I feel free to cuss like a sergeant in my own house, my own car, or alone in the woods, and I often do. But, I know from the experience of a cousin that if one shouts obscenities at another person, he can be charged with use of "fighting words" and arrested. I don't shout obscenities in public. Shouting obscenities in a public place infringes on the rights of others, does it not?
There are civic laws throughout the country that regulate profanity and obscene speech. The University has the right set a code of behavior on its campus. You have the right to challenge that code in court if you think it violates your right to act stupid. I really don't think the issue is one of individual rights. Even if you had the right to be profane anywhere at anytime, why would you want to be??? I spent six years in the Navy so its not as if I am shocked at four letter words. Rather, it is a matter of courtesy and respect. And you are delusional if you think Tiger stadium is feared and intimidating because of vulgarity.
Sorry JetStorm, I didn't mean to get the discussion so far off track. Not being an attorney, imho, I don't think the Founding Fathers intended the First Amendment to mean that we could say anything we wanted anywhere and anytime we so choose to do so. What I think is that they basically intended this to be a protection from protest to the government and a protection of our right to choose what we read and view, etc. If you or I come into one another's home, then we have the right to make rules concerning how we will conduct our behavior. No smoking, no cursing, no eating in the living room, etc. etc. Likewise a business establishment or public faclity has the right to establish rules of behavior. If everyone does whatever they want then we have anarchy. So again, I think that the university has a right to establish rules of conduct within its confines and events held there and act appropriately when someone breaks those rules. We have a right to drink but the university prohibits it at ball games. We have a right to smoke but it is prohibited. We have the "right" to throw things in protest to a ref's call, but thank goodness, most of us don't do it and are glad to see the offender caught and removed from the stadium. So I really don't see any difference in prohibiting the use of vulgarity. On the other hand, if someone is giving a speech on public property, say in protest to something , then yes, that person has a right to say and use whatever words or actions, within reason, to make his point. That is why flag burning, as repulsive as it is to some, is legal. That to me, is what the First Amendment is all about. GEAUX TIGERS!!! :geaux: :helmet: :lsug: :helmet: :geaux:
We have people offended by a 1 sec shot of a female breast on TV... We have people offended by a 10 commandment statue in a courthouse... We have people defending obscene language in public as free speech... And we wonder what's wrong with people today? lol
A ticketholder has rights, too. A person buys a ticket to watch a football game, knowing that the rules LSU has established will enable him to enjoy the game without being distracted, annoyed, or assaulted by miscreants. Fighting, drinking, obscene behavior, and other unruly activites are prohibited. People have a right to enjoy the game. They paid for the tickets and they expect LSU to establish rules that protect the fans from hooligans. This isn't about the bill of rights, its about unruly public behavior. Maybe the constitution gives somebody the right to make an ass of himself, but LSU also has the right to eject these asses for breaking house rules.
You're understanding of "rights" was different than mine. I was under the impression you were specifically writing about the rights established by our founding fathers when you declared this statement: "Shouting obscenities in a public place infringes on the rights of others, does it not?" If it would have read: "Shouting obscenities at a collegiate sporting event held on campus infringes on the rights of others which were established by the education institution, does it not?" It would have been much clearer. This isn't about moral obligations, it's about law and how it affects events such as these. Lata, Crackle
Let's cloud the argument a little more..... What if the people next to you are screaming loudly, or the people in front of you frequently stand up during important plays to scream (this happens alot and many people get angry). If this bothers you then I guess it would fall into that same broad category of "infringing on your right to enjoy the game". I don't think anyone is condoning drunken vulgar behavior. Just enjoy the game. If some idiot is going way over the top report them. If its just an occasional minor nusiance, ignore it.
free speech? Let me see if I have this right. You have the choice to stand up in TS and use any words you desire to. I should just ignore or move on. Even my children should just admire you for expressing your rights. However, if I stand up and begin to talk about my Father, I am impurging on your other rights? Somehow, it seems that I lost most of my rights. Of course, I still have the right to listen and agree with you.
Student sections will be vulgar no matter what. Simply put, college is the first time in a teenager's life that he or she is out on their own--out from "mom and dad's rule" ...and roof for that matter. Even the most well-behavied and well-mannered kid will go crazy at one point or another during college--ESPECIALLY sporting events which with nationally televised games, etc., the standard college student will want nothing more than to have someone from back home say, "HEY! I SAW YOU!" ... It'll never stop. I, as well I'm sure MANY of YOU, were the same way in school. I yelled, screamed, cursed--didn't matter. I've flipped off the oppossing teams, and laughed when they returned the gesture. I've told the officials where I thought they got their officiating creditials and where I thought they should put them afterwards. It's a right of passage....You come into it...and eventually you grow out of it.
