California Legislature Declares "Cuss-Free" Week 262
shewfig writes "The California legislature, which previously tried to ban incandescent light bulbs, just added to the list of banned things ... swear words! Fortunately, the measure only applies for the first week of March, and compliance is voluntary — although, apparently, there will be a 'swear jar' in the Assembly and the Governor's mansion. No word yet on whether the Governator intends to comply."
CA must be on easy street (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:CA must be on easy street (Score:4, Funny)
No fucking shit. Especially since this forsaken shithole is practically broke because of these dim witted bitches and their cock-biting agendas.
On a related note, the Facebook response is a group called "Fuck Week." I didn't join, but I was quite amused.
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I hope 4chan replicates operation titstorm here. Australia bans some types of dirty pictures and gets their fax machines flooded with porn. I can just see a few hundred robocallers swearing at california. Maybe using google voice numbers. I'll leave the implementation up to you.
Re:CA must be on easy street (Score:5, Insightful)
They wouldn't be noticed among the tens of thousands of humans calling every day to swear at the gubbimint.
Re:CA must be on easy street (Score:5, Funny)
"For some time now I have lamented the fact that major issues are overlooked while many
Unnecessary bills come to me for consideration. Water reform, prison reform, and health
Care are major issues my Administration has brought to the table, but the Legislature just
Kicks the can down the alley.
Yet another legislative year has come and gone without the major reforms Californians
Overwhelmingly deserve. In light of this, and after careful consideration, I believe it is
Unnecessary to sign this measure at this time."
Re:CA must be on easy street (Score:5, Funny)
For some time now I have lamented the fact that major issues are overlooked while many
Unnecessary bills come to me for consideration. Water reform, prison reform, and health
Care are major issues my Administration has brought to the table, but the Legislature just
Kicks the can down the alley.
Yet another legislative year has come and gone without the major reforms Californians
Overwhelmingly deserve. In light of this, and after careful consideration, I believe it is
Unnecessary to sign this measure at this time."
Re:CA must be on easy street (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:CA must be on easy street (Score:5, Funny)
WARNING: This thread contains words known to the State of California to cause offense and hurt feelings or other psychological harm.
Please ensure that future discussions on this topic are RoHL (reduction of harsh language) compliant.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Half the words in the dictionary can "cause offense and hurt feelings or other psychological harm", if used the right way.
Re:CA must be on easy street (Score:5, Funny)
Half the words in the dictionary can "cause offense and hurt feelings or other psychological harm", if used the right way.
The other half can "cause offense and hurt feelings or other psychological harm" if used in the wrong way.
May I be the first one to say (Score:4, Funny)
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Motion seconded, do we have quarum? (Score:3)
"the Man" is in California, and he's telling people not to cuss for a week. By cussing in response, we are showing that his efforts to control others is only bringing about more of the very activity that he hopes to diminish. Any legislature that seeks to restrict the people should be met with such an attitude. I'd say it's what a good citizen would do.
So I'll second the motion,
Fuck that.
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Actually, the correct response is "Fuck that shit".
Fixed it for ya.
Re: (Score:2)
Reminds me of a song I like:
Don't tell me how to talk or how to live my life
(Fuck that shit, fuck that shit)
Every time I'm right a little part of you die
(Fuck that shit, fuck that shit)
Should I ever be punished for crossing the line
(Fuck that shit, fuck that shit)
It was made for those who can't think for themselves
(Fuck that shit, fuck that shit)
A little part of you die! (x16) ...
Revolt!
It's revolution!
Bring out the guillotine!
Combichrist -- Fuck that Shit [youtube.com]
My word! (Score:2)
Once you've exited the premise, do be a dear and DIAF. At your convenience of course.
While you're at it, if it wouldn't be too much to ask, could you toss that old piece of trash constitution out? It's a dreadful bother for the poor widdle fascists here abouts and it would be ever so nice if you could turn your back for a but a moment.
