Posted by Brian Simi Valley CA on December 9, 2008:

Damn straight!

Posted by Lars, Ribe, Denmark on February 7, 2009:

Freedom of speech to protect our access to the words and truths and opinions we do NOT like or want to hear.

That is sharp like a razor. Thank You.

Posted by Calvin, Singapore on June 12, 2009:

Damn, I want to live in America. My country is like some totalitarian regime masquerading as a democracy.

Posted by Ray, Houston, B.C. Canada on October 2, 2009:

I really don't like the "F" bomb in casual conversation, but I do agree with Mr. Carlo-- if you don't like my language -- go somewhere else. Kudos to him for not rolling over!! Too bad he paid the ultimate price-- beaten by bureaucracy.

Posted by Lenny, Hialeah Fl. on October 2, 2009:

This country is filled with people assuming they have the right to the protections that our Constitution provides. I think one problem is that news sources are regulating our morals. Most medium to larger geographical areas now have only one major newspaper, and if they say jump, we don't ask how high. Now, people have the other great resource, the Internet. The Bill of Rights aught not to be trifled with. For any matter.

Posted by Don in New Orleans on October 2, 2009:

Obviously anyone is free to say whatever they want to say. The problem is that profanity is often used abusively, to intimidate someone with the implication that lack of politeness equates to lack of patience or tolerance. Granted, this is usually true. It is for that reason that statutes prohibit such language in courts, or toward law enforcement officials. His signs were just a written way to demonstrate his unwillingness to be 'politically correct', or in fact to accommodate any reasonable request. As for his prosecution, I am reminded of the adage "you should never get in a p*ssing contest with a fire hose".

Posted by Alan, Wichita Ks on October 2, 2009:

As usual ALL those in power go overboard with their authority. Power plays are the rule of the day in any governmental agency. I do NOT advocate anarchy. Our governmental agency's have gotten away from the idea that WE the people are their BOSS and not their servant. there are no checks and balances for actions taken by any law enforcement agent. This is the path that Hitler took.

Posted by tishman, ill. on October 3, 2009:

Just goes to show that if you are going to fight city hall you had better keep your nose clean.

Posted by Jim, Dixon, MO on October 3, 2009:

Of course, "fuck" is not profanity, profaning the sacred. It is, I guess, obscenity. I'm amazed that people can't differentiate between profaning the sacred and just talking shit.

---

While the definition of the word certainly started that way, it has grown to include "Vulgar, coarse" too. -rc

Posted by Leo, California on October 3, 2009:

For Don's information, one is NOT "...free to say whatever they want to say."

That's a dangerous road. It's why we have slander laws and harassment laws and so on and on. You may have an imagined "right" to say anything, but sometimes you can be bitten by your own language.

And, Lenny, it's not just the lack of competing newspapers. It's the television "news" broadcasters, too. I have only four regularly scheduled sources for national news on my cable connection. Between that and the newspaper shortage it kind of narrows the choice of the American public to make unslanted choices.

I think the best we can do is try to follow what we believe our founding fathers wanted.