Activist Leads Protest Of Middleboro's $20 Swearing Fine
MIDDLEBORO (CBS) - A Marine veteran led a profanity-laden protest of Middleboro's fine on public cursing, which is aimed at cracking down on teens using offensive language in the downtown area.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports.
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Activist Adam Kokeshof Virgina fired up the crowd with a profanity-laced tirade aimed at Middleboro town officials, calling the recently approved $20 fine on public cursing just another way government tries to intimidate the people.
"What we're here to do is stand up to the bully. And in this case it may be a bully that is simply 183 voters and a police department, but it is a bully nonetheless," said Kokesh.
Resident Loraine Robbins thinks Kokesh should mind his business and go back to Virginia.
"Number one, they don't live here. It's almost like they're invading the town," said Robbins.
Kokesh says the anti-profanity by law is a violation of people's free speech.
"I think in America of all places we should have the right to use the full colorful range of language afforded to us to express ourselves," said Kokeish.
But, a Reverend of LifeHouse Church says this isn't about free speech.
"There's got to be a certain kind of respect for people, I think there is a lack of it and there should be common decency among people," said the Reverend.
The anti-profanity bylaw still has to pass constitutional muster with the state attorney general's office before it can take effect.
