Be Nice: It's Now The Law In One City

WSB-TV Atlanta ^ | 11-21-2006

[Cagey]

Be nice. It's now the law in one Canadian city.

Calgary, Alberta, has new regulations that ban public fighting, spitting, defecation and urination. Loitering or putting your feet up on public benches are no-nos, too.

Officials said they're tired of the disgusting and disrespectful behavior. Violators can be fined, under an ordinance passed Monday.

But critics charge the anti-rudeness regulations are aimed at the homeless in city parks.

The city council narrowly passed the legislation.

Laurie Fuhr of the Calgary Housing Action Initiative said she and her group tried to quash the bylaw and they plan to continue fighting it, reported The Calgary Sun.

"There's parts of the bylaw ... that are really discriminatory to a certain group," she told the paper. "It effectively makes it illegal to panhandle or even to huddle or sleep outside."

[sheana]

We spent 2 weeks on a very small "cay" in the Bahamas. They only had a few laws because they all lived by the creed "don't be rude". ie: if you are smoking and someone complains, put it out.
I asked why there were no locks on the doors, the gal says "why would you need a lock?". I said, so noone will steal my stuff. She says..."noone would do that, it would be rude". rofl
It worked remarkably well, but of course there were only about 300 people on the whole island and they all knew each other.

Still, it was an amazing concept and amazing to see that it actually worked.

[I see my hands]

No doubt preserved is the right to boo America's National Anthem.

[TChris]

Calgary, Alberta, has new regulations that ban public fighting, spitting, defecation and urination. Loitering or putting your feet up on public benches are no-nos, too.

But don't you dare try to legislate your morality!

[goldstategop]

Calgary is a conservative city that pays heed to traditional values. None of that eastern liberal Canadian sissiness for Albertans.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[Cagey]

I realize Calgary has the annual "Stampede" and prides itself on it's rough 'n tough heritage, but I'm wondering why it took until 2006 to have a law preventing public deification.

[OB1kNOb]

My dad had a saying framed on his kitchen wall that said,

"It's nice to be important,
but it's more important to be nice."

Too bad that today's world won't practice this.

[Neoliberalnot]

I see nothing amazing about this behavior. This was essentially the same way I was raised in a small town int he Midwest. We never locked our house, took keys out of the car, or exhibited rude or disrepectful behavior. Those few that did show disrespectful behavior were reprimanded by parents, friends, and relatives. My how times have changed since the 50s.

[patton]

I suspect that it worked, precisely because the community is so small.

[Cagey]

I hope you got some fishing in while you were on that Cay.

[goldstategop]

Liberals say morality can't be legislated. Calgary is seeking to show virtue can be decreed and enforced by the letter of the law - since the law is a greater teacher as regards social mores.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[sheana]

bonefish and wahoo ;)

[goldstategop]

By reputation, Canadians are the nicest and most orderly people on the planet. If it has to be laid down in the law to be polite, then something of the Canadian Way Of Life has already been lost.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[sheana]

True but that is absolutely a foreign concept now. We have done tons of vacationing in Mexico where you have to lock everything up in the safe when you leave your room just so the maids won't take it.
It was really nice to go somewhere where the concept of stealing, etc was foreign to them.

[samtheman]

wondering why it took until 2006 to have a law preventing public deification

Previously, they didn't think there was a need to deify anyone. I guess things have changed, and there's a lot of public deification going on.

[Paleo Conservative]

I'm wondering why it took until 2006 to have a law preventing public deification.

That's "public defecation" not "public deification".

[Cagey]

Ahhhh, exactly. That makes sense and is the way I've heard Calgary was. It looks like Eastern Canadian thinking has found it's way West.

[dhuffman@awod.com]

'Deification' vs defecation, LOL If they'll also ban ''covers indoors and ballcaps in general then I may visit.

[Cagey]

LOL!

Now, I really miss Gilda!

I'd do typos all day long for her.

[Shotgun Rhetoric]

If they have to LEGISLATE courtesy, it's a lost cause to begin with.

3 cheers for the nanny gub'mint, enforcing things that should have been taught by the parents that left us in front of a TV instead.