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I understand the somewhat easy humor here, but I've never completely understood the desire to intentionally offend people often displayed by the most rampant cussers out there. I think that somehow people who intentionally cuss think they are "stickin' it to the Man", when "the Man" is nowhere to be seen.
Perhaps, but swearing is a very mysterious thing and the whole attitude against it baffles me. Depending on the context, swearing can cause as much comfort and amusement as it does shock and anger. Personally, I find swearing uplifting if it's done well (google Philip Larkin [youtube.com]), and simply embarrassing if not. 10 year-old doesn't know how to swear - its a bit like hearing a beginner playing a violin. Adults generally do, and it aids their communication no end. Emotional connection is greatly curtailed by not
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Sticks and Stones man. If these words could kill it'd be another issue. Explicatives and slang have now become casual english.
And that makes it ok to deliberately offend people?
Expletives (not "explicatives") are completely unnecessary in the forms they are most commonly used. Specifically, they do not add meaning to the sentence; they're merely an attempt to convey emotion or add "shock value". Take, for example, the common use of the "f-word":
"That f-ing dog bit me!"
Given that the dog was not actually attempting to copulate with anything, using the expletive adds no meaning to the sentence.
In this case, it is an attempt to con
Re:May I be the first one to say (Score:4, Insightful)
If people are offended by swear words not directed at them, the problem lies with them and not the speaker.
Number one, it's a dog; it probably was trying to copulate with something, perhaps the leg of the victim. Number two, conveying emotion is a perfectly valid use of language.
Use of expletives as an intensifier, as in "You're a fucking moron", is also a perfectly valid use of language. If you object to deliberately offending people, it's not the expletive which is the problem.
Re: (Score:2, Troll)
If people are offended by swear words not directed at them, the problem lies with them and not the speaker.
If people are offended by my naked body out in public, that's their problem, not mine.
Seriously, we have public decency laws for a reason - it's so we don't go around offending people.
If you object to deliberately offending people, it's not the expletive which is the problem.
Suppose I have a neighbor who is offended by the word "noodle", for some inexplicable reason. You're saying it's perfectly acceptable for me to deliberately use the word "noodle" in every way possible every time the neighbor is within earshot?
Common decency would suggest otherwise. I may think it's absurd to be offended by t
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By literal definition, it does; I'm pretty sure I spent that entire post describing other ways it's used, so obviously I realize it is used many other ways.
None of those other ways, however, has a particular definition. Using it to increase the "shock value" or emotional weight of a sentence does not confer some magical definition on the word.
Or do you have a counter-example?
Re: (Score:2, Redundant)
From the article you linked:
There is a catch, though: The more we swear, the less emotionally potent the words become, Stephens cautions. And without emotion, all that is left of a swearword is the word itself, unlikely to soothe anyone's pain.
Furthermore, the study didn't examine whether merely yelling or screaming wordlessly would have a similar effect, or whether distracting yourself by e.g. singing a song would also work.
At any rate, there's certainly no reason to be using expletives as common adjectives.
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Why must it always be the other that has to change? That would be like you knocking on my door, trying to change my religion to your religion and I don't want to because your religion offends me. Since it offends me, does that mean you should change your religion? No, it means that we just don't talk anymore or talk about religion anymore.
That's exactly the logic I would use with cursing. I don't really care to outlaw it, but I also don't think people should be forced to hear words they find offensive in public in the interest of "tolerance" or whatever.
I would merely argue that if some word or topic of conversation is offensive to a person or group of people, you should avoid that word or topic while you're around that person or group of people. Most people are ok with showing that small amount of respect and restraint.
With your example,
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Respect has to start somewhere. If everyone goes by your own plan - "I'll be nice as soon as everyone else is nice" - then nobody will ever be nice.
That's a pretty simple concept. If you refuse to be a source of respect, then you're just part of the problem.
Fuck you, asshole (Score:5, Funny)
Give me your clothes.
Re:Fuck you, asshole (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
You dipshit fuckwad moderators.
