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MA Town Creates Cursing Fine

Better watch what you say in public! Cursing in one Massachusetts town could cost you.

FOX News Radio’s Steve Rappoport reports:

Audio clip:

Fed up with four-letter words, residents in Middleborough voting to impose a $20 fine for cursing in public.

The ordinance aimed at young people who use loud, profane language. Business owner Paulette Lilla welcomes the crackdown.

(Lilla) “It’s intimidating to my customers, to the people who are out here downtown. I think it’s a good thing that they’re doing something to try and curb it.”

Former town selectwoman Mimi Duphily says fines won’t solve the problem, but…

(Duphily) “I think that it’ll make them understand what is acceptable behavior and what is not.”

Middleborough enacted a bylaw against public swearing in 1968, but officials say it has rarely been enforced.

Steve Rappoport, FOX News Radio.

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One Comment

  1. Jerome McCollom

    June 12, 2012 at 10:21 am

    This law is going to be abused. Someone who trips and falls down and says the f word will get a fine, probably. Someone in a medium level conversation with others will get a fine. This is just open to abuse and free speech issues. ALso, who defines what is an obscenity? Are these words explictly defined? If not, it is all to the discreation of a cop. Damn might be considered an obscenity by some. If someone is disorderly, better to charge them under that, than this.