Comments on: The moral police hard at work on the Gold Coast http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/ now with extra source Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:09:43 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Dr Harvey M Tarvydas http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/#comment-24103 Dr Harvey M Tarvydas Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24103 In many European languages the word for female genitalia represented by our ‘c’ word is not the derogative term used for name calling or insulting someone or even said with a facial snarl expression nor received as a put down. In fact it has its own nick name and is used more by women than men as an exclamation so commonly and without detectable community offence. <br />In these languages the derogatory term of greatest put-down in a name calling stoush or competition is the ‘common name’ for the male genitalia or the p-nis. <br />In English the male genitalia terms when used in name calling are only sometimes the mildest put-down or barely derogatory and far more often not at all. They can be more so when combined, i.e. d-ckhead, c-ck sucker.<br />But English speakers are known to have a different attitude to women in general to other Europeans.<br /> In many European languages the word for female genitalia represented by our ‘c’ word is not the derogative term used for name calling or insulting someone or even said with a facial snarl expression nor received as a put down. In fact it has its own nick name and is used more by women than men as an exclamation so commonly and without detectable community offence.
In these languages the derogatory term of greatest put-down in a name calling stoush or competition is the ‘common name’ for the male genitalia or the p-nis.
In English the male genitalia terms when used in name calling are only sometimes the mildest put-down or barely derogatory and far more often not at all. They can be more so when combined, i.e. d-ckhead, c-ck sucker.
But English speakers are known to have a different attitude to women in general to other Europeans.

]]> By: mb http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/#comment-24104 mb Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24104 Society has to draw the line somewhere Greg. I might want to parade in a T-shirt that says "help the depressed - buy them a gun" or something similarly offensive, but should i have the right to do so? I don't personally mind if some yobbo wants to show the world what a tw_t they are, but i do object to my kids being exposed to, and becoming desensitised to such behaviour. Society has to draw the line somewhere Greg. I might want to parade in a T-shirt that says “help the depressed - buy them a gun” or something similarly offensive, but should i have the right to do so? I don’t personally mind if some yobbo wants to show the world what a tw_t they are, but i do object to my kids being exposed to, and becoming desensitised to such behaviour.

]]> By: Dr Harvey M Tarvydas #2 http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/#comment-24105 Dr Harvey M Tarvydas #2 Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24105 Does his Tshirt affect the way he f-cks or relates to his girl friend or boy friend or visa versa?<br />Should 'law' protect one from anothers deliberate/wanton/premeditated efforts to obviously offend one by wearing something or wearing nothing in a public place where a victim can't be targeted for a particular offensive effort? Does his Tshirt affect the way he f-cks or relates to his girl friend or boy friend or visa versa?
Should ‘law’ protect one from anothers deliberate/wanton/premeditated efforts to obviously offend one by wearing something or wearing nothing in a public place where a victim can’t be targeted for a particular offensive effort?

]]> By: Dr Harvey M Tarvydas #3 http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/#comment-24106 Dr Harvey M Tarvydas #3 Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24106 If the law was to allow willy-nilly offence in this way should it then be changed in terms of the ways in which one is allowed to respond to being deliberately or carelessly offended? Should it be unreasonable or against the law to be offended? Should it be unreasonable or against the law to respond reasonably against the offender when being offended? Think in terms of other peoples right to peace in a public place and peace in their head while in a public place not ones own relationship to something that one knows will be obviously offensive to some others. If the law was to allow willy-nilly offence in this way should it then be changed in terms of the ways in which one is allowed to respond to being deliberately or carelessly offended? Should it be unreasonable or against the law to be offended? Should it be unreasonable or against the law to respond reasonably against the offender when being offended? Think in terms of other peoples right to peace in a public place and peace in their head while in a public place not ones own relationship to something that one knows will be obviously offensive to some others.

]]> By: Raoul Dunk http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/#comment-24107 Raoul Dunk Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24107 Greg Barns and Crikey are both fucking cunts Greg Barns and Crikey are both fucking cunts

]]> By: mike smith http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/#comment-24108 mike smith Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24108 I'm fairly sure that the dress code in a prison is enforced, so that is likely not a good analogy I’m fairly sure that the dress code in a prison is enforced, so that is likely not a good analogy

]]> By: mike smith http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/#comment-24109 mike smith Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24109 Getting desensitized by a tshirt? If you go out into public life there are many more things that can desensitize you. The guy wearing the shirt did it to provoke a reaction. If you want to deny him this, simply ignore him Getting desensitized by a tshirt? If you go out into public life there are many more things that can desensitize you. The guy wearing the shirt did it to provoke a reaction. If you want to deny him this, simply ignore him

]]> By: ellen fletcher http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/#comment-24110 ellen fletcher Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24110 this is another example of wannabe rebels who just want to be noticed. "I dont have the guts to say it to your face, so i'll wear a T-shirt that says it instead" is just so common these days. "Ooh, look at me, I can offend people". What do you want? A meadel or for someone to give a crap? this is another example of wannabe rebels who just want to be noticed. “I dont have the guts to say it to your face, so i’ll wear a T-shirt that says it instead” is just so common these days. “Ooh, look at me, I can offend people”. What do you want? A meadel or for someone to give a crap?