Ok, mods, make it 5, offtopic then.
Of course (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Of course (Score:4, Funny)
Maybe even all but one of the posts will contain cuss-words.
Not this one. Belgium.
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Oh come on. There is absolutely no way in hell that Slashdot could be considered a Serious Screenplay.
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Not a serious screenplay? It plays on my screen and it is as serious as you make it :)
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Maybe even all but one of the posts will contain cuss-words.
All but two, actually.
Not only that, but of course this story gets tagged "censorship", even though the whole point of this is to merely ask people not to swear for one week. Absolutely no enforcement whatsoever is happening.
(Cue the "...for now" comments in 3... 2... 1...)
Don't get me wrong, I think it's a silly waste of time, and I wonder if CA politicians don't have actual issues to attempt to address. But this is a huge non-story.
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(Cue the "...for now" comments in 3... 2... 1...)
Granola (Score:5, Funny)
Fruits,
Nuts,
Flakes,
Pelosi
.
.
.
Profit?
working hard...or (Score:5, Insightful)
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Next they'll make a law that states people have the right to not be offended on the Internet.
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No, you're thinking too narrowly again. The "swear jar" in the state house is actually their solution to the school funding problems. Estimates are that it will bring in upwards of $2 million per day in added revenue.
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Here is the primary problem.
50%+1 to approve (and thus make mandatory) spending
66%+1 to approve taxes to pay for spending
Add in overly short term limits, current economic issues, and other miscellany, and you have a recipe for things getting screwed up.
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Actually, I can see an upside (Score:3, Interesting)
Profanity often can nudge interaction towards less restrained and thoughtful expression. The budget didn't spiral out of control by itself; it broke down because of (a) the laws surrounding how budgeting is to be done (b) the fact that the two parties couldn't work with each other.
Discouraging profanity won't fix problem (a), but it might make problem (b) somewhat more tractable.
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Yet another example of the sway held by special interests, like the incredibly influential Knights of Standards and Practices [southparkstudios.com]. Too long have their outdated ways oppressed the advancement of dragon-kind. Free Geldon!!
Fuck Off! (Score:2, Insightful)
Fuck that shit!
Voluntary.... (Score:4, Insightful)
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Obviously, they do not have any REAL problem (Score:2)
Otherwise they would not do such stupid and utterly pointless publicity stunts.
This is also counterproductive, as cussing is part of normal and healty human behaviour. Banning cussing will only serve to cause people to built up anger without outlet. Maybe they should rename this the "promoting senseless violence week", which is more what this is likely to do.
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You don't realize it, but you've uncovered the answer. They ban cussing so people's frustrations build without an outlet. Then, just as they're about to blow, they get loaded into a combustion chamber so it will power a gas turbine.
They reduce the population, get free renewable power, and all that inheritance flying around to be taxed fixes the budget shortfall.
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Hmm. I should have realized!
swear jar in the Assembly (Score:2, Funny)
Just one thing, Dude... (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
the fuck you talkin about?
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This is such bullshit. (Score:2)
Subject says it all!
Just what a bankcrupt state government needs. (Score:2, Troll)
Just think.... with the money spent passing such nonsense, dozens of teachers or police officers could have been employed.
*sighs*
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mandatory ... (Score:2)
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Another quote that comes to mind when I hear this, yet slightly reverse context
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I was thinking more along the lines of Demolition Man [youtube.com].
Anonymous Coward.... (Score:2)
...you are fined one half credit for violation of the verbal moralities statute.
Re: (Score:2)
Actually, it's "You are fined one-half credit for a sotto voce violation of the verbal moralities statute." An outright violation is one credit.
I really should find something more productive to do.
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Yeah, but that's still a few decades into the future. I'm figuring it's a good a half-credit now, adjusting for inflation.
