These days, it often seems like people are cursing more than ever before. Now, one city is making a huge move to try and stop this once and for all!
The city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has just issued an ordinance stating that any person who is caught using profanity in their city can be taken to jail or given a citation. The city’s disorderly conduct offense includes a lewd, obscene and profane language ordinance, which would count as a misdemeanor.
The ordinance is meant to cut down profanity being used in public areas. Lt. Bryan Murphy with Myrtle Beach Police Department explained that someone could violate the ordinance if he or she uses language to “provoke a violent reaction from another person.”
“We encourage everyone to avoid violating this ordinance by speaking to others with the same respect and kindness you deserve,” Murphy said.
City of Myrtle Beach spokesman Mark Kruea added that the goal of this ordinance is not about the fine, but is instead about compliance.
“It’s not the ticket,” he said. “It’s compliance. The goal is to have folks obey whatever rules, ordinance that any government puts in place.”
Kruea added that words “can get out of hand” sometimes.
“There is an expectation of a certain amount of propriety in a public place,” he said. “People get excited from time to time. There are limits, I think, to how excited one can be and how much expressive behavior one can share with the public without infringing on somebody else’s right.”
I wish that an ordinance like this one would be put in place in my city! While I support freedom of speech, I do think the amount of profanity that is being tossed around these days has gotten way out of hand. If punishing people for using profanity can make them stop, we really are making the world a better place!