Curses foiled again

Once all this coronavirus commotion comes to an end, our nation's lawmakers will be back to business soon, and down in Virginia, a bill awaits the signature of Gov. Ralph Northam which will make "profane swearing" illegal in that state.

Until his pen meets that paper, you toss an effer down there, and they can hit you with a fine of up to $250.

The hell you say!

The law has been on the books in the Commonwealth since 1792. Back then the fine was 83 cents. It's interesting to me that the law does not specify just which words are too profane to be uttered in the surf at Virginia Beach or in the tobacco fields outside Richmond or at the Patsy Cline Museum in Winchester.  I'll be damned.

Republican Delegate Michael Webert has sponsored the bill many times over the years, and this was the year it made it through the legislature. Webert is a cattle farmer from Fauquier County, and he points out, "When you're working with cows and a 1,400-pound animal doesn't do what you want it to, or steps on your feet, every once in a while something colorful comes out of your mouth."

Gov. Northam's spokesperson, Alena Yarmosky, told NPR that the governor will likely sign the bill. She adds, "It's past time we swore off the antiquated policies of the past."

Del. Webert finds bipartisan agreement about the bill; he says some Democrats agree with him that the current law violates the right to free speech, and is unconstitutional.

"We don't necessarily see everything eye to eye, but on certain issues like this, when you have somebody that feels the same way in regards to first amendment rights... that makes it much easier to get things through."

On the other hand, two Democratic and five Republican senators voted to defeat the bill. Both the support and the opposition to the bill were bipartisan.

Dang it all!