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Great Way to Raise Revenue (Score:3, Funny)
They can appeal to the Moral "Majority" by saying "Hey! Let's not swear for a week, and we'll set up a swear jar too!" but really what they're saying is "Hey, you cocksucker motherfuckers! We fucking know you can't control your goddamn language you bastards, so cough up some fucking dough!" Great way to get some money in CA's coffers. They are struggling, and with all the filthy language that flies around that very liberal patch of land, this could very well lead to serious revenue.
Yes, I'm being facetious.
Ob Penny Arcade (Score:2)
Here. [penny-arcade.com]
Role Models (Score:5, Funny)
use word placement to make a point. Arnold did this, and it was
clear what his intentions were. I applaud our government for
keeping their promises on this critical piece of legislation.
Year after year tax payer money gets thrown away on
one stupid idea after another. Unless we can educated the
uneducated, these movie stars will continue to rule.
America needs leadership that can dedicate a week to getting
results. A week just to stop swearing at each other, that is
not even a good start. We need a week away from faith in
our markets to fix everything. We need a week of using
logic to solve problems. We need to vote third party, the
democrats and republics are colluding, but they call it compromise.
Does anyone have the text of the resolution? (Score:2)
If it was written by lawmakers, it should be long and rambling, and I am hoping to find the list of proscribed words, otherwise how will I know if I am in compliance?
Or are they just sticking to the classics; Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, Cocksucker, Motherfucker, and Tits.
Tits? seriously? Piss doesn't seem like a swear word anymore either.
Re:Does anyone have the text of the resolution? (Score:5, Funny)
Tits? seriously? Piss doesn't seem like a swear word anymore either.
RIP George, you dead fucker.
Comment removed (Score:3, Interesting)
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I assume the idea of swearing/cussing comes from the biblical injunction "not to take the lord's name in vain". How exactly that was twisted into covering all these other terms which are not obviously related to the lord's name is unknown to me.
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But no swearing on the TV during the day please. It's vulgar. There's a time and place for it. With people you trust. It's nasty hearing a young child effin and jeffin...
Why aren't people offended when I say "do one"? Everyone knows what I'm really saying.
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A large part of it is that they are used almost exclusively in a negative context. My girlfriend doesn't like me using what she calls 'ugly' words around her daughter. This includes words like 'stupid' and 'ugly.' She wants her daughter to grow up to be a nice person, and using nice words is the first step in that direction.
Granted, I often do swear without an offensive meaning (e.g. 'Fuck it's hot today') but young children probably won't pick up on the subtleties so she tries to keep them from her until s
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
I'm not actively offended by profanity. I grew up with it, hear it at work, in the media--about like we all do, I suppose. But even if I'm not actively offended by it, I'm not actively impressed by it either. Are you?
I suppose I may have had a bit of a "brainwashed upbringing" in that I had parents who were concerned that I learn to speak English well and communicate effectively. English is a language with an extraordinarily broad
Sounds OK to me (Score:2)
One of my favorite definitions of courtesy is "acting so that those around you are most comfortable". All too often, people who use swear words are completely oblivious to those around them who would rather not hear them. I'm not in favor of any heavy-handed tactics on the part of government (or anyone else) to curb people's non-illega
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I keep hearing how tough things are in California, and how many problems they have. I also hear legislators constantly talking about the need to "do something" about these problems, because (of course), if *they* don't do anything about problems, they never get solved.
So it seems to be, at best, a frivolous waste of time for them to worry about swearing. No matter how voluntary and good-natured this thing is, they still took up the time of legislators that (presumably) have more important things to worry a
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I'm uncomfortable around those who are offended by my language. The need to constantly invent circumlocutions for "offensive" words, and the distractions engendered when such circumlocutions are skipped and someone takes offense, add significant effort to discourse... which may, in fact,
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I'm not uncomfortable by people who are offended by my language. I simply don't care about them at all.
I am, however, very offended by people who believe they, and only they, have the right to tell me what words I am allowed to use, while I am not allowed to tell them what words they are allowed to use. Such people are not trying to make the world a better place, despite their politically correct lies. They are trying to make the world their place, and only theirs.
