[conservativefromGa]

To amend section 1464 of title 18, United States Code, to provide for the punishment of certain profane broadcasts, and for other purposes. (Introduced in House)

HR 3687 IH

108th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3687 To amend section 1464 of title 18, United States Code, to provide for the punishment of certain profane broadcasts, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 8, 2003 Mr. OSE (for himself and Mr. SMITH of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

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A BILL To amend section 1464 of title 18, United States Code, to provide for the punishment of certain profane broadcasts, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 1464 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by inserting `(a)' before `Whoever'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

`(b) As used in this section, the term `profane', used with respect to language, includes the words `shit', `piss', `fuck', `cunt', `asshole', and the phrases `cock sucker', `mother fucker', and `ass hole', compound use (including hyphenated compounds) of such words and phrases with each other or with other words or phrases, and other grammatical forms of such words and phrases (including verb, adjective, gerund, participle, and infinitive forms).'.

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[OXENinFLA]

This will be a floor debate to watch.

[secret garden]

I would welcome that type of legislation. I'm sick of all the profanity.

[Cboldt]

Again? See George Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words" sketch from, what, 30 years ago?

I'm conflicted on using the law this way. I prefer to have control over when and how I (and now, my kids) am exposed to coarse language [ I'm okay with most coarse language, in principle, but there are inappropriate times and settings ]. I suppose I'd rather let the marketplace settle this. If one doesn't like the langauge emanating from the teevee, turn the channel, or better yet, turn it off.

[OXENinFLA]

Section 1464. Broadcasting obscene language

Whoever utters any obscene, indecent, or profane language by means of radio communication shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

Uh, does that cover TV?

[TomGuy]

Wow, would that mean no more speeches from John Effing Kerry or Wesley "I'll beat the sh|t out of him" Clark?

[j_tull]

I think you have to demonstrate that there's a harm'' by allowing dirty words on the public airwaves. "That's a burden they can't meet.''

Unless the word used is nigger, then stand by!

[KarlInOhio]

On this week's episode of C-Span "After Dark", listen to Brian Lamb go through the entire list of words from HR 3687, including all the adjective, gerund, participle, and infinitive forms he can think of.

[Mark was here]

Why the heck not?

It's for the children!

We should just fall on our knees and worship any proposal that is "for the children".

Give me a flipping break.

As far as dirty words go on television go, you would have to be a nut to watch some of these shows anyway, so the people are getting what they deserve.

You do not need to have the State screen your entertainment, you are free to entertain your self, if you want to gaze at a stupid show, it's your responsibility.

[RoseyT]

I would like to see the networks show some morals and values by regulating the language and behavior on their shows.
I know that's a pipe dream, but at the same time I'm not crazy about the idea of legislation against the use of "dirty words" on tv.
As parents, it's ultimately OUR job to keep an eye on what our kiddos are watching.

[martian_22]

Sometimes you just gotta ask yourself, "Why are Soviet era think-tank projects still being run in this country?.

The admitted goals of the communists to morally corrupt and thereby destroy America are a matter of public record. All my life(51½yrs) I've seen the advancement, tolerance then acceptance of the most foulest ideas become hammered into the American cultural psyche by repeated imagery and words. I call it art shaping life; not the other way around.

One of the last major disgraces is now to be accused of censorship. Anyone desiring anything clean, moral or wholesome(psychologically) for our children is held in sneering contempt. This is not an American idea IMHO.

It's like the atheists who roundly condemn all religious figures and institutions as racist, bigotted, sexist homophobes or homos, drunkards, liars, pedophiles, greedy thieves and incompetents when the only source of contact they have with such informative imagery is hollywood and tv movies, liberal "knowledge" courses and network medias.

Everone is being programmed in one way or another. Pick your poison or sustanance with eyes wide open.

[mtbopfuyn]

"I think you have to demonstrate that there's a harm'' by allowing dirty words on the public airwaves. "That's a burden they can't meet.''

Really? Lowers morals, lowers percieved intelligence, and lowers vocabulary usage.

[Budge]

I'm struck by this: Another broadcasting expert, Robert J. Thompson of Syracuse University, said the proposal was "just so infantile, so juvenile,'' especially because Ose's bill spells out the words it says should be banned.

"It reminds me of a bunch of 8-year-olds looking those words up in the dictionary and laughing uproariously,'' he said.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm sympathetic, but the only reason to bar this is protect the ears of children. But if everything on TV or radio has to be OK for the age of 6, then nothing can be more sophisticated than that,...

I guess Thompson never heard or saw Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Burns and Allen, Red Skelton, Abbot and Costello and a host of others on radio or TV, and he's considered an expert!

When I first got into broadcasting many years ago, a radio station lost it's licsence for broadcasting the sound of a toilet being flushed!

[Lazamataz]

F**king b**tard a**hole wants to f**king tell me how to f**king talk. He's full of f**kin' s**t, the son of a b***h.

[hchutch]

Okay. Short version.

Congressman Ose, please refresh yourself with how the remote control works. You can change the channel, and you can turn it off. You can even pop in a DVD or CD.

But don't pass a law when you can deal with the problem simply by pressing a button on the remote control.

[Dan from Michigan]

There just isn't any way I want to hear that stuff coming out of my TV on the public airwaves,'' Ose said Thursday. "My kids and my neighbors' kids shouldn't have to hear that stuff.''

Then use the remote, Doug. If enough people don't watch it, it won't be on there since the market won't be there for it.

And there's always VCR's and the latest tech now that can prescreen as another safeguard.

And I trust them much more than I trust big intrusive government, which isn't smart enough, or trustworthy enough to handle this.

[veronica]

I am for this on free TV, but on HBO etc., I am not. The Sopranos would be a bloody bore if it could not have authentic language.