Althouse: "A Massachusetts Democrat is pushing a bill that would make it a crime to maliciously call someone a 'bitch' within the commonwealth."

October 22, 2019

"A Massachusetts Democrat is pushing a bill that would make it a crime to maliciously call someone a 'bitch' within the commonwealth."

"Foul-mouthed individuals who are found guilty under a bill introduced by Democratic representative Daniel J. Hunt would face a $150 maximum fine for the first offense, while repeat offenders would face up to six months' imprisonment, a $200 fine, or both. If enacted, 'bitch' would be the only word in the English language to receive such special consideration in Massachusetts."

The Washington Free Beacon reports. Hunt says a constituent asked him to file this bill, and that's why he did it. It's obviously unconstitutional, of course.

88 comments:

Jason said...: Scratch a liberal, you'll find a fascist. Every time.; 10/22/19, 3:38 PM
rehajm said...: He's a cocksucker.; 10/22/19, 3:39 PM
NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...: But we could still call him an asshole? Right?; 10/22/19, 3:47 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: "It's obviously unconstitutional, of course."

Yes, and Democratic representative Daniel J. Hunt (and all Mass legislators who support it) should be held up to high ridicule by his Party, his constituents, the media, the opposition party and the Governor of Mass for: (a) being stupid and (b) promoting Unconstitutional laws.; 10/22/19, 3:47 PM
Barry Dauphin said...: The Jesse Pinkman fine.; 10/22/19, 3:51 PM
Rocketeer said...: Hunt says a constituent asked him to file this bill, and that's why he did it.

When this happened, Hunt should have explained to his constituent that such a law would be unconstitutional, and that democracy requires citizens made of sterner stuff. But he didn't, because Hunt is his constituents' bitch.; 10/22/19, 3:55 PM
stevew said...: Hahahaha, from one Boston guy to another: lolgf, bitch!; 10/22/19, 3:59 PM
Fernandinande said...: Democratic representative Daniel J. Hunt what a beeatch. Is that naughty? Hard to tell.

Volokh: "Racial Ridicule" Is a Crime in Connecticut—and People Are Being Prosecuted
"There is no First Amendment exception for "hate speech," and the government can't specially target racist or religiously bigoted speech -- but some Connecticut prosecutors seem not to know that."

If enacted, 'bitch' would be the only word in the English language to receive such special consideration in Massachusetts.

I posted in another thread about two [off-]white guys with funny names charged with something-or-other with a potential 30 day jail sentence, for saying something, to nobody in particular, that was thought to be sacrilegious by the NAA Colored People.; 10/22/19, 4:00 PM
Hagar said...: Sixty some years ago our company commander posted a decree on the bulletin board that anyone heard using the term "motherfucker" would be subject to two weeks restriction to barracks. Someone immediately scratched in "Motherfuck you, motherfucking motherfucker!" below the notice.

How very American!; 10/22/19, 4:02 PM
rhhardin said...: N-word seems to produce punishments pretty freely.; 10/22/19, 4:08 PM
rhhardin said...: I'm baffled why bitch would be a forbidden word - you see hosts talking around it as the b-word. Bitch, slut and cunt would be the insult order. It seems senseless to cut out the mild end of the series. I mean you'd have to start calling everybody a slut by rounding upwards.; 10/22/19, 4:15 PM
gspencer said...: The left really does hate the First Amendment, n'est pas?*

The news has a story of a CT town police charging two college kids with a misdemeanor crime for yelling out the N-word while walking across a parking lot. I hope the cops don't drop the charges and that the kids get a good 1A lawyer and take this one all the way up, and the Court, once and for all, lets the world know that offensive speech is the very reason we have a 1A.

*And the Second Amendment. And anything else that limits the government from being the Big Nanny but only by the lights of the left. And they'd be against the Tenth (if only it would be enforced!).; 10/22/19, 4:22 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Jesse Pinkman - lol.; 10/22/19, 4:23 PM
n.n said...: The b-word.; 10/22/19, 4:24 PM
tcrosse said...: What a Masshole.; 10/22/19, 4:26 PM
Oso Negro said...: Interesting. Lately I see women sporting tshirts that say “dog mother”.; 10/22/19, 4:35 PM
Sebastian said...: "It's obviously unconstitutional, of course."

