NOT IN FRONT OF CHILDREN, ANYWAY …
A South Carolina woman was arrested this week for allegedly telling her children not to “squish the f*cking bread” at a grocery story.
According to WJBF TV 6 (ABC – Augusta, Georgia), 27-year-old Danielle Wolf – who moved to South Carolina from Ohio recently – was arrested at a Kroger grocery store in North Augusta, S.C. after her use of obscene language was reported to authorities.
“He was like, ‘You’re under arrest’…right in front of kids, in front of my husband, in front of customers,” Wolf told the station, referring to the North Augusta Department of Public Safety officer who arrested her.
North Augusta has a law permitting its local police officers to arrest individuals for disorderly conduct if they “utter, while in a state of anger, in the presence of another, any bawdy, lewd or obscene words or epithets.” South Carolina has a state law barring the “use obscene or profane language on any highway or at any public place or gathering or in hearing distance of any schoolhouse or church.”
Wolf must appear in court on September 12 to answer for these charges.
Crazy, huh?
According to local police, Wolf was reported to them by a fellow shopper who didn’t approve of her using “the f-word” around her children. That shopper later apologized for turning her Wolf in, admitting that the profanity brought back memories of her abusive childhood.
Sheesh … did we mention a gallon of milk is getting more expensive these days?
Anyway … it goes without saying that loud, disruptive behavior in public places is not appreciated. And we can certainly conceive of situations in which private businesses might notify law enforcement regarding such behavior – and ask for assistance in having unruly customers escorted off their premises.
But arresting someone over this?
That strikes us as ridiculous … not to mention yet another ridiculous national headline for South Carolina.
77 comments
Frankly, I kind of wish more parents in grocery stores told their children not to f—ing do something.
“Frankly, I kind of wish more parents in grocery stores told their children not to f—ing do something.”
Ain’t that the damn truth!
Fuckin’ A!
Sheeee-it.
Citizens arrest! Citizens arrest!
Back to the stocks again, for public humiliation. However, Wiki says, “The practice of using stocks continues to be cited as an example of torture, cruel and unusual punishment. Insulting, kicking, tickling, spitting and in some cases urinating and defecating on its victims could be applied at the free will of any of those present.” Although I think pelting someone with those tiny pickles would be fun….
I was gonna say I was surprised they didn’t include rotten food…until that last line of yours.
My daughter took me to one of those Shakespeare Renaissance festivals in Atlanta. One of the activities was a small stage where anyone could talk about anything. If the crowd didn’t like the person’s stories they could throw little wet pickles (provided by the festival) at the person. It was funny and fun, but I didn’t have the courage to get on stage.
North Augusta’s Law is clearly unconstitutional, and the charge will not hold up in Federal court. The woman will get maybe $350,000.00 out of a civil suit. Possibly more, naming Kroger, the person who summoned the police, and the police dept.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the government cannot prohibit public speech just because it contains profanity.
Easy win here.
lol. no.
I’ve come across some pretty pathetic and unqualified lawyers in my time.
Constitutional Law is way over the heads of many of them.
COHEN v. CALIFORNIA, 403 U.S. 15 (1971)
“The woman will get maybe $350,000.00 out of a civil suit.”
Fuck lottery tickets I’m cussin’ in grocery stores!
It would’ve been hilarious if was just faking an arrest to scare the crap out of her and teach the kids a valuable lesson. But this is South Carolina, and awesome things don’t happen.
‘faking an arrest’ — I can see the cop handcuffing the kids and telling them, “Sorry, you little brats, but your mother is f***g right, and you shouldn’t be listening to her profanity!”
I think I will go to this same store and cuss while I walk through the isles … set them up, ya know. Cuss while squeezing the Charmin … Cuss while picking out tomatoes .. .Cuss when looking for my favorite chips and beer.
Then I will cuss at the checkout line when the clerk ask me if I found everything ok …. “Yeah, mudda f**k … God Damn it was easy as sh*t to find everything in this f**king store, thanks.”
Arrest me for cussing while I have a general conversation, and I will own Kroger.
squeezing the Charmin
You monster.
No. A private business can kick you out for acting like a jackass or saying words they disagree with. You seem dumb.
They might can kick me out, but government has no constitutional protections if it arrest me for cussing in a check out line.
Are you going to present a Memorandum of Law, or what?
Oh! Let me guess … you don’t have Westlaw, etc and can’t shepardize .
Sorry pal.
‘shepardize’…..???
I’ve never met a donkey Shepard before?
Google it.
You said you would own Kroger for this you dumb donkey.
Kroger calls the cops, has me arrested ….. my my, don’t you know ANYTHING about tort claims .. .civil rights … .constitutional law … criminal law? roflmao!
