Montana Supreme Court: Cursing in public not protected free speech
 

The 5-2 ruling Thursday said such unprovoked utterances are not protected by the constitutional right to free speech. Any obscene language likely to provoke violence can bring an arrest for disorderly conduct, the court held.

In October 2000, Malachi Robinson swore loudly at Missoula County Deputy David McGinnis, who was parked in his squad car, calling him a "(expletive) pig," according to court documents.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...ghting_words_1

What a bunch of fucking pigs on the Montana Supreme Court. I guess the U.S. Constitution doesn't mean anything to them. What part of this don't they understand:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

I hope this case is appealed and overturned.

Take it all the way to the real supreme court.

Same thing happened in Michigan I think it was. The guy did time and a fine for cussing. You only have the rights up to where someone elses rights are and no further. It'll stand.

You have no right to not be offended.

In Europe some countries have laws against certain "hate speech" and political parties like the Nazi party, because they offend a lot of people. That is not true freedom. When the government starts telling you what you can and cannot say and think, then you are not living in a truly free society.

Saying the words "fuck you" doesn't hurt anyone.

Imagine you applied the same logic to the internet. It's fucking ridiculous and it goes against the U.S. Constitution.

Not much reason to curse in Montana .. except to say "Where the fuck is everyone??"

But there is nothing illegal with saying fuck, shit, asshole, etc, etc... It's a fucking word, I'd love to see them try and arrest me for cussing!

jDoG

The US is weird sometime. If you call someone a pig it is slander and has nothing to do with free speech. Only the US can amplify a small slander case to a free speech issue.

I really don't like when people curse loudly in public especially in the presence of little kids.

When I'm out with my littly guy and some punks start swearing loudly, I tell them with a stern look "Watch your mouth, there's a little kid here", which 9 times out of 10 shuts them up instantly followed by an apology to me.

I've only ever had one punk smart ass back to me and not only did he tell me to go fuck myself, he included my kid too. So of course that wise guy I grabbed tightly by the back of his shirt collar, which instantly scared the shit out of him I guess cause I have that Tony Soprano look, and he meekly walked as I took him out of the store and told him not to come back in till I left.

:BangBang: :1orglaugh

How is this other person's rights being violated?

and the only one who committed a real crime was....drum roll please...YOU!

That's what I want to know! The only way you violate somebodies right's is by punching them. I remember from english class a quote, "Your right to move your arm freely, ends before the other persons face" or something like that, but I mean, words anybody could say. Fuck all these fucking people that have a problem with cuss words! Cuss words help express yourself! :Graucho

jDoG

This wouldn't hold up in the real Supreme Court.

said the same thing...you might even be able to argue that calling him a "fucking pig" is political speech.

The "Right" always gets over zelious during republican reign...

Funny thing is that guy will probably appeal and file a suit against the city for a couple million.

Ultimatly its those that think they are above the law that cost us tax payers millions every year.

Case and point? George Bush II.

Well don't know about your state, but down here if an adult tells a minor 7 years old to go fuck himself, he can go to jail.

Fuck that.

Some people are so clueless. Read the fucking ruling. You still 'right' to curse in public.



I swear...

These are the same fuckers who would argue that their 'right' to yell fire in a crowded movie theather supercedes the right of the other patrons not to get trampled by a fleeing mob.

my husband was arrested 2 years ago in North Carolina for the same thing: using obscene language in front of an officer. Had to go to court and pay a fine. It was the most ridiculous thing that has ever happened to us.

The first does NOT give anyone the right to disturb the peace. Pure and simple. Don't like it? Hunt up a country that doesn't care.

It wasn't all that many years ago that cussing someone could result in the local coronor declaring you dead by premeditated suicide or death by stupidity sometimes called death by misadventure.

You cuss and disturb others rights to NOT hear it. Your minor (now a legal issue) infraction can result in a more serious law being broken by someone retaining their right to not hear the children try out new and exciting words at the top of their lungs.

Laws are all about keeping the peace not allowing the childish to defecate from the mouth.

KRL did the right thing.

Freedom of speech is to protect your right to criticize the govt without fear of being jailed or killed, not to protect some punk's right to swear in front of little kids and tell them to go fuck themselves.

