Dumb Laws

[The Glamour Nazi]

Yeah i just think it's funny how they put a fine on it.

[MagmarFire]

One thing, though: First Amendment. Infringement much? Plus, words defined as cursing vary from person to person, and they're a social label more than anything.

Well, looks like another thing for me to bash society for. *thumbs up*

[Mysterious F.]

Dumb laws, or dumb-sounding laws, from my homestate (PA):

• It is illegal to have over 16 women live in a house together because that constitutes a brothel.
  
• It it illegal to sleep on top of a refrigerator outdoors.
  
• Any motorist driving along a country road at night must stop every mile and send up a rocket signal, wait 10 minutes for the road to be cleared of livestock, and continue.
  
• A special cleaning ordinance bans housewives from hiding dirt and dust under a rug in a dwelling.
  
• You may not sing in the bathtub.
  
• Fireworks stores may not sell fireworks to Pennsylvania residents.
  
• A person is not eligible to become Governor if he/she has participated in a duel.
  
• Any motorist who sights a team of horses coming toward him must pull well off the road, cover his car with a blanket or canvas that blends with the countryside, and let the horses pass.
  
• Ministers are forbidden from performing marriages when either the bride or groom is drunk.
  
• No more than two packages of beer at a time may be purchased, unless you are buying from an official "beer distributor".
  
• Motorized vehicles are not to be sold on Sundays.
  
• You may not catch a fish with your hands.
  
• You may not catch a fish by any body part except the mouth.
  
• Dynamite is not to be used to catch fish.
  
• Though you do not need a fishing license to fish on your own land, but a hunting license is required to hunt on your own land.

[Vaati]

Arkansas:

It's illegal to say it "Ar-kan-ses"

[Hi no Seijin]

One thing, though: First Amendment. Infringement much? Plus, words defined as cursing vary from person to person, and they're a social label more than anything.

Well, looks like another thing for me to bash society for. *thumbs up*

Again, it's not really much of an infringement.  Consider this:  A person can be arrested for shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theater because he has unnecessarily endangered human life.  With the law against profanity being spoken on the Boardwalk, that's a reinforcement of common courtesy; a mother doesn't want her young children to hear and learn such language, so her right as a mother outweighs the rights of the foul-mouthed teenager.  If you abuse your rights, then it's perfectly fair that you lose them if you can't use them responsibly.

[Twilight Wolf]

• Ministers are forbidden from performing marriages when either the bride or groom is drunk.

Sounds reasonable to me. Prevents the "OMG who the hell are you and why are you in my bed?!?" marriages from occurring, followed by a divorce and lawsuits.

• No more than two packages of beer at a time may be purchased, unless you are buying from an official “beer distributor”.

I wouldn't call that one unreasonable, either, but I don't think it's really necessary.

[MagmarFire]

Again, it's not really much of an infringement.  Consider this:  A person can be arrested for shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theater because he has unnecessarily endangered human life.  With the law against profanity being spoken on the Boardwalk, that's a reinforcement of common courtesy; a mother doesn't want her young children to hear and learn such language, so her right as a mother outweighs the rights of the foul-mouthed teenager.  If you abuse your rights, then it's perfectly fair that you lose them if you can't use them responsibly.

I do see where you're coming from, but those are two highly different circumstances with considerable differences in gravity. For the former, I completely agree that someone who yells, "Fire!" in a crowded theatre should be arrested, for that does endanger human life. The latter, however, most certainly does not, or it at least isn't a direct causation to any freakish effect that may result in that sense.

Sure, why not have one lose his or her rights if he or she can't use them responsibly? Of course it's fair. On the other hand, it's when the gray areas are encountered where varied perception of the word responsible must be taken into account (such as why and how it is defined in this case--by which I mean, of course, that it has been defined through a social label and not necessarily a deep, philosophically- and universally-accepted one), and given the likewise-varied seriousness of both instances, the latter sounds, in comparison to the former, much less serious, thereby reducing the law's effectiveness. That doesn't mean that it doesn't infringe at all, though, and the last time I checked, it's the Constitution that has higher jurisdiction over a state-originated ordinance, not the other way around.

[Hi no Seijin]

It's not like you're getting sent to jail for using profanity on the Boardwalk; it's just a fine.  I'm not even sure how heavily enforced that law is.  The Boardwalk is generally an area I avoid, at least during the summer months (also known as "Tourist Season") when it becomes crowded.

And look at it this way:  We're a PG forum (or at least we try to keep it that way).  Warnings are given to people who use profanity.  It's the same thing as this law, just at a smaller scale.

[The Glamour Nazi]

Yeah, I was just pointing out it's funny.

I go to sandbrige beach anyway, much nicer there.

[MagmarFire]

It's not like you're getting sent to jail for using profanity on the Boardwalk; it's just a fine.  I'm not even sure how heavily enforced that law is.  The Boardwalk is generally an area I avoid, at least during the summer months (also known as "Tourist Season") when it becomes crowded.

And look at it this way:  We're a PG forum (or at least we try to keep it that way).  Warnings are given to people who use profanity.  It's the same thing as this law, just at a smaller scale.

My argument could be applied here, too, but yeah, excellent point. ;D

So wait, you two live in the same state? Or a similar area, that is?

[The Glamour Nazi]

Yeah, so far I've determined we both live in VA Beach.

Not gonna push any further.

I read somewhere it's illegal to throw a potato in this one town in Idaho...

They sure love their potatoes