KRGR can call the cops on you for looking like a jackass and trespassing on its property. You’re really a dumb donkey.
“They might can kick me out, but government has no constitutional protections if it arrest me for cussing in a check out line.”
I don’t think I’ve ever not cussed in a check-out line . . .
You are correct Jackie. It is kind of amazing how many people are ignorant of your local store being private property with almost the same rights as you have at home. Issued many, many Trespass/don’t come back warnings, one call to the cops, whether they are misbehaving or not, and it is a trip to jail.
But-but— pleeeze don’t squeeze the Charmin!
The Canadian Game Warden kept finding dead undersized salmon floating in the reservoir. After an investigation, it was determined that the fish kills were caused by angler’s rough handling of undersized salmon before releasing them….
…leading to the Canadian Fish and Game education campaign which asked anglers to…
….
……
……
“Please don’t squeeze the char, men.”
The Cher, men.
Strange, but hundreds and hundreds of people get locked up for using profane language in public every year (in certain settings, obviously), and yet no one has “owned” anyone yet in all these decades. Glaring (and easy to to understand) exceptions exist, obviously, such as speech in controlled environments, political speech, non-threatening but vulgar speech directed at law enforcement officers or other government officials, etc., but rest assured that if you walk through a grocery store (or most other public places) saying, “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,” there’s a very real possibility that you will catch or a ticket (or even an arrest if the cop is an asshole), and you won’t get paid for doing it. Society has a right to expect some baseline of civil discourse while in public- think about the alternative for just a moment- SC’s a rough enough trailer park already. I’d like to think my kids won’t have to wear earmuffs in the damn grocery store…
U.S. Supreme Court
COHEN v. CALIFORNIA, 403 U.S. 15 (1971)
403 U.S. 15
COHEN v. CALIFORNIA
APPEAL FROM THE COURT OF APPEAL OF CALIFORNIA, SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT
No. 299.
Argued February 22, 1971
Decided June 7, 1971
Kroger is Toast.
That case was against the State of California, not against a private business.
Does not have to be a case against Georgia or even a public entity. Its the same thing. It revolves around the 1st Amendment.
You’re an easy one to blow out the water. You should check your law; that is, if you are an officer of the court. And if you are, I am not impressed.
lol no.
Shit fuck Damn what you mean you can’t cuss what’s next I don’t want to give them any ideas but what about words that are a whole much worst like the N word Bitches dumb fuckin asses what are they thinking and doing what cussing is the gate way to doing hard drugs and drinking or how about smoking stupid stupid stupid
Having read this story elsewhere, I noted something that I am curious about. Did the arresting officer actually see and hear her cussing the kids? If not, this will only add weight to her case if she decides to sue. As I have always understood it, other than for warrant service, a cop cannot arrest for a misdemeanor unless it is committed in their presence. Was something left out or is this cop looking at a big ol’ “OOPS”?
security cameras..??
Maybe, but most I have ever seen didn’t include audio.
Lip readers? I’m sure this is a pet peeve of someone on the city council or the mayor and probably some well connected citizen made the complaint. I’m guessing the officer was ordered to make the arrest for political reasons.
http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1550061/texas-fan-f-bomb.gif
In Florida you could, shoplifting for example, $99.99 or less was option of summons or actual arrest depending on how big a jerk the shoplifter or the cop was. $100 or more, or fighting with the store employees was felony territory. Cops used to lament that it was a bigger offense to hit a merchant BTW, how about those Twitter idiots putting the wrong guys name out there. IMO, same as putting a contract out on a cop.
Cops can arrest without a warrant on misdemeanors if they are committed in their presence OR if they are freshly committed. The courts have not laid down a bright-line definition of what “freshly committed” means, but it’s pretty common sensical. If a beat cop arrives in a reasonable amount of time, all of the actors are still on scene, and he or she can develop probable cause pretty quickly, the arrest is okie-dokie. Happens all day / every day in every town in SC.
I’m going to go out in public and curse up a storm TangoStyle. All my worty durds will contain the first letter and symbols. eff-dollar sign-percent-octothorpe you.
How would anyone know you are cursing? They would just say, “Oh, that GrandTango sure gets around!”
It’s a weird form of Tourette’s or that’s what I’ll tell the little Sssss-octothorpe-dollar sign-question mark heads.
I just like typing and saying octothorpe.
So, if I am in the deli, and Big Pussy is in produce, I can’t yell out his name to ask if he wants provolone?
Well, you can omit the “Big”…….
Noted. Thank you, sir.
You guys missed the point. She is from Ohio. Maybe she will leave and go back to Yankee land.
