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profanity

Cohen v. California cited as pillar in free speech law

donal brown June 9, 2011

Writing for the First Amendment Center, David L. Hudson Jr. says the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling in Cohen v. California strengthened free speech by limiting the fighting words doctrine, clarifying the difference between obscenity and profanity, making the case that offensive speech should be protected and warning that governments could ban language representing unpopular views. The case centered on Paul Robert Cohen who in 1968 wore a jacket in the Los Angeles County Courthouse

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Mississippi community college punishes student for swearing outside of class

donal brown May 18, 2010

Free speech advocates say community college exceeded its authority in policing vulgarity. -db FIRE May 18, 2010 JACKSON, Miss.— Mississippi’s largest community college unconstitutionally bans “cursing and vulgarity” and has barred a student from a course for swearing outside of class. After Hinds Community College (HCC) student Isaac Rosenbloom was forbidden to return to class and given twelve “demerits,” he turned to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for help. “It is quite

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State courts find teen-agers’ ‘fighting words’ unprotected

donal brown March 11, 2010

Teen-agers are finding that courts are unsympathetic to their use of “fighting words”, viewing the language as disorderly conduct and affirming lower court decisions in finding the teen-agers delinquent. -db First Amendment Center Commentary March 11, 2010 By David L. Hudson Jr. Recent court decisions in Arizona and North Dakota demonstrate that kids can face criminal charges and convictions when they utter “fighting words.” Appellate courts in both states affirmed juvenile court findings of delinquency

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Pittsburgh: Federal jury to hear middle finger suit

donal brown September 9, 2009

In the heat of a parking dispute, an angry citizen raised his middle finger to a police officer and was cited for obscene gestures and vulgar language. The man is now suing for damages claiming his gestures and profanities were protected under the First Amendment.  -DB Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW September 7, 2009 By Brian Bowling A federal jury this week will hear a Regent Square man’s claims that Pittsburgh police routinely violate people’s right to free speech

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