A St. Louis town is contemplating a bill that would ban swearing, drinking contests, table dancing and other typical drunken behavior from bars. City officials claim crowds in downtown St. Charles get a little too rowdy and hard to control after a night out. So to combat the problem, cuss words and dancing might become illegal.
Burning Question Number One:
How will banning filthy language in bars help to control an overly drunk crowd of people? Besides that, isn't it an unnecessary violation of the first amendment to tell people they can't say a four letter word in an adult atmosphere? Saying bad words doesn't harm anyone. They just shouldn't be said in front of young children, or to degrade a race of people. Other than that, anyone should be allowed to say whatever word they wish to say.
Burning Question Number Two:
No table dancing? Really? Table dancing doesn't hurt anyone! In fact, I encourage table dancing! Nothing generates love and happiness in a bar more than a woman moving the beat of great music. In fact, if people want to get on top of a table to express themselves in a drunken rumba, I say kudos to them!
Here's a Thought:
If a crowd of people get too rowdy after a night of drinking, why not limit how much alcohol they can have rather than banning cuss words and dancing? I don't think there should be a three drink maximum. But bartenders should be able to say no to customers when they're getting out of hand. Banning drinking games in bars might actually be a good idea for this particular St. Louis town. Making sure bartenders don't keep giving people drinks while they're falling on the floor from over-intoxication could be another good idea.
Let's focus of real problems people! Free speech and dancing is what makes this country great. Let's not snatch it away from our fun-loving counterparts.
Mo's Blog Roll
Resources
Kudos To Filthy Language and Table Dancing
Mo's Video
The Sound of a Smoke-Free Barack...Almost two years ago we speculated on how Barack Obama's voice would change if he stopped smoking. ...
Most Popular Stories
- Don't Like Goodbyes...
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Is it Time to get some Cheerleaders?
- How NOT to give an Oscar Acceptance Speech
- Could Jim Belushi Win the Nobel Peace Prize?
- Spring Break Sexy T-Shirt Removal Training!
- Quest for the Crown 5: Plastic Wrap to Make you Less Fat!
- Quest for the Crown 4: Work Those Heels!
Most Commented On
-
Coming Soon
Recent Comments
- Saint Brian the Godless on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- Saint Brian the Godless on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- Jerry Brown on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- Saint Brian the Godless on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- Saint Brian the Godless on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- GearHedEd on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- GearHedEd on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
Mo's Bio
Mo Rocca appears on a bunch of shows, including CBS News Sunday Morning (with the indescribably wonderful Charles Osgood), The Tonight Show on NBC, and NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He's a sometime judge on Iron Chef and was featured on Telemundo's Amore Descarado. Last year he starred on Broadway in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His expose "All the President's Pets" was published by Crown in 2004.
Top News Headlines
Political Machine Blog
- Sarah Palin's 'Death Panels' Wins Polifact 'Lie of the Year'
- Washington in 60 Seconds: Is Your Congressman Nuts?
- The Gift of Listening: No, No, No on Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
- Americans Say 'Good Riddance' to the Last Decade
- Jill Lawrence on C-SPAN: Health Care, Afghanistan, Climate Change and More
- The Abortion Deal That Saved Health Care (for Now)
- U.S. Prison Population in Decline for First Time in Decades


Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. "City officials claim crowds in downtown St. Charles get a little too rowdy and hard to control after a night out. So to combat the problem, cuss words and dancing might become illegal."
Great! So lets add even MORE useless laws that we'll have trouble enforcing because even MORE useless laws will make it sooooooooo much easier to bust people and maintain lar (that's how we say law in these parts) and ordah (that's how we say order in these parts)...lar'nd'ordah.
Crap...don't our cops already have enough to contend with? Now they'll have to bust people for using the "wrong" language, dancing inappropriately, and wearing pants hanging down too low.
I'd love to see the first case where they try some drunken woman for slurring the word "funk" in front of a cop!
"Like, *hic* hey orfusserrrrr...dat's sum *hic* funkeee c'logne yur wearink." *hic*
"Did you just say that I'm wearing some fucking cologne? Alright, into the paddy wagon with your punk ass! It's 2 in the morning...some preschooler might hear you swearing like that! You're going to jail!"
Paul at 8:35AM on Jan 9th 2008
2. Hey who said that the government can even regulate cursing in front of children? Anyone with children-even the ones who frown at you when you curse around theirs- have slipped when they drop something on their foot!
To counter any questions I have three children and I do curse in front of them. One thing is for sure-curtailing symptoms doesn't affect the root of the problem. The government makes lots of money of these drunks-but now they want to regulate how drunks act.
Why doesn't the government focus on what it's good at? Getting us in debt and starting wars it can't finish?
I am an independent!
anika watson at 9:18AM on Jan 9th 2008
3. All throughout the history of our great country, people have seen fit to put goofy, useless, backasswards laws on the books to "control" those who make them uncomfortable. And now, here are some MORE goofy, useless laws, folks! This is what you pay your politicians to do! Every time some college girl gets arrested for strutting her stuff on the bar, you'll have a shining example of your tax dollars at work!
Or, here's an idea: Allow bartenders say "cut off time!" to drunks, and the idiocy will stop itself. Allow bouncers to do their jobs, and the fighting will quit.
And don't tell people to stop dancing anywhere! Just haul 'em down from the table if you think they're too drunk to do the bat-tussi properly without breaking a leg. It's called "self policing", and it works.
Lionruby at 9:30AM on Jan 9th 2008
4. Cenk,
I had a teacher in high school who said swearing was a sign of low intelligence. Why use f*** or s***, when there are much better, and perfectly acceptable, words in the dictionary.
Kent at 11:38AM on Jan 9th 2008
5. I have to agree with Cenk
Cussing is expressing a lower form of the English language when there are higher forms to be expressed, but the last time I checked the First Amendment Government has no right to tell a person what they can or can not say.
Joseph M at 12:38PM on Jan 9th 2008
6.
I had a teacher in high school who said swearing was a sign of low intelligence. Why use f*** or s***, when there are much better, and perfectly acceptable, words in the dictionary.
Kent at 11:38AM on Jan 9th 2008
xxxxxx
Swear at me, Kate, like a lady as thou art,
A good mouth-filling oath. - 1 Henry IV III, 1
Ezekiel4:12 And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.
Malachi2,2:3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.
One shouldn't swear gratuitously but for emphasis it's useful to shock sometimes. God knows, apparently...
I'm wondering how long it will be before St. Charles prohibits drinking in bars as well. It's proabaly already a violation to relax, enjoy onesself or actually have 'fun'.
Clif Kuplen at 12:36PM on Jan 9th 2008
7. Give us just one word more flexible and useful
than the "F" word.
BOB JOHNSON at 12:37PM on Jan 9th 2008
8. The POLICE STATE prefers coming down on and tasing normally law abiding citizens trying to enjoy themselves because it is a lot safer than going after real criminals like murderers, rapists, drug-dealers, gangbangers and such many of whom would likely take a shot at their sorry, fat, donut-eating asses whereas the honest citizens will merely pathetically whimper "don't tase me bro" and leave it at that.
emelpe at 12:56PM on Jan 9th 2008
9. Red state stuff.
Captain Negative at 6:42PM on Jan 9th 2008
10. Well, if you want people to stop swearing in St. Louis bars, tell the Rams to get a f***ing quarterback.
Aside from that, Cenk didn't write this, people. It's Ana. We like Ana. I can't picture Cenk dancing on a table.
Pole dancing? Yes.
A lap dance? Sure.
But, definitely not on any sort of table.
Dan at 6:53PM on Jan 9th 2008
11. Not just women but guys can dance to the beat of great music on tables,too. This Louis wants to put the SAINT back in its city. Hey, if George Bush and the New Order has succeeded taking away rights as an excuse for fighting terrorism than why shouldn't St Louis have equal rights. C'mon,lighten up! The city's fathers and mothers just want to induce and terrorize the populace by making morality a city code and community standard.
boredwell at 1:22PM on Jan 10th 2008
12. Start serving weed instead of alcohol. The language will improve, violence will be non-existent, and, if you charge money for the peanuts and popcorn, you will become wealthy beyond your wildest dreams.
The Prophet at 4:17PM on Jan 12th 2008