Bill Would Ban Swearing in Bars

Tue Jan 8, 2008 10:56 AM EST
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What the ...? A St. Louis-area town is considering a bill that would ban swearing in bars, along with table-dancing, drinking contests and profane music. City officials contend the bill is needed to keep rowdy crowds under control because the historic downtown area gets a little too lively on some nights.

City Councilman Richard Veit said he was prompted to propose the bill after complaints about bad bar behavior. He says it will give police some rules to enforce when things get too rowdy.

But some bar owners worry the bill is too vague and restrictive, saying it may be a violation of their civil rights.

Marc Rousseau, who owns bar R.T. Weilers, said he thinks the bill needs revision.

"We're dealing with adults here once again and I don't think it's the city's job or the government's job to determine what we can and cannot play in our restaurant," Rousseau said.

The proposal would ban indecent, profane or obscene language, songs, entertainment and literature at bars.

A meeting to discuss the proposal is set for Jan. 14.

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No cursing in the bar!replytoj001Thu Jan 101Comments
St. Louis-area town considers proposal that would ban swearing in barsmsnbc.comWed Jan 97Comments
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{"commentId":1341442,"authorDomain":"deatienza"}
Eric Atienza

What bull@!$%#.

{"commentId":1341442,"threadId":"199715","contentId":"1212005","authorDomain":"deatienza"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#1 - Tue Jan 8, 2008 11:28 AM EST
{"commentId":1341719,"authorDomain":"vicaxp"}
vicaxp

@!$%# that!

{"commentId":1341719,"threadId":"199715","contentId":"1212005","authorDomain":"vicaxp"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#2 - Tue Jan 8, 2008 12:45 PM EST
{"commentId":1341825,"authorDomain":"greglujan"}
greck

ya know,

if they really wanted to cut down on all that stuff, they might look into banning alcohol.

I can see the need for police to have a law to enforce that helps when the crowd is getting out of control, but I don't like the idea of a law that is intended to be applied sometimes and not others.

{"commentId":1341825,"threadId":"199715","contentId":"1212005","authorDomain":"greglujan"}
    Reply#3 - Tue Jan 8, 2008 1:14 PM EST
    {"commentId":1344000,"authorDomain":"Prilj"}
    Prilj

    They better not go back to prohibition; I just started brewing my own beer! I don't want to be a criminal!

    *Runs to corner of room and cries*

    :)

    Also, what if a person orders a bj shot? Can you imagine being arrested and/or fined for ordering a drink with an "adult" name? O_o

    {"commentId":1344000,"threadId":"199715","contentId":"1212005","authorDomain":"Prilj"}
    • 1 vote
    #3.1 - Wed Jan 9, 2008 3:36 AM EST
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    {"commentId":1341849,"authorDomain":"starker42"}
    Angie G

    Something tells me they're going to have a bit of a problem with this one.

    That whole Constitutional right to free speech and all... just may get in the way somewhat.

    And as for "banning alcohol"? That's been tried too. It was called Prohibition, and it was profoundly unsuccessful.

    {"commentId":1341849,"threadId":"199715","contentId":"1212005","authorDomain":"starker42"}
    • 4 votes
    Reply#4 - Tue Jan 8, 2008 1:20 PM EST
    {"commentId":1342507,"authorDomain":"damiankd"}
    DamianKD

    So is the War on Drugs, but you know how that's going.

    {"commentId":1342507,"threadId":"199715","contentId":"1212005","authorDomain":"damiankd"}
      #4.1 - Tue Jan 8, 2008 4:26 PM EST
      Reply
      {"commentId":1342379,"authorDomain":"Simek4life"}
      Simek4life

      @!$%# them! 1st Amendment. How dare they even propose it? It's up to the owner of the establishment who they admit and what is allowed NOT the Govt. State, Federal or otherwise. What country do we live in again?

      {"commentId":1342379,"threadId":"199715","contentId":"1212005","authorDomain":"Simek4life"}
        Reply#5 - Tue Jan 8, 2008 3:50 PM EST
        {"commentId":1342459,"authorDomain":"ehad-aham"}
        ehad aham

        The proposal would ban indecent, profane or obscene language, songs, entertainment and literature at bars. I'm a student at Washington University in St. Louis, and I think I have a very different take on this. While the good people at the Huffington Post said that Obama's win shows that racial conflict is on its way out, this very proposal is proof that it is very much alive. Saint Louis is an incredibly segregated city. This proposal stands to ban profane songs, but in reality is meant to curb the diffusion of clubs which cater to the poorer, black demographic of the city.

        When they say, City officials contend the bill is needed to keep rowdy crowds under control because the historic downtown area gets a little too lively on some nights, they mean, the downtown area, which has "historically" seen its share of rowdy, under-age, white college students, is now seeing an infusion of hip-hop and rap music, distasteful in the eyes of the conservative douches in power, which may attract a more diverse crowd, which is also distasteful in the eyes of the conservative douches in power.

        Not to mention that a move like this takes us back to the days of the Glorious Revolution, when good ol' Cromwell didn't think we should be going to the theatre and, god forbid, dancing to music.

        {"commentId":1342459,"threadId":"199715","contentId":"1212005","authorDomain":"ehad-aham"}
        • 1 vote
        Reply#6 - Tue Jan 8, 2008 4:10 PM EST
        {"commentId":1344350,"authorDomain":"katrixx"}
        katrix

        This is a bad idea for St. Louis ... but I think it would be a good law for Hollywood, at least the table dancing part.

        {"commentId":1344350,"threadId":"199715","contentId":"1212005","authorDomain":"katrixx"}
          Reply#7 - Wed Jan 9, 2008 9:07 AM EST
          {"canLink":false,"threadId":"199715","isPrivate":false}
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