Twisp Police Chief Wants to Make It Illegal to Be Mean

By Caleb Hannan Mon., Mar. 22 2010 at 7:03 AM

Categories: Crime & Punishment

Twisp's plan for economic recovery.

Apparently the tiny town of Twisp has a big problem with bad words. How else to explain a proposed law from police chief Rob Hall, who wants to fine residents for "abusive language," also known as making it illegal to be mean.

Hall just moved to the 1,000-person town from Virginia last month. A state where cursing is considered a misdemeanor. Under his new ordinance, potty-mouths in Twisp would be treated like speeders, with a maximum ticketed fine of $50.

Hall's boss, the mayor, insists his new police chief isn't trying to enforce Southern politeness on his neighbors. But he also tells The Wenatchee World that foul-mouthed outlaws aren't exactly rampant. As for real outlaws, well that's another f$#%@($ story.

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que chingon que soi mexicano y puedo desirle desmadre imedio a quien quiera..... porque??? because i live in the TRUE FREE COUNTRY, MEXICO... as free as to be able to kill a fucking person who says be nice as proof of TRUE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION..
Cursing is a sign of a lack of intelligence.
This is Stupid !
Wonder why people think adding profanity, swearing or just vulgar language is necessary in their speech. Using the "f" word, "like", "you know", "right" when talking just shows how pathetic a person is in using effective communication skills,
"Anonymous says: You faggots that live in the suburbs have no idea. No idea. You need to shut the fuk up about racism. Mommy and Daddy bought you a big house 40 miles outside and the city and you love to tell everyone how culturally enlightened you are. And you love to tell everyone how you love black people and think everyone is equal. blah blah blah. Shut the fuk up. " I agree. I honestly have "no idea" who or what you are talking about. I have read through the article and all of the comments and have found no reference to any specific race. Are you saying that in order to be able to talk about racism you have to be a city-dwelling, (financially)poor, and black victim of racism? That sounds kind of racist, self-centered, and ignorant. I am only responding to your ignorant incoherent rambling of a comment because, of the two references to racism on this page, one of them belongs to me. Since your response made no sense in either context all I can say to you is: Wake the fuck up and get a fucking education. Until you learn how to communicate effectively and actually make logical arguments you are just noise. Just another asshole, farting.
You faggots that live in the suburbs have no idea. No idea. You need to shut the fuk up about racism. Mommy and Daddy bought you a big house 40 miles outside and the city and you love to tell everyone how culturally enlightened you are. And you love to tell everyone how you love black people and think everyone is equal. blah blah blah. Shut the fuk up.
Unconstitutional, Unenforceable, and hilariously dangerous. I don't think I need to explain why this is unconstitutional. I don't even think I need to explain why this is unenforceable. Anyone who has ever watched a video of someone getting pulled over and ticketed by the police knows there's a very good chance that the person getting ticketed may cuss the police officer out. In many cases, officers will disregard this as responding in kind will only feed into it and exacerbate the situation. Here is an example situation. Officer: "You were going 70 in a 55 zone, I am going to have to give you a ticket." Person: "Shit. I didn't know." Officer:". ...and I am going to have to write you a citation for cursing." Person: "What the fuck!?! What did I say?" Officer: "The s-word sir. and thats another sitation for the f word." Person:"Goddamnit! stop!" Officer: "Oh jeez, now you've broken the sharia law with your blasphemy. I must now treat you as an enemy combatant. Step out of the car sir." Person: *Pulls gun* *Fierce gun battle erupts leaving both dead* This kind of legislation is the raison d'etre of slippery slope arguments. Seriously though, this isn't news. Mister Po-dunk Rob Hall, police chief of buttfuck nowhere wants to fine the people he is charged with protecting, for "naughty words"? If he actually tries to enforce it equally on all of his townsfolk he'd never make re-election. On the other hand if it is enforced on a more racial basis, which I could practically guaran-damn-tee. He'll have the ACLU so far up his dick, he'll think he caught the clap for the 37th time. So I say let him have his ordinance and burning urination. It'll be like letting a coked up chimp onto a school bus full of hyper-active children, hilariously dangerous.
Who the fuck does this motherfucker think he is? Trying to turn this country into a god damn fucking theocracy. Well fuck that. If they want to try some shit and take my fucking damn "swear" words, they'll have to take them out of my stone cold dead fucking mouth. And my mouth wont be the only dead fucking one. Fuck you Rob Hall.