The case will stand. As far as I know this is the law in every city (city ordinance), county (county ordinance), state (state law). Free speech does not allow an individual to disturb the peace...profanity...or combative speech is not acceptable speech.

Speech has been regulated to some extent since the time the ink dryed on the writings of the constitution...and this is as it should be.

You are correct.

:thumbsup

Using this logic, all public protests are illegal.

It always amazes me when people in the adult industry don't like the U.S. Constitution.

Why do you hate America? :1orglaugh

You're talking about your constitution like lawmakers are still following it. :1orglaugh

A verbal attack like that is called assault, which is often mistaken for battery. Assault is verbal, battery is physical. You're only usually arrested for battery with assault tagged on but they CAN arrest you for assault.

If they said "I think all cops are fucking pigs" as a general statement that would be OK. The fact that he verbally attacked a specific person makes it assault.

Get it?

And you are correct.

"Verbally attacked?" :1orglaugh

Bullshit. If you said "I'm going to kill you!" then you might have an argument.

Saying "fuck you" is not assault and it is protected by the U.S. Constitution. Calling someone a "pig" is perfectly legal and protected by the constitution.

If it was illegal, then every American would be in jail.

The very foundation of the First Amendment is that no person in the United States has the right to not be offended.

I can't believe the acceptance of anti-free speech unconstitutional government attacks on freedom that some people in the adult industry find acceptable.

It is anti-American to think that people have a right to not be offended.

Combative speech which calling someone a "pig" could easily be intrepreted as...is against the law in every jurisdiction that I am aware of and has been my entire life.

Telling a cop that you are going to kill him...in the state of California...is not a "might have an argument" but is instead a felony.

If it is illegal to call someone a pig where you live, you need to move. Why are you living in Iraq in the first place? :1orglaugh

Combative speech should be illegal...it helps to keep in check ones dental and orthopedic bills. No I do not need to move...thank you very much.

Sorry but using your logic then the biz you are in is no longer protected free speech...because in your opinion it is only "to protect your right to criticize the govt without fear of being jailed or killed."

Gemini as has been already pointed out your "disturbing the peace" exception for free speech could be utilized in just about every protest whether peaceful or not because regardless they all do disturb someone's peace at one point or another.

Allowances are made for "protest" when the proper permits are obtained by the protesters...without the permits they are guilty of disturbing the peace and are subject to arrest.

We have already visited this issue during the civil rights era. As if a "permit" protected people while excercising their right to peacefully assemble.

Hmmm thinking back to the Viet Nam protests that I saw... By golly you're right Eros! They DID arrest people with that very darn charge! Imagine that.

The 1st also protects (to a degree) your right to work in porn... just as it protects your right to say some things...

Just as walking around foul mouthing, you are not allowed to go around flashing centerfolds either. What it DOES protect is your right to do it in the privacy of your home. NOT on the public street.

Or if we have it legal to foul mouth on the street, then its legal to have strippers out there too... right?

Rights are NOT 100% no matter how you try to read them. There was, is and will be restrictions so as to not infringe on others rights.

It was originally there to protect what I said.

It's scope has been expanded, rightfully so.

I doubt it's been expanded to protect the right of assholes to run around screaming "go fuck yourself" at 7 year olds in public.

The adult industry is protected because adults should have the right to view porn if they want. You're an adult, do what you want. Hence, rightfully expanded.

What possible reason could saying obscenities to little kids in public be protected?

Use a little common sense.

that fucker should have gotten a beatdown.

The person who was arrested was an adult who called a cop a pig. That is undeniably political speech. A cop is the government. The first amendment exists, in part, so that the people can be critical of the government in a way that they (not the government) choose without fear of being arrested or punished.

If you can't call a cop a pig, why should you have the right to call Hillary a bitch, Bush an idiot, or anyone else in the government anything other than "sir"?

The Montana Supreme court should be overturned on this bad decistion. They have ruled against the very foundation of the U.S. Constitution.

Do you think you should have the right to call Hillary Clinton a bitch or should that be a crime?

Should your hero Rush Limbaugh be in jail for insulting Bill Clinton during the 90's?