In the age of the Living Constitution, nothing is "obviously" unconstitutional. If you can squeeze SSM out of the Fourteenth Amendment, you can exclude bitch from the First.; 10/22/19, 4:35 PM
Biff said...: That's particularly rich, coming from a representative of the "Party of the Contemptuous F-Bomb."; 10/22/19, 4:36 PM
J L Oliver said...: Things banned in Boston....; 10/22/19, 4:38 PM
Unknown said...: The racist implications of such a ban stagger the mizzizel.; 10/22/19, 4:44 PM
Pianoman said...: "It's a Hate Word (TM), so therefore it MUST be banned." -- A protestor will say this someday; 10/22/19, 4:46 PM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: Is Daniel related to Michael?; 10/22/19, 4:46 PM
Yancey Ward said...: The cunt needs to be bitch slapped.; 10/22/19, 4:47 PM
JaimeRoberto said...: Christ, what a LeBron.; 10/22/19, 4:48 PM
Kassaar said...: A true Berkshire Hunt.; 10/22/19, 4:52 PM
Charlotte Allen said...: Is it OK to say "byotch"?; 10/22/19, 4:56 PM
M. Sean Fosmire said...: Yet another example of the fact that legislators, state and national, don't give a good damn about the Constitution.

Not quite as dramatic as Nancy Pelosi's "Are you kidding? Are you kidding?"; 10/22/19, 4:57 PM
Jim at said...: His name should be Michael.; 10/22/19, 4:57 PM
Roughcoat said...: What about ... oh, forget it.; 10/22/19, 5:03 PM
Real American said...: life's a bitch!; 10/22/19, 5:07 PM
Rob said...: His name is Daniel J. Hunt, but his friends call him Mike.; 10/22/19, 5:07 PM
gilbar said...: would there be a Bigger fine, if:
The Person called was a female?
The Person called was a cis-female?
The name was uttered on a Sunday?; 10/22/19, 5:08 PM
NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...: Hunt says a constituent asked him to file this bill, and that's why he did it.

Some one needs to acquaint that constituent with an old saying I'm fond of; If you smell dog shit everywhere you go, it's time to check your shoes!; 10/22/19, 5:11 PM
Wince said...: That First Amendment... it is a bitch.; 10/22/19, 5:18 PM
Wince said...: Massachusetts offers citizens the “right of free petition” — the power to propose their own legislation. A citizen’s proposal must be filed in conjunction with a representative or senator.

Sometimes a legislator will support the legislation and sponsor it along with the constituent. Other times, a legislator might disagree with the bill but will file it anyway as a courtesy.

In those cases, the bill is listed as being filed “by request” — indicating that he or she is doing so at the request of the constituent and does not necessarily support it, said House Clerk Steve James.

Massachusetts Citizens’ Right to Free Petition

Massachusetts is the only state in the country that gives its citizens the right to file bills directly in its state legislature. This right of free petition is first mentioned as the 12th liberty in the Massachusetts Body of Liberties (1641), which was intended for use as guidance for the General Court at the time:

Every man whether Inhabitant or fforreiner, free or not free shall have libertie to come to any publique Court, Councel, or Towne meeting, and either by speech or writeing to move any lawfull, seasonable, and materiall question, or to present any necessary motion, complaint, petition, Bill or information, whereof that meeting hath proper cognizance, so it be done in convenient time, due order, and respective manner.

This right can also be found in the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780, which is also the oldest constitution in the world that is still currently in use. Article XIX of Part the First, which is one of 30 articles that makes up the “Declaration of the Rights of the Inhabitants of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” states:

The people have a right, in an orderly and peaceable manner, to assemble to consult upon the common good; give instructions to their representatives, and to request of the legislative body, by the way of addresses, petitions, or remonstrances, redress of the wrongs done them, and of the grievances they suffer.; 10/22/19, 5:29 PM
Drago said...: Pierre Delecto approves of this bill on the basis of "honor" and "Character" and "courage".; 10/22/19, 5:30 PM
Karen said...: It’s Massachusetts Bay Colony, so next, it will be the stocks.; 10/22/19, 5:39 PM
Birkel said...: Let's suggest clearly unconstitutional things.
That's a fun game.; 10/22/19, 5:43 PM
n.n said...: The Person called was a female?

Dog? Be certain of the spatial, temporal, and social context.