]]> By: Dave Liberts http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/#comment-24111 Dave Liberts Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24111 At the end of the day, we have to hold politicians at least partially responsible for this state of affairs. This article does not state specifically what crime this lad will be charged with, and I'm not familiar with Queensland state law, but I'm guessing it's roughly equivalent to SA's Summary Offences Act, which contains lots of references to uses of 'insulting' or 'offensive' words being illegal in various circumstances. The vague nature of these definitions mean that police will always have to make their own judgements, and it follows that there are going to be occasions when these judgements are not in line with the broader public view of the matter. If the legislation better defined what it was and was not meant to cover, then the discretionary powers of the police would be reduced, and there would be less occasions where we'd need to criticise them. Although this t-shirt is insulting to some and not to others, I don't think that the world would be a worse place if it was not available for purchase. On the other hand, if I had a t-shirt advocating condom use and happened to be in Sydney this month, I'd be wearing it every day and parading past every cop I could see. At the end of the day, we have to hold politicians at least partially responsible for this state of affairs. This article does not state specifically what crime this lad will be charged with, and I’m not familiar with Queensland state law, but I’m guessing it’s roughly equivalent to SA’s Summary Offences Act, which contains lots of references to uses of ‘insulting’ or ‘offensive’ words being illegal in various circumstances. The vague nature of these definitions mean that police will always have to make their own judgements, and it follows that there are going to be occasions when these judgements are not in line with the broader public view of the matter. If the legislation better defined what it was and was not meant to cover, then the discretionary powers of the police would be reduced, and there would be less occasions where we’d need to criticise them. Although this t-shirt is insulting to some and not to others, I don’t think that the world would be a worse place if it was not available for purchase. On the other hand, if I had a t-shirt advocating condom use and happened to be in Sydney this month, I’d be wearing it every day and parading past every cop I could see.

]]> By: Lucy http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/#comment-24112 Lucy Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24112 Right, Ruth, and that's exactly the point. If the convicted criminals exhibit a "higher" standard of dress than some otherwise unoffensive 16-year-old, doesn't that indicate that a profane t-shirt is not the menace to society the Gold Coast fun police would have you believe. Right, Ruth, and that’s exactly the point. If the convicted criminals exhibit a “higher” standard of dress than some otherwise unoffensive 16-year-old, doesn’t that indicate that a profane t-shirt is not the menace to society the Gold Coast fun police would have you believe.

]]> By: Ruth Fletcher http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/#comment-24113 Ruth Fletcher Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24113 I'll shortly be travelling to the Gold Coast for the third time with young teenage daughters. I'd be interested to see the reaction of the many Middle eastern tourists there to a religiously offensive Tshirt depicting a moslem religious character masturbating ( like the nun in question). Sure, the only aim of this young man was to cause maximum offense and embarrasment to others, but what's the point? Are the police really supposed to support his right to spoil the day of others around him?<br /><br />I worked in a male prison for six years, and saw regular evidence that the language and dress standards exhibited there on a daily basis were much higher than that exhibited by people such as this 'socially challenged' moron. I’ll shortly be travelling to the Gold Coast for the third time with young teenage daughters. I’d be interested to see the reaction of the many Middle eastern tourists there to a religiously offensive Tshirt depicting a moslem religious character masturbating ( like the nun in question). Sure, the only aim of this young man was to cause maximum offense and embarrasment to others, but what’s the point? Are the police really supposed to support his right to spoil the day of others around him?

I worked in a male prison for six years, and saw regular evidence that the language and dress standards exhibited there on a daily basis were much higher than that exhibited by people such as this ‘socially challenged’ moron.

]]> By: Connor Moran http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/#comment-24114 Connor Moran Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24114 I believe you'll find it is the sentiment on the t-shirt which will explain why it ended up on Richard Dawkins website and not an endorsement of your argument about Police resources Greg. I believe you’ll find it is the sentiment on the t-shirt which will explain why it ended up on Richard Dawkins website and not an endorsement of your argument about Police resources Greg.

]]> By: Marion http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/#comment-24115 Marion Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24115 Many times I have seen signs saying "John Howard is a cunt". I didn't find it in the least offensive. Is it offensive to say that Jesus is a cunt because some people believe that he is the son of their invisible friend. Men are frequently described as wankers.i Is it because the masturbater is a woman that it is offensive? Why is that?<br />Does the woman who is so protective of what her daughters see rush ahead of them to paint over the grafitti before they can read it? What a fuss about a trifle! Many times I have seen signs saying “John Howard is a cunt”. I didn’t find it in the least offensive. Is it offensive to say that Jesus is a cunt because some people believe that he is the son of their invisible friend. Men are frequently described as wankers.i Is it because the masturbater is a woman that it is offensive? Why is that?
Does the woman who is so protective of what her daughters see rush ahead of them to paint over the grafitti before they can read it? What a fuss about a trifle!

]]> By: Lucy http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/30/the-moral-police-hard-at-work-on-the-gold-coast/#comment-24116 Lucy Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24116 God, this stuff is enough to make me want to decamp to the Gold Coast with the express purpose of pumping NWA's "F*** tha Police" at maximum volume until people learn their lesson about getting the cops to act as guardians of taste. Society doesn't have to draw the line anywhere near monitoring people's t-shirts. Jesus. What are we turning into? God, this stuff is enough to make me want to decamp to the Gold Coast with the express purpose of pumping NWA’s “F*** tha Police” at maximum volume until people learn their lesson about getting the cops to act as guardians of taste. Society doesn’t have to draw the line anywhere near monitoring people’s t-shirts. Jesus. What are we turning into?

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