Latest news with #C-word
USA Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
LA banned the N and C words from council meetings. Does the First Amendment allow that?
The council called it a 'narrowly focused rule' to curb ongoing disruptions during its meetings. But some First Amendment groups are concerned it will put the city on a slippery slope. As deadly wildfires raged across Southern California in January, a Los Angeles city official lamented to the city council and others how they were forced to listen to hateful, vulgar language from some members of the public. He thanked the audience for their patience in listening to one man's tirade in which he yelled "burn, Palisades, burn!" and used the N-word to describe council members. It was far from an isolated incident. A small group of people have repeatedly showed up to comment at the council meetings, spewing the N-word and C-word while ranting about everything from the city's homeless crisis to mask-wearing and the 2028 Olympics. Council members finally had enough. In late July, they passed a motion banning the public from using those two words during council meetings, despite warnings from First Amendment groups that the move could put the city on a slippery slope toward unconstitutional censorship. Already, the ban is getting put to the test. Just two days after the council passed the new rule, a man used the N-word three times in less than 10 seconds during his three minutes of speaking time. Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson asked for the clerk to pause his time. 'Speaker, you have used the N-word, which is a violation of Council Rule 7,' Harris-Dawson said. 'This is your only warning that this word and any of its variations described in Council Rule 7 may not be used again in this council meeting, any future council meeting or future council committee meetings.' If the man continued to use the term, Harris-Dawson said, he would risk forfeiting the rest of his speaking time and being removed from the meeting. The council's motion calls the terms the 'most frequently used offensive and injurious epithets' at city council meetings. It said such words are 'inherently harmful,' citing the U.S. Supreme Court's 1942 decision in Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire. The ruling said some terms 'by their very utterance inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace.' Such 'fighting words,' the court found, are not protected by the First Amendment. That's the argument city officials are making to justify the ban. These aren't ordinary words, city officials say. Under the new rule, a speaker who uses the term will first receive a verbal warning. If they use it again, the presiding officer will again tell them they cannot use such language and indicate that the need to reissue the warning has disrupted the meeting, therefore allowing the council to cut off the speaker. The speaker may also be removed from the proceedings and banned from future meetings, according to the motion. It specifies that violations of the rule would not invoke criminal or financial penalties. 'The cost is too high,' First Amendment group says Free speech groups have raised concerns about the rule and its First Amendment implications. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), urged the council not to adopt the measure, saying in an April 29 letter the rule would 'implement an unconstitutional solution when better alternatives that do not infringe on the speech rights of your constituents are available.' Likewise, the First Amendment Coalition, a nonprofit organization that focuses on First Amendment issues in California, wrote a similarly worded letter to the council raising concerns. The group said it "understands and sympathizes" with the city over the words and their impact on the community. Still, the group said the rule violates the First Amendment and opens the city up to lawsuits. "As with other ill-fated attempts to silence offensive speech, that result would amplify the objectionable message and allow those who utter it to claim victory as defenders of free speech," the group wrote. "Also, the first victim of censorship is rarely the last, and attempts at restricting offensive speech often lead to censorship of those they are intended to protect." But the council's motion, which was presented in March and passed on July 30, argued that action was necessary because the terms had been used and disrupted the meetings 'on many occasions.' The sergeants-at-arms 'prevented fights that were on the cusp of breaking out' on at least two occasions, the motion said. It acknowledged that the council 'faces competing duties' in being obligated to hear from the public and give them opportunities to exercise their First Amendment rights while still protecting council members and others in attendance at the meetings. 'It is understandable, given the rough and tumble of city council hearings why governments would want rules of decorum,' said Ben Wizner, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Speech, Privacy and Technology Project. 'The problem is, the cost is too high, and it gives them too much authority to suppress and censor opposing views.' But a spokesperson for Harris-Dawson said the measure was not meant to suppress free speech. 'This is not a ban on offensive speech in general, nor does it limit the public's right to criticize, protest, or speak passionately,' the spokesperson said. 'Instead, it draws a line at language that, by consistent and documented use, has disrupted the Council's ability to conduct public business and discouraged public participation.' Los Angeles City Council meetings compared to 'Jerry Springer' Harris-Dawson's spokesperson described the ban as a 'narrowly focused rule' meant to prevent disruptions and maintain a civil environment. 'These slurs are not being restricted because of the viewpoints they may express, but because they have repeatedly incited disruption, escalated tensions and silenced the participation of others,' the spokesperson said. Right before council meeting broadcasts begin, a disclaimer warns that the 'following content may contain offensive language not suitable for some audiences' and that 'viewer discretion is advised.' 