The question might be;
Should the Government be used to legislate good manners?
Everyone should be cognizant of the environment, and the people and the circumstances around them. But these are personal, subjective decisions about manners and good taste.
I swear quite a bit. I don't do it in a church or temple, not in a crowded public place (except under my breath), not in the daycare center...I could go on. Walking down the street, minding my own business...I says, "Damn, but that's one ugly-*** car." A citation and a fine? 2x? Does that really sound so good to anyone?
Simply put...do you want the government to dictate good manners to you?
I may consider someone a monumental boob and a boor because of their behavior. I might even call him on it. But just 'cause I don't like it, doesn't necessarily make me any more right than him, and certainly isn't a good enough reason to give the authorities another reason to interfere. I agree that unrestrained invective is inapprpriate in certain situations. I think thats what other regs exist for...to permit the authorities to act when a person cannot take a polite request to maybe "tone it down around the kids".
And a last point...where is the list of "banned" words? You don't mean to say that you'd like to leave an open door for judgement, right? You wouldn't want to just take your chances with a local judge to determine whether a particular word is OK today, but maybe not tomorrow? Blend in all those other non-specific words, and this ordinance look ripe for abuse. Don't like the kind of tourists that are visiting? Too much ethnic flavor? Just send out the cops to ticket people for "engaging in any behavior which is likely to...disrupt the peaceful enjoyment of others".
Lordy, you could ticket people for laughing too loud! This is a recipe for abuse.
I, for one, do not need the government in my bedroom, in my TV, in my radio, checking my CD's, watching my internet surfing habits or telling me how to raise my children, or what I can and can't say.
Manners and the law are not compatible, in my opinion. Why are we so comfortable with a nanny State?
