While you're addressing a panel such as a city representative panel, while conducting yourself in an orderly fashion but using one word of profanity in your speech, minor profanity at that, should that be grounds for arrest?
2007-02-04 02:44:23 · 12 answers · asked by Enterrador 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Giving you the benefit of the doubt that it was minor profanity (some consider any profane word the same as any other) and not one of the big ones, I would say you need to be more aware of who you were addressing. Wether or not you were threatening is in the eyes of the observers. Perceived threats can be acted upon, just like perceived sexual harassment. Always consider your audience and if you were arguing a point that they did not agree with you on, they were probably already geared up for threats, heated words etc... Maybe they were setting a precident and wanted to make an example out of you. I tend to be conservative but even I would say arrest is too much, they should have just had you leave the meeting.
One more thing, if you look like your avatar you probably scared the poor panel members...LOL. Thanks for serving our country!
2007-02-04 02:58:58 · answer #1 · answered by Mawm 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No it shouldn't but it is grounds for being thrown out of the building and if you refuse to leave then you can be arrested. But I believe that there are some cities that have profanity ordinances.
2007-02-04 04:06:47 · answer #2 · answered by ikeman32 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As long as its not used in a threatening manner, it is considered protected speech. However, government meetings have different standards. You must understand that when trying to make a point the use of profanity just makes you sound ignorant and makes people less willing to listen to you.
2007-02-04 02:50:00 · answer #3 · answered by cinsingl83 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. First of all, there is the freedom of speech thing (I think it still exists). As long as it is not threatening language, then I don't see how it would be a violation of any laws. Words are only profane because we give them the power to be. They are strings of consonants and vowels. That's all.
2007-02-04 02:48:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Then the vice president should have been arrested a couple years ago when he told certain members of Congress to "F Off"!
2007-02-04 02:53:40 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not tactful and shouldn't be used, especially if the speech is already written but I wouldn't think it is an arrestable offense.
2007-02-04 02:49:01 · answer #6 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Free speech, no grounds for arrest unless it is in a degrating manner.
2007-02-04 02:48:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No way. And the case that prompted your question has now been thrown out for that very reason.
2007-02-04 02:51:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO WAY! words should never ever ever be grounds for arrest.
2007-02-04 02:53:41 · answer #9 · answered by Hans B 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Depends if it's used in a threatening or highly derogatory manner.
2007-02-04 02:48:11 · answer #10 · answered by drysac 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