'It's almost like you're about to watch an episode of 'Jerry Springer,'' said Stephanie Jablonsky, FIRE's senior program counsel for public advocacy. During the council's July 30 meeting, a member of the public repeatedly used both terms and said the council could make him a 'millionaire' after he sues on free speech grounds. The council voted in 2014 to settle a free speech lawsuit brought by a man who was kicked out of a city commission meeting for wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood and shirt emblazoned with the N-word. Another man used the N-word several times in condemning the rule, along with a call to 'send the Jews back to Israel' and a reference to President Donald Trump's administration being 'the only America of constitutional betterment.' Kathy Schreiner, the president of the Van Nuys Neighborhood Council, which urged the city council to pass the measure, said her group's meetings have also been disrupted by such language. Schreiner said she has "frequently been called the C-word" since starting her position in December 2022. The council's former president, Michael Browning, was also 'frequently' called the N-word in meetings throughout his two-year tenure, she wrote. 'The (Van Nuys Neighborhood Council) has an unusually small attendance from the public at our meetings, and we know that one major reason is how difficult it is to sit through meetings where so many vulgar and nasty public comments are made,' Schreiner said. She requested the city council 'explore whether there is some way you could help prohibit the use of these epithets at all Neighborhood Council Board and Committee meetings.' The Palms Neighborhood Council also asked for the city council to pass the ban and 'apply the same changes to Neighborhood Council meetings.' Both city and neighborhood council meetings attract people who are 'able to disrupt discussions for sport' using 'vile language and pointless hate speech,' the statement read. 'Transparency in government is crucial, and stakeholders must be allowed to criticize the work of government without fear of reprisal,' the statement went on to say. 'But this process is actually degraded and undermined when individuals with no productive aims destroy the public dialogue and engagement with hate speech targeted only at blowing up the process.' City says rule about preserving access, 'not censoring ideas' But the First Amendment 'exists for this exact reason,' Jablonsky said. The remedy, in her view, is to 'punish the disruption' and not the speaker. Though certain terms may be offensive and harmful to many people, Jablonsky said it's vital to resist any efforts to ban words. 'If we don't, we are setting a dangerous precedent for government to regulate what we say,' she said. 'Any inch they are given will absolutely get used.' Wizner agreed, saying the 'only speech that needs constitutional protection is speech that deeply offends." The ACLU's 2024 article, 'Defending Speech We Hate,' noted that the organization has defended the free speech rights of numerous groups it strongly disagrees with – among them neo-Nazis, white supremacists and the National Rifle Association. 'Our view is if the First Amendment doesn't protect the NRA in New York, it doesn't protect the ACLU in Texas,' Wizner said. But the council has maintained that its actions are both legal and necessary to address terms that have 'repeatedly incited disruption, escalated tensions and silenced the participation of others' at meetings. 'Just like courtrooms and school board meetings, Council Chambers are limited public forums where reasonable time, place, and manner rules apply,' Harris-Dawson's spokesperson said. 'This motion is about preserving access and safety for everyone, not censoring ideas, but safeguarding the ability of all residents to speak and be heard without intimidation or verbal abuse.' BrieAnna Frank is a First Amendment Reporting Fellow at USA TODAY. Reach her at bjfrank@ USA TODAY's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.
The Irish Sun
30-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Boxing legend Bernard Dunne reveals wife's diagnosis with ‘aggressive' cancer after Olympics and gives health update
BERNARD DUNNE revealed he found out his wife was diagnosed with cancer a day after he returned from the 2021 Olympics. The former IABA High Performance Director was with Team Ireland in Tokyo as 2 Bernard Dunne will be involved in the Hurling For Cancer charity game Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile 2 He revealed his wife was diagnosed with cancer Credit: Sportsfile When he got home, however, the Dubliner got the shock news that his wife Pamela had been diagnosed with the condition but is, thankfully, "fabulous now". He said: 'I don't think there's a family in the country, possibly in the world, that has not been impacted by the dreaded C-word. 'We've had it in my family with my wife. I found out the day I came home from the Olympic Games. "It was aggressive but thankfully she is fabulous now and we enjoy and appreciate every day. Read More on Boxing 'We need to face everything in life with positivity and the right mindset and that is what this event is all about. "It's a real family day, really sociable and great fun. "The goodwill, effort and support this gets from everyone across the country, I've honestly never seen anything like it. 'Whatever you can do or give on the night is all that's important. Most read in Boxing "I'm a fighter, not a hurler, so I helped out as an umpire last year. "I think the lads were aiming at me, not the posts!' Katie Taylor shares inspirational message to British & Irish Lions The former professional Hurling For Cancer charity match. The annual fundraiser was the brainchild of horseracing's Since 2011, it has raised over €1.6million and has funded 100 cancer researchers each year and is hoping to pass the €2million mark this year. The 2025 iteration will take place at Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow on Monday, August 18. Alongside Dunne, fellow Irish sporting icