French back new law to punish lack of respect for icons of the Republic

Guardian ^

[Stew Padasso]

French back new law to punish lack of respect for icons of the Republic

Jon Henley in Paris Friday February 7, 2003 The Guardian

Fans of all nations, beware: mock the Marseillaise or trifle with the Tricolore the next time your team travels to France and you could land up in jail, with precious little sympathy from the locals. A survey released yesterday showed nearly 90% of French people back one of the lesser-known clauses in a law and order bill being pushed through parliament by the hardline interior minister, Nicolas Sarkozy.

The poll, by the CSA/TMO agency, found that 87% of the 952 people questioned were in favour of punishing any disrespect shown to France's stir ring national anthem or damage done to its famous flag.

The bill, which will become law later this year, proposes a maximum penalty for "offending against the dignity of the Republic and its symbols" of six months in jail, with a fine of up to £6,000.

Other draconian measures in the bill include a two-month prison sentence for prostitutes guilty of "passive soliciting" (wearing a short skirt). Youths who block the stairwells of apartment blocks will be liable to two months in prison, and anyone swearing at a policeman could be fined up to €30,000 (£19,740) and jailed for two years.

The move to defend France's Republican symbols comes may have been triggered by the actions of Algerian fans who jeered the Marseillaise before a France-Algeria soccer match in Paris in 2001. Corsican supporters have been involved in similar incidents.

The France-Algeria incident, which largely involved French youths of Algerian origin, infuriated President Jacques Chirac, who was shown on national television stalking out of the VIP box.

He refused to return until the catcalling had stopped, delaying the start of the match by a nearly half an hour. His show of protest did no harm to his credibililty in the run-up to the 2002 presidential elections.

[Stew Padasso]

fyi

[Drango]

It's wrong to be French.

[xJones]

The bill, which will become law later this year, proposes a maximum penalty for "offending against the dignity of the Republic and its symbols"...

It would be difficult to offend the dignity of the French Republic anymore than the French already have. And in regard to its' *symbols*, the French are using the wrong ones. We could have a really fun time suggesting the proper *symbols* for France.

[Highest Authority]

Boycott French Fries!!

[2right]

"....damage done to its famous flag."

Would that be the white flag?

[canuck_conservative]

That's crazy talk, bud!!!

BTW, how are they ever gonna enforce this law against that stadium full of anthem-booers? Ban the whole crowd? Sounds like a guaranteed formula for starting a riot before very game!

[Tacis]

There are other issues, as well. You know when you are sitting in a sleazy French bar and the fat broad who has doused herself in cheap perfume comes by? Should you fail to recognize a famous French icon and whisper to your colleague at the table, "She smells like a GERMAN whore house," you could be in big trouble. The French are as proud of their whore houses as they are of their language!!

[exmarine]

Can you spell F-A-S-C-I-S-M? The thought and speech police are coming to a U.S. State near you!

[DoughtyOne]

    Out of respect for the French leadership, I would am placing their flag here.

    Please folks, don't deface it.

[Stew Padasso]

County considers ban against unruly office visitors

Marion County mulls a policy to keep bad behavior out of its buildings.

CARA ROBERTS MUREZ Statesman Journal January 29, 2003

People who get angry about property-tax bills, land-use decisions or other business in a Marion County building might want to think about keeping their tempers in check.

The county is considering a policy that would ban out-of-control people from county buildings for three, six or nine months or longer, depending on the circumstances.

“It would be pretty much a last resort,” Undersheriff Greg Olson said. “It’s only for the unreasonable ones that this is designed for.”

That doesn’t mean, said county chief administrative officer Ralph Grim, that someone would be excluded simply for yelling or screaming. But they could be, if they were unwilling to calm down.

Currently, people who repeatedly create problems but commit no crime can be asked to leave, Olson said. But they can return day after day — and sometimes do.

In a series of incidents in the past 18 months, a man who had been prosecuted repeatedly came to the district attorney’s office and threatened the staff, District Attorney Dale Penn said.

He eventually was told that he couldn’t come back without an appointment, even though there was no such official policy.

“Occasionally, and thankfully it has just been occasionally, people get abusive,” Penn said, “and you need to do something to make it a safe place for everyone.”

Olson estimated that the policy, modeled after one in Washington County, would be used about five times per year.

Behaviors meriting exclusion include fighting, making threats, using abusive or offensive language, making unreasonably loud or disturbing noises, attempting to enter or entering private areas, bringing drugs into buildings, possessing weapons, damaging property, and interfering with county business, according to a draft of the policy.

Banned people still could get services — a flu shot, for example — but they would have to make appointments in advance with Grim or Olson and possibly be escorted into buildings.

The Board of Commissioners will consider adopting the policy next month. It would take effect a month or two after that. Because it is open to interpretation, the policy likely would include an appeals process.

The city of Salem has no exclusion policy for city buildings, but it does have one for parks and is considering an ordinance that would ban people arrested for nuisance crimes from the downtown area.

The Marion County Courthouse already has an exclusion policy, at the direction of Presiding Judge Paul Lipscomb.

In the past decade, the courthouse has banned two individuals, one for refusing a search after setting off a metal detector and another for slapping a court employee. Neither is allowed into the building without an escort.

[Wolfie]

What do they mean, some kind of flag burning amendment or something?

[Core_Conservative]

The French apparently only have the B@lls to punish their own people for freedom of speach!

[exmarine]

Not surprised about the People's Republic of Marin County. Their loose and highly subjective rules are really just Orwell-speak for "we can ban anyone who disagrees with us for any reason whatsoever." They don't call California the land of fruits and nuts for nothing (my state of residence btw).

[exmarine]

Oh, Marion County...what state is that?

[Dimensio]

The easiest way for a country to earn my contempt is to demand respect under penalty of law.

Still, I wonder how many here who scoff at the French for his law would support anti flag burning laws in the US...

[bfree]

Oh no!! Does that mean my favorite sport of French bashing is illegal? What's my punishment? Forty days of listening to them whine about what a world power they should be?

[Stew Padasso]

Thats in Oregon. Surprise surprise.

[B-Chan]

The only true flag of France

[Lancey Howard]

Did you know that when you have a baby in France, you must get approval from the government for the baby's name? No joke.

The place is the ultimate socialist sewer.

[DoughtyOne]

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez Louiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiise!