Michigan city bans being annoying in public

[The Straight Story]

Michigan city bans being annoying in public

BRIGHTON, Mich. (AP) — Ticking someone off could get you a ticket in one Michigan city. The Brighton City Council on Thursday approved an ordinance allowing police in the Livingston County community to ticket and fine anyone who is annoying in public "by word of mouth, sign or motions."

The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus of Howell reports the measure is modeled on a similar ordinance in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak.

A city attorney says there could be situations where the measure would violate freedom of speech, but that those cases will be reviewed by the city.

The ban takes effect Jan. 2.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g1CjiYIczuLq05nPqgfpwtn4wLPAD95619F80

[tbyg52]

1. Step one: Define "annoying"

They're not going to do that, of course. Just blanket permission to ticket and fine anyone for anything. Wonder what brought it on?

[Fearless]

2. Budget woes???

[Ikonoklast]

6. Stop questioning authority.

It annoys me.

[tbyg52]

26. So, how much do I owe you....?

;)

[valerief]

13. Pretty soon the only jobs here will be with Blackwater to beat down citizens. nt

[Posteritatis]

14. I think the locals should fine everyone who voted for the bill (nt)

[tbyg52]

23. Yeah, that *was* annoying....! nt

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Looks like the door to door missionaries will have to

find another place to go.

[rvablue]

4. I hope whistling is part of the ordinance.....my biggest pet peeve. Flame away! n/t

[Skittles]

21. ooh, I detest whistling too

yes INDEED I do

[notadmblnd]

25. and gum snapping

[sarcasmo]

5. Sounds like giving you the finger can now get you a ticket.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. So if you are exercising your free speech rights and protesting on the street in Brighton

You end up in jail if you are annoying anyone?

[Bozita]

8. Senators Shelby, Corker, McConnell, DeMint, and Vitter should steer clear of Brighton.

[safeinOhio]

9. Naw, I think they might feel

right at home in the Brighton, Howell area.

[liberaltrucker]

10. Breaking: Population of Michigan zero as all residents move to Illinois

:evilgrin:

On edit: Shit, thought I was in The Lounge. :hide:

[EFerrari]

11. Where are our servers?

:scared:

[valerief]

12. Could they apply that also to "news" shows? nt

[Mari333]

15. ooooo MI city is gonna have lawsuits!!

this will be fun to watch.

[rrneck]

16. Damn, somewhere else I can't go. n/t

[slampoet]

17. GRAND RAPIDS MI has had this law for twenty years. The effect means ONLY religious organizations....

...can have public rallies.


I had the law called on me for being a street musician (at a festival, it was a 14 year old who complained i sang a Dylan song) and yet the police refused to enforce the law against a religious group with a loudspeaker system even though ten people including four business owners complained.

[1]

18. blerg! i will never be able to set foot in brighton, mi again,,,

so sad!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

19. Void for vagueness, folks......,.n/t

[Greyhound]

20. For those of us that don't live there, please describe the city of Brighton.

I'm guessing a white, upper middle-class, bedroom community.:shrug:

[cynicalguy1111]

22. that doesn't seem very constitutional to me

first amendment disregard much?

[notadmblnd]

24. Who in the hell wants to go to Brighton anyway?

I went there once, all I saw was a bunch of overpriced McMansions and a Walmart with a bunch of bass-akward hillbillies relocated from the south. Too bad. It used to be a nice rural community.:shrug:

Oh, and it appears that Michigan hides all their ugly women there. The men aint much to speak about either.