I hereby declare the first week of March to
Acrostic (Score:2)
Have they considered there are many ways one can curse?
I suspect they have not
Totally ineffectual law if you ask me.
A law on being polite? Workable? No...what's the word I am looking for?
Best.
Law.
Ever.
With the California state budget as it is... (Score:2)
good luck. Furlough Fridays, closing state parks, etc and "Cuss-Free" would take an Act of God.
I'll be back.
The obligatory (Score:3, Informative)
Shit
Piss
Fuck
Cunt
Cocksucker
Motherfucker
Tits
Re: (Score:2)
Pee!
Po!
Belly!
Bum!
Drawers!
Take credit cards? (Score:5, Funny)
" Fortunately, the measure only for the first week of March, and compliance is voluntary — although, apparently, there will be a 'swear jar' in the Assembly and the Governor's mansion. No word yet on whether the Governator intends to comply.""
Governors office:
Scene: Two aides about to get chewed out.
Governor walks over to the swear jar and puts in a $100. Apparently it's going to be a long night.
you're fucking kidding me...Seriously. (Score:2)
You're fucking kidding me...
Seriously - with all of the issues in my great home state, THIS is how they're spending their time in the legislature?
What a bunch of retarded fucking asshats. Fuck the fucking fuckers.
Shades of "Demolition Man" (Score:4, Funny)
I've seen this before.. (Score:3)
The next step is to put a little box on the wall with speech recognition. Then it could print out a fine automatically..
".. you have been fined 1 credit for a violation of the verbal morality..."
So California's fucking budget crisis is over? (Score:2)
Now that the shitty Californian budget clusterfuck is solved, the cocksuckers in the legislature can get on to fucking some other shit up.
what is going on there? (Score:2)
Really. That state has major, major problems. Another few years of this kind of governing will lead to California being the "Greece" of the US. We need to take a hard look at what's happening to the EU when one of their member states has serious financial problems. Then look at California's tanking credit rating (lowest of any US state) and historic inability to balance even a basic operating budget, even during good years!
The Governator (Score:3, Funny)
The Governator responded with his catchphrase, "Fuck you asshole," which previously he only used in his R-rated movies. He then added, "You are one ugly motherfucker."
California is a bit ahead of the curve (Score:2)
Since the Federal Gov't effectively banned incandescent light-bulbs with the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007... I hope they aren't leading the way on this also
Obligatory Farscape quips.... (Score:2)
Frell this dren!
There's a madness to this reason (Score:3, Informative)
I sir, point to Amendment 1.... (Score:2, Troll)
Wow. Embarrassing! (Score:3, Funny)
I don't think I've ever said this before, but this actually makes me embarrassed to be a Californian.
Fsck swearing (Score:3, Funny)
Fsck swearing... I want to hear them go a whole month (or even an hour) without saying any word starting with the letter 's' or something creative like that. The person that breaks the rule the most gets to sit on one of those seats over a tub of water that you throw tennis balls at a target and if you hit it dumps them in. Or even better, a bucket of slime over everyone's head that gets poured on them whenever they say "I don't know".
Re: (Score:2)
No kidding. Most of you can't even fucking talk.
Bill Hicks (Score:2)
i can't wait for the day when the whole fucking thing rides a shitslide into the fucking ocean
Bill Hicks, is that you?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_Bay [wikipedia.org]
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If that makes you feel better, then believe it.
Re:God damn idiots (Score:4, Insightful)
They're doing that because they can't do anything else. Governments with their backs against the fiscal wall frequently start banning everything in sight. Banning is cheap, because inevitably they never put any money into enforcement, or in cases like cell phone driving bans, they let the cops go crazy with fines as a backdoor revenue generator. In any case, when you see a government get on the "ban this ban that" bandwagon, it means they're broke, can't actually pass any legislation that would in fact do anybody any good, but still need to justify their salaries.
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It was "kick this dog house down"
[/nerd voice]