The Person called was a cis-female?

Female? Yes. Trans-masculine (e.g. neo-feminine, quasi-feminine or trans-gender) in form, function, or orientation? Yes.; 10/22/19, 5:45 PM
Mary Beth said...: If he does this for every constituent that asks, his office needs to be flooded with requests asking for bills for every stupid thing they can think of.

Unless by "constituent" he means "big donor" or someone with political clout. It did make me wonder who the bitch was. Then I remembered that the Obamas recently bought a home in MA and so I'm going to just think that they've transferred their voting registration to there and one, or both, want to avoid being called a bitch. It's not likely, but that's the story I'm going with unless someone has a better suggestion.; 10/22/19, 5:46 PM
Gabriel said...: As with the South Park episode With Apologies to Jessie Jackson, it's interesting the words they choose to ban and the ones they don't.; 10/22/19, 5:47 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: jeez-- what's next? Hoes?

Pray tell, how wouldst a gentleman rap under such restrictions?; 10/22/19, 5:57 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/22/19, 5:57 PM
gilbar said...: speaking of Sunday Blue Laws (wait, I was the only person talking about those :)
Here's a Press release, from our Beloved Professor Althouse's Favorite News Source!

Bookmark this page and check it any time you’re unsure what it is you ought to be wearing to church!; 10/22/19, 5:59 PM
DTR said...: MA has 99 problems...; 10/22/19, 6:00 PM
Bill Peschel said...: Read enough history books, and you see the same shit / different tune, wherein governments attempt to regulate speech and someone has to take the hit and fight back.

For most of our history, it was during national crises, whether it was the Alien and Sedition Act or Lincoln's battles against the Copperheads (a.k.a. Democratic Party), or Woodrow Wilson's attacks on the WWI anti-war movement and Eugene V. Debs, or the battles over literature and Lenny Bruce during the '50s and '60s.

Heck, you can even say the Republicans' attack on flag-burning falls in with this build-up of oppression.

Now we got the former free speech liberals backing free-speech suppression laws, and the leg-humping dogs in the press cheering them on.; 10/22/19, 6:02 PM
PB said...: When you're tired of constituents bitching at you, your reaction is to criminalize the use of the word? Brilliant!; 10/22/19, 6:04 PM
Chest Rockwell said...: Thought Crimes

I watched that video and all I see are drunk white guys goofin. Stuff I did in high school. But according to the people they interviewed about the story, it was extremely threatening. Whatever.

I think that's clearly unconstitutional , and surely Connecticut lawmakers know this, but I think they're counting a lot on people being reluctant to defend the men for fear of ostracization or financial and social ruin. Inching the Overton window forward bit by bit.

Fine. Then I want to see them prosecute non-whites for using the word, which by the way, they don't clarify. Is it nigga or nigger? Black folks use nigga in spades. My guess is they would be very reluctant to prosecute, so would probably just ignore those transgressions and focus strictly on white folks use of the word.

I think we're not too far from progressives carrying around a Pantone chart of skin color tones, arguing if a black person is really white, based on their skin shade. Then prosecuting.; 10/22/19, 6:06 PM
bagoh20 said...: "Hunt says a constituent asked him to file this bill..."

To which he should have replied: "Do I look like your bitch?"; 10/22/19, 6:08 PM
Bob Boyd said...: So someone bitched...but they didn't think it through. They're basically forcing people to start calling them a cunt.; 10/22/19, 6:08 PM
bagoh20 said...: The N-word is gonna be pissed when he hears about this.

And then "fake news" will be all up in arms wanting their protection too.

It's a slippery slope
they do invoke
When poseurs pose
to show they're woke.; 10/22/19, 6:12 PM
Rico said...: When I see things like this, I wonder if people put them out there knowing they're ridiculous and that the constitution will protect us or if they really believe? I mean, what if we didn't have the 1st Amendment?; 10/22/19, 6:17 PM
chickelit said...: "Swearing is bad and it just ain't funny
So if you cuss it will cost you money"