Nope, just more of the usual SC white trash. Hopefully a fresh boatload of Buckeyes move onto your street soon.
Hopefully a fresh boatload of Buckeyes move onto your street soon.
That’s just mean…
I have a Tourettes Syndrome neighbor, I’ll make sure he knows not to go there.
We need to send Tourettes Guy to that Kroger. He’ll straighten them out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3hX2bfOloY
LOL! My guy is a loner, walks around our lake every day, never speaks, just a quick wave. Found out about him when I started fishing before sunrise on the weekends. Paces back and forth in his backyard cussing to beat the band. I don’t know if it is a muscle twitch, but he looks like he is wearing a neck brace even though he isn’t. “Dad! There is a bird in the house!”, love that guy!
She needs to put some truck nutz on her rear receiver (so to speak)
“Fumes and Furnaces !!”*
“By the Great Horned Owl !!!”**
“By the Number Four !!!!”***
I’ve never had any problem with obscenity charges, but admittedly sometimes the cops are called.
*One of the other Oz tales I believe.
**Some old comic series, forget which one. Much like Perry White’s(?) “Great Caesar’s Ghost!”
***Ancient Greece I believe.
He was like, ‘You’re under arrest’…right in front of kids, in front of my husband, in front of customers,” Wolf told the station, referring to the North Augusta Department of Public Safety officer who arrested her.
He was like, ‘You’re under arrest’…right in front of the fuckin’ kids, in front of my fuckin’ husband, in front of fuckin’ customers,” Wolf told the station, referring to the North Augusta Department of Public Safety officer who arrested her.
Go big or go home.
A World War II Spitfire pilot is speaking in a church and reminiscing about his war experiences.
“In 1942,” he says, “the situation was really tough. The Germans had a very strong air force. I remember,” he continues, “one day I was protecting the bombers and suddenly, out of the clouds, these fokkers appeared.”
There are a few gasps from the parishioners, and several of the children began to giggle.
“I looked up, and realized that two of the fokkers were directly above me. I aimed at the first one and shot him down. By then, though, the other fokker was right on my tail.”
At this point, several of the elderly ladies of the church were blushing with embarrassment, the girls were all giggling and the boys laughing loudly.
The pastor finally stands up and says, “I think I should point out that ‘Fokker’ was the name of a German-Dutch aircraft company, who made many of the planes used by the Germans during the war.”
“Yes, that’s true,” says the old pilot, “but these fokkers were flying Messerschmitts.”
10+
“Peahead” Walker never told one that funny, boy. hahahahaha!
Frank..sure you’ve been watching the practices. Our boys got something for them this year?
Them fokkers gonna make a messershitt of the Cocks this year.
Them fokkers gonna make a messershitt of the Cocks this year.
Well done, Baron!
Well done.
To er is human. To er-er-er-er-er, Devine.
Nice update. My uncle told me that joke about WWI. Still v. funny.
““squish the f*cking bread”
Maybe it was “squish” that they were upset about? Isn’t that a Yankeeism?
“South Carolina has a state law barring the “use obscene or profane language on any highway or at any public place or gathering or in hearing distance of any schoolhouse or church.”
I try to stay out of hearing distance from churches myself so looks like I’ll be okay at least in that regard.
This law is unconstitutional unless the person is drunk or using “fighting words” according to the SC Supreme Court. Police still abuse it all the time to arrest people, unfortunately.
This law is unconstitutional unless the person is drunk…
Once, TBG was arrested for dropping a couple “F-bombs”, but luckily blew a .03 and was released.
Don’t get TBG started on the time he referred to an establishment as a “pee pee soaked heckhole” with a BAC of .21.
North Augusta police Lieutenant Tim Thornton……’You can’t go someplace in public and use that kind of language in the state of South Carolina.’
Hope Lt. America never visits the State Capitol while the Legislature is in session
If he does, he better have a couple of buses ready to haul off the foul mouthed cockroaches
Hell, better still he needs to go to the game next Saturday and start locking them up
Wonder what the charge/penalty is in North Augusta for giving the police the bird
Sign posted on South Carolina/Georgia border: Welcome to the Great State of South Carolina – Saying Fuck will get you locked up but if you Fuck taxpayers you will get a fantastic Retirement Plan, NAPD
The “potty mouthed” Yankee should count herself fortunate that North Augusta didn’t roll up in the new MRAP!
I would be in jail for beating the hell out of a so called “police officer” I would at least earn my jail time.
Busy Body fellow shopper………Aunt B type!!!!!
Just reading through the comments here raises a question. Do you all think using bad language makes you appear intelligent? Quite frankly, the language you hear anywhere has become atrocious.
Shut up.
Curtis Loftis might need to read that law. Just sayin’…..