Massachusetts to Make Word 'B*tch' Illegal, $200 Fine & 6 Months in Jail
By @AniCaribbean
October 23, 2019
Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a bill to ban the word "bitch".
— Only In Boston (@OnlyInBOS) October 22, 2019
Bill H.3719, submitted by State Representative Daniel Hunt, would punish people who use the word by either imprisonment for not more than 6 months, a fine of not more than $200, or both. pic.twitter.com/RmAEeJuhzf
In an effort to crack down on offensive language, a Massachusetts lawmaker has launched an effort to make the word "b*tch" illegal in the state.
H-3719, championed by Representative Daniel Hunt, seeks to make the B-word illegal when it's used to "accost, annoy, degrade or demean" another person. Violators would face a fine of up to $200 or six months in jail, according to the legislation.
Among the bill's opponents is Jim Manley, an attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation. He says turning Hunt's proposal into a law would be a direct violation of the First Amendment, which protects the right to free speech. "You cannot ban a word when it's used to annoy someone but let them use the word when they are using the word in a positive way," Manley says. "Legislatures can't just pluck words out of the dictionary and ban them."
If this passes, which I feel that it won't, how would they regulate it?