It's a high brow, very Puritan, very Warrenesque sort of notion.; 10/22/19, 6:17 PM
Rico said...: When I see things like this, I wonder if people put them out there knowing they're ridiculous and that the constitution will protect us or if they really believe? I mean, what if we didn't have the 1st Amendment?; 10/22/19, 6:20 PM
Darrell said...: Daniel J. Hunt.
"Mike Hunt" to his friends.; 10/22/19, 6:21 PM
mockturtle said...: Wow, Barbara Bush would be in jail for what she once said about Hillary.; 10/22/19, 6:24 PM
Darrell said...: Some airline just changed their "Ladies and Gentlemen" greeting that flight attendants use in their safety instructions. I can't tell you how many people were affected.; 10/22/19, 6:27 PM
Bob Boyd said...: This is going to make for a tough year in Massachusetts if Hillary jumps into the race.; 10/22/19, 6:27 PM
Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...: It be OK for a Madison teacher to call a student "bitch" 'cause "bitch" ain't no *racial* slur.

An' mos' time "bitch" is just what ya calls yo ho', so it ain't no malicious.; 10/22/19, 6:30 PM
Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...: Alternate headline: Massachusets State Lawmaker Pimps Legislature; 10/22/19, 6:32 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: Warrant out for Elton John: Potential hate crime!

I was justified when I was five
Raising cain I spit in your eye
Times are changing now the poor get fat
But the fever's gonna catch you when the bitch gets back

Oh-oh-oh

Eat meat on a friday that's alright
Even like steak on a saturday night
I can bitch the best at your social do's
I get high in the evening sniffing pots of glue

Ooh-ooh-ooh

I'm a bitch I'm a bitch
Oh the bitch is back
Stone cold sober as a matter of fact
I can bitch I can bitch
'Cause I'm better than you
It's the way that I move
The things that I do

Oh-oh-oh

Elton John, "The Bitch is Back" (1974); 10/22/19, 6:34 PM
Dave64 said...: https://www.languagetrainers.com/blog/2016/07/25/orwell-gets-it-right-how-language-manipulates-and-controls/; 10/22/19, 6:47 PM
chuck said...: That bastard.; 10/22/19, 7:00 PM
rhhardin said...: Just replace the n-word by "nyjer."

nyjer by the toe.

That's what the kids do.; 10/22/19, 7:00 PM
jim said...: Hopefully only human someones can't be call bitch; 10/22/19, 7:07 PM
Richard said...: I don't believe that Marion Barry would have been a supporter of this legislation.; 10/22/19, 7:20 PM
Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of New York said...: It will be a wonderful day when these people finally get the untrammeled power that they crave.; 10/22/19, 7:21 PM
Drago said...: mockturtle: "Wow, Barbara Bush would be in jail for what she once said about Hillary."

And, within 15 minutes of being incarcerated, Babs would be running that cell block!; 10/22/19, 7:24 PM
William said...: I think they should ban the use of the word crepuscular. Just for one thing, not everyone knows the meaning,but the larger problem is that it should mean something different. Crepuscular means resembling twilight, but it has the ring of something to do with crap and pustules. It should have a much ickier meaning. Until such time as we can legislate a new meaning to the word, it should be prohibited.; 10/22/19, 7:28 PM
Marc in Eugene said...: Air Canada.

Quite what that has to do with the idiots in Massachusetts, I don't know.; 10/22/19, 7:31 PM
n.n said...: The N-word is gonna be pissed when he hears about this.

Yeah, how dare the B-word presume N-word privilege. That is so F-word.

I wonder if people put them out there knowing they're ridiculous and that the constitution will protect us

Anything and everything is potentially "Constitutional" under the Twilight Amendment. In Mortal Gods We Trust.; 10/22/19, 7:41 PM
Hagar said...: I see that the word "lynching" is now also on the forbidden list because it is "racist."
I don't quite understand this since "lynching" was also freely used about ranchers and vigilante committees stringing up rustlers and various other evildoers throughout the west, especially when it turned out they got the wrong men.; 10/22/19, 7:54 PM
Ken B said...: DTR
Lovely. Best possible response.; 10/22/19, 7:54 PM
traditionalguy said...: Ok,they can erase bitch. But not son of a bitch and especially not squaw.; 10/22/19, 8:27 PM
Paul said...: And if they are called a 'Son of a Bitch'? Is that ok?; 10/22/19, 8:32 PM
Temujin said...: But the scolds will keep trying.; 10/22/19, 9:31 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: BitChute
is a video hosting service that uses peer-to-peer WebTorrent technology. It was founded as a way to avoid content rules that are enforced on platforms like YouTube, and some creators who have been banned or had their channels "demonetized" on YouTube have migrated to (or sought asylum in) BitChute. The platform accommodates (gasp!!)far-right individuals and conspiracy theorists (ie: people fed up with the likes of...)
the Southern Poverty Law Center accuses the site of hosting "hate-fueled material"
(they are the arbiters and their word is final); 10/22/19, 10:27 PM
effinayright said...: Hagar said...
Sixty some years ago our company commander posted a decree on the bulletin board that anyone heard using the term "motherfucker" would be subject to two weeks restriction to barracks. Someone immediately scratched in "Motherfuck you, motherfucking motherfucker!" below the notice.

