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Annoying ordinance passed in Brighton
Livingston Daily ^ | December 19, 2008 | Jim Totten

Posted on 12/20/2008 5:08:22 AM PST by Past Your Eyes

Don’t annoy someone in Brighton city or you might get a ticket.

The Brighton City Council approved a more stringent code for public conduct, and those who violate the rules – including annoying someone else – could be ticketed and fined. The ordinance was modeled after one in Royal Oak, where Brighton Police Chief Tom Wightman previously was employed.

One of the sections reads, “It shall be unlawful for a person to engage in a course of conduct or repeatedly commit acts that alarm or seriously annoy another person and that serve no legitimate purpose.”

Another section states, “It shall be unlawful for any person in the city to insult, accost, molest or otherwise annoy, either by word of mouth, sign or motions any person in any public place.”

Two City Council members expressed concerns about the ordinance but ended up voting for it.

Council member Jim Bohn said some of the language was subjective.

“I’m not sure what alarm or seriously annoy means,” Bohn said.

Council member Jim Muzzin asked if he were to stand up and read “War and Peace,” during his five-minute limit at call to the public at numerous meetings, “would I be ticketed or fined?”

Paul Burns, city attorney, responded no.

Burns said City Council chambers are considered a “bastion of democracy” and the law provides a wide breath for free speech. Burns said there could be a situation where a ticket issued violates someone’s free speech, but he said his office would be reviewing these cases.

City Manager Dana Foster said enforcement would be a subjective call made by police officers. However, Foster said the rules are aimed at those who interfere in public areas as opposed to residents who are simply annoying for annoyance’s sake.

The amended ordinance takes effect 15 days from approval, which is Jan. 2, 2009.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: annoy; brighton; conduct; sign
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So the city council can have all the free speech it wants but the general public is now limited. What is this world coming to?
1 posted on 12/20/2008 5:08:22 AM PST by Past Your Eyes
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To: Past Your Eyes

1984 in 2008. Thought Police next?


2 posted on 12/20/2008 5:11:01 AM PST by jedi150
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To: Past Your Eyes

I’d bet that begging for money is not covered by the ordinance. It would be viewed as serving a legitimate purpose.


3 posted on 12/20/2008 5:13:45 AM PST by Daveinyork
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To: Past Your Eyes
City Manager Dana Foster said enforcement would be a subjective call made by police officers.

Oh yeah, THAT'S going to work out well!

4 posted on 12/20/2008 5:14:29 AM PST by PalmettoMason (Can't we all just get along? At least until I'm finished reloading?)
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To: Past Your Eyes

...can’t wait for the first suit


5 posted on 12/20/2008 5:15:03 AM PST by Doogle (USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
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To: Past Your Eyes


There was a time when these sorts of things were considered humor.
6 posted on 12/20/2008 5:17:53 AM PST by AndrewB
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To: Past Your Eyes
won't stand...
7 posted on 12/20/2008 5:19:26 AM PST by Chode (American Hedonist -)
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To: Daveinyork
I'd want all crying babies fined. Serves no legitimate purpose and is very annoying..... All of these idiots should be burned at the stake.
8 posted on 12/20/2008 5:19:47 AM PST by KeepUSfree (WOSD = fascism pure and simple.)
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To: Past Your Eyes

Just for the heck of it, it would be interesting to know where Brighton is.


9 posted on 12/20/2008 5:20:48 AM PST by basil (Support the 2nd Amendment--buy another gun today)
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To: Chode

more girth than length.....lmao


10 posted on 12/20/2008 5:21:56 AM PST by Snurple (VEGETARIAN, OLD INDIAN WORD FOR BAD HUNTER.)
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To: jedi150
Thought Police next?

Virtually there already.

***

gravelly voice no.1: "So, wudduya in fer, bloke?"
gravelly voice no. 2: "Aye muhdered me family with a toothpick. A dirty one. Wuddabout you?!"
gravelly voice no 1 [eyes boring holes in the owner of gravelly voice no. 2, who begins to cower]: "Me? I annoyed me neighbor, chum, and if you don't mind your own business, I'll annoy you TOO!"

11 posted on 12/20/2008 5:22:10 AM PST by the invisib1e hand (appeasement is collaboration.)
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To: basil
Just for the heck of it, it would be interesting to know where Brighton is.

I don't know, but if that's the kind of law they pass there, I'd hate to see what they do in Dumbarton.

12 posted on 12/20/2008 5:23:04 AM PST by the invisib1e hand (appeasement is collaboration.)
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To: Past Your Eyes
So this means if one is a Christian and says anything about the bible than they will be ticketed because they have upset the non-Christians.
13 posted on 12/20/2008 5:27:18 AM PST by YOUGOTIT (The Greatest Threat to our Security is the Royal 100 Club)
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To: basil
British seaside resort.

Definitely seen better days (back about the time the Prince Regent built his impossible Royal Pavilion). Think Atlantic City without the class. If you like beach made of pebbles and a bunch of drunken louts harassing passersby, it's just the place for you.

City council is probably trying to get control of the beer tourists, but this isn't the way to go about it.

14 posted on 12/20/2008 5:28:15 AM PST by AnAmericanMother (Ministrix of ye Chasse (TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary - recess appointment))
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To: Past Your Eyes; basil
Just for the heck of it, it would be interesting to know where Brighton is.

I kept reading until I reached a tip-off word "chambers" which means it's most likely in the UK.

Failing to id the location is a common (and annoying) error of posters. In my posting days (now retired) I never made that mistake.

15 posted on 12/20/2008 5:30:11 AM PST by aculeus
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To: basil

England. South coast (English Channel). Windswept pebble beaches. Popularized by late 18-century British royalty (Google “Brighton Pavilion” or “Royal Pavilion” for a taste of wretched pseudo-Oriental architecture). Like most English seaside towns, a miserable, depressing hole.


16 posted on 12/20/2008 5:30:17 AM PST by Tenniel2 ("When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one" -- Edmund Burke)
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To: jedi150
City Manager Dana Foster said enforcement would be a subjective call made by police officers.

Too late.

17 posted on 12/20/2008 5:32:26 AM PST by Virginia Ridgerunner (Sarah Palin is a smart missile aimed at the heart of the left!)
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To: AnAmericanMother; basil

The website points to a weather forcast for the zip code 48843 for Brighton, Michigan.


18 posted on 12/20/2008 5:32:59 AM PST by Noahs Rook (Never solve a puzzle that opens the gates of hell.)
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To: basil

I am assuming it is the one in the Detroit, MI area, about 45 miles WNW of Detroit and 20 miles N of Ann Arbor.


19 posted on 12/20/2008 5:34:57 AM PST by stayathomemom (Cat herder and empty nester)
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To: basil

Its in southern Michigan.


20 posted on 12/20/2008 5:35:02 AM PST by Beagle8U (FreeRepublic -- One stop shopping ....... Its the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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