how many words he said, were still in debate between he and the family that witnessed the event... he says it was one or two words and had no clue that the family was the banks behind him, they say it was a screaming tirade or continuous cursing that forced the mother to cover the ears of the younger child (2 years old), and he must've known they were there. The story continues that when the canoe trip reached a bank, there was an officer waiting there to arrest Tim. It seems there is a 101-year-old in Michigan that says it's illegal to curse in front of a woman. The family of four that heard the cursing was disgusting and is certainly pressing charges which means that Tim faces jail-time if he doesn't convince the court otherwise.

I didn't see enough of the show to give details, but I saw enough to know that this is complete bullshit.

That's right. Any women in Michigan that read this, take notice... I said "bullshit".

My questions are:

- What ever happened to the first amendment, protecting free speech.

- If you fell out of a canoe into water, colder than you would've been happy in, wouldn't you too have a few choice words to say when you popped up?

- What happened to women's lib on this one? If a woman curses in front of a man, it's perfectly fine. If a man curses in front of a woman, it's a capital crime. So much for being treated equally.

- What does the law say is offensive language? Are we talking about the difference between obscenity and profanity, or just anything that was found to be offending to the witnessing woman?

- How does the state of Michigan deal with cable TV, Howard Stern, rap music, and everything else that has people offended? Are they all outlawed and jailable?

That's my take. I just don't understand this kind of offensive behavior. I don't mean this guy's cursing. I mean the fact that someone has to go to court to fight for their freedom because he was angry, shocked, and upset and found the perfect way to express all of that without thought, from pure reaction. That, to me is offensive. That someone not unlike myself, and millions of other mid-20's males, can actually be arrested for doing something that any woman could do without retribution. The woman who is pressing the charges has made me so angry and offended that I would press charges against her, if there were any 101-year-old laws that applied, for setting an example for people that is against so many of my own beliefs. I mean, that's what this is about, right? This guys cursed, this woman felt it was setting a bad example for her two children and wanted to protect them from the cursing, but since she couldn't and was offended, she instead had him brought up on charges. I believe we have similar cases. I wonder if there are any attorneys out there willing to take the case.

I really think people need to get over this. I can understand how a person might want to protect their children from offensive behavior. Hell I wish *I* didn't curse as much as I do(and I'm working on helping that), I know how it can be offensive. I think I'm going to try to teach my kids (if I'm lucky enough to have any) not to curse a blue streak. But I'll be damned if I was ever pathetic enough to actually have someone arrested for doing something within earshot that I simply don't agree with or would want my children to learn. There's a difference between a child seeing or hearing something inadvertently that will traumatize them and affect them for the rest of their lives and something that they witness that can easily be undone with "That is not a good thing to do, this is why, here is why you shouldn't repeat that". Then again, to a two-year-old, there wouldn't be much counseling to undo a simple "Fucking A!" that they heard, would there?

To the lady in Michigan, I would have to say this... in high school, a teacher told me something that has stuck to this day, something I think you need to remember...

I may not agree with what you say, but I'll defend to my death, your right to say it.