@Wow Good job missing the entire point of my post, numbnuts. Didn't your folks love you enough to teach you to read properly? The meaning of my phrasing, as evidenced by the order in which the words were placed (as commonly occurs in speech), was that if you weren't raised properly then I don't care who you are or what you think. Basically, I meant people like you who would take a post about how American Freedom of Speech roughly equates to Rampant Racism and Homophobia in Public, and turn it into something entirely different based on a tiny, out-of-context snippet (in parentheses, no less!). In conclusion, go away. Stop nitpicking just because you don't have anything useful to add to the conversation, and you couldn't find any handy grammar mistakes..
How many freedoms are we going to be denied before we fight back. This is for that cop, " GET #$%&*@".
@Gonzobot "I assume you have parents, and that they raised you...if not then disregard this, as you probably can't read anyways and I don't care about your opinion even if you could" So you disregard anything any orphan has to say? Wow, you're an asshole. Fine that.
There is a pretty significant difference between swearing and being mean. If you can't recognize that fact, you're a moron. As to your First Amendment rights...you're free to express opinions, fine. But why do you feel the need to scream profanities in a rage as a response to somebody who doesn't like their kids to hear such things? I mean, you are told not to swear by your parents (I assume you have parents, and that they raised you...if not then disregard this, as you probably can't read anyways and I don't care about your opinion even if you could)...why does that mean you MUST swear as much as you can? Being from Canada, I have a slightly different perspective. I am safe and secure in the knowledge that I don't have to worry about my kids being exposed to violent racism, because these things are illegal up here. You can't tell a Muslim that his religion is wrong and he should get out of the country - because he's got every right to be there! Why do I have the right to harass him for it? Simple answer is, YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO HARASS ANOTHER PERSON, AND YOU NEVER DID. Your piece of paper states that you do...now that its been amended. But why oh why do you think laws placed in order to PROTECT PEOPLE entitle you to HARM PEOPLE? Anybody doing this shows not only a gross miscomprehension of the entire POINT of the Constitution, but of simple civility.
of course to really re-make the town with southern "hospitality" you'd need to include the hypocrisy. 90% church attendence combined with highest rates of: divorce, teen pregnancy, illiteracy, poverty, racisms, etc. take it from someone who's lived in the south and managed to escape. 'jim crow' lives on in the south.
the title of this story is misleading i was hoping that this would actually be a fine on BEING MEAN -- e.g. on insulting people, or maybe yelling at others while driving, or being rude at the grocery store. in fact he wants to fine swearing, and swearing isn't necessarily mean! those who swear do it when they're happy too.... fuck yeah!
Take a lesson from a cuss-bucket. It can fill faster than a puddle in front of a fire-hydrant these days. The man is thinking like an entrepreneur, and should be commended for that. I imagine the only people that would be offended by that are the potty mouths. Think of all the revenue that town could capture - especially with those that are drivers passing through! Now, can they fine you for the thumpin cussin music that is so freely shared among the community by one car where the bumpers are about to rattle off? Find the title and fine em for every cuss word in the lyrics in that song ;)
Well, I could write a whole discourse about this, and how the road to hell is paved with good intentions; then it occurred to me...that I could sum this up very succinctly, and with a lot of class by simply saying: FUCK THAT SHIT! Seriously. The first amendment will prevent his plan from being successful, as it should. He'd have far better luck trying to institute a voluntary program using swear jars or something.
Man, I'd like to be there right now. I'd be standing outside the court house/city hall/wherever screaming profanities
Sounds to me like Hall has a lot of spare time on his hands. Or maybe a shortage of REAL crime to deal with?? Lou www.anonymizer.us.tc
You've got to be kidding
Just how would "abusive language" be determined. Somebody should give Hall a copy of the 1st Amendment. I love Twisp, but will never visit again if this goes through.
It seems like it's probably just a Southern transplant bringing a little slice of home to his new town. That said, I really hope no serious action is taken on this, diverting already limited resources.