In a previous rant, I discussed how Title VII and other laws prohibiting harassment are intended to address a form of discrimination. They are not, as the Supreme Court cautioned in Harris v. Forklift, intended to become a “general civility code.” Apparently seeing that as an oversight, the California legislature is taking its first tentative steps towards adopting a civility code.
This morning, the State Assembly passed ACR 112 — a resolution declaring the first week of March as “Cuss-Free Week.” The resolution now moves to the Senate. There’s no enforcement and no penalties. It merely
“invites the people of this state to take the No Cussing Challenge each year during the first week of March to improve our relationships, to set a tone of harmony and connectedness in our communities, and to inspire ourselves to
higher endeavors.”
It’s a good thing the state has no really pressing problems to deal with.
Update (March 2, 2010): The resolution did not pass the Senate. Instead, it was postponed indefinitely. It seems that some legislators believe that the state’s $20 billion budget deficit requires their immediate attention. One can only hope that its sponsors, when informed that the resolution had stalled, issued some choice expletives.