Image Source: ABCJust found a nice little story in one of my favourite publications: The International Herald Tribune.
This time the location is Scranton, Pennsylvania. The city of Scranton has paid a Dawn Herb (and I was still recovering from Ron Dicus!) $19,000 plus costs, following her acquittal of a charge of disorderly conduct.
The "disorderly conduct" charge arose because whilst Miss Herb was - quite reasonably in my view - swearing at her overflowing toilet, she was overheard by her neighbour, unfortunately or perhaps fortunately for Miss Herb, an off-duty police officer (obviously not Officer Dicus - he is in Ohio). An arrest followed; very neighbourly I must say.
The judge in the case found Miss Herb not guilty on the grounds that her swearing was constitutionally protected free speech. Miss Herb was fortunate that the American Civil Liberties Union took up her case as she could have been liable to a substantial fine or even jail!
Funny thing, the idea of "free speech." In a BBC radio programme the other day about political correctness, someone pointed out that in England, one can say "Brit" for "Briton", "Aussie" for "Australian", but say "Paki" for "Pakistani" and the Race Relations Industry will have your guts for garters.
Until the next time.
This time the location is Scranton, Pennsylvania. The city of Scranton has paid a Dawn Herb (and I was still recovering from Ron Dicus!) $19,000 plus costs, following her acquittal of a charge of disorderly conduct.
The "disorderly conduct" charge arose because whilst Miss Herb was - quite reasonably in my view - swearing at her overflowing toilet, she was overheard by her neighbour, unfortunately or perhaps fortunately for Miss Herb, an off-duty police officer (obviously not Officer Dicus - he is in Ohio). An arrest followed; very neighbourly I must say.
The judge in the case found Miss Herb not guilty on the grounds that her swearing was constitutionally protected free speech. Miss Herb was fortunate that the American Civil Liberties Union took up her case as she could have been liable to a substantial fine or even jail!
Funny thing, the idea of "free speech." In a BBC radio programme the other day about political correctness, someone pointed out that in England, one can say "Brit" for "Briton", "Aussie" for "Australian", but say "Paki" for "Pakistani" and the Race Relations Industry will have your guts for garters.
Until the next time.
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