How very American!
****************************

And how VERY STUPID of you, Hagar, not to understand that military discipline trumps notions of free speech, as it should.

And how BRAVE that idiot was, to make an anonymous response. I suspect YOU were the moron who wrote that.

If brains were C4, you couldn't blow your own nose.; 10/22/19, 11:02 PM
BostonMaggie said...: Please do more research before you publish nonsense like this.

It's a sad day when I, a lifelong Republican have to come out & defend a Democrat from your smears.

Hunt filed the bill as a courtesy to a constituent. He doesn't support it. No one does; 10/23/19, 2:32 AM
Big Mike said...: The key word seems to be “malicious.” So if I refer to the citizens of Massachusetts as bitches and sons thereof, but I insist that I am merely being truthful and not malicious, that’s okay?; 10/23/19, 3:55 AM
wendybar said...: Pretty soon, we won't be able to talk at all if Progressives have any say in it.; 10/23/19, 4:22 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "Please do more research before you publish nonsense like this. It's a sad day when I, a lifelong Republican have to come out & defend a Democrat from your smears. Hunt filed the bill as a courtesy to a constituent. He doesn't support it. No one does."

The post says, "Hunt says a constituent asked him to file this bill, and that's why he did it. It's obviously unconstitutional, of course." There's nothing incorrect about that at all. How is your comment not nonsense. Maybe read my words before you "publish nonsense" about me.; 10/23/19, 5:59 AM
Ken B said...: Insty has a link today about two people at UConn arrested for ridicule. The university president praised the arrests.; 10/23/19, 9:17 AM
Brian McKim and/or Traci Skene said...: All of this is very bad for comedians. (We'll probably mention this-- and the UCONN incident-- in our next podcast.) Unconstitutional or not, there's something in the air that gives people the idea that certain kinds of speech are "criminal" and that ridicule should be outlawed. And Frederica Wilson thinks people who ridicule legislators should be arrested.; 10/23/19, 11:15 AM
mockturtle said...: splainin' retorts: And how VERY STUPID of you, Hagar, not to understand that military discipline trumps notions of free speech, as it should.

Good point. Interestingly, I see NFL teams in much the same way. When a player is wearing the uniform of the team he must abide by the rules of that team. Some team rules are stricter than others but each team has a culture that the players must respect while representing it. This should be in their contracts.

Not just football, of course. Some MLB teams have much more hard-line about player appearance and behavior than others. Yankee players "must have their hair cut above the collar of their baseball jersey and no beards are permitted". So if you want to play for the Yankees you understand that before signing a contract.; 10/23/19, 11:56 AM
Openidname said...: "It's obviously unconstitutional, of course."

What about an argument that the 14th Amendment was adopted later than the 1st Amendment, and therefore a state is allowed to pass a law that furthers equal protection of women, even if it impacts freedom of speech?

Of course, the argument would be stronger if it were Congress that passed the law, because then it would be exercising its power to implement the 14th amendment.

By the way, I don't support this argument. But still. Has it already been made and rejected?; 10/23/19, 2:12 PM
Caligula said...: Defense: "Really, I said witch. Not that other word. Sorry you heard something else.

Consequence (if successful): Criminalize the use of "witch." Unless you can show you are one, of course.

One can only wonder if said constituent could understand that word-banning could never stop at just one, but would become an ever-lengthening list.

Or that word bans would inevitably prompt the creation of euphemisms to substitute for the banned words. Prompting the subsequent banning of these euphemisms. Prompting ...; 10/23/19, 2:37 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: Salem should be the town they hold the Bitch trials in; 10/23/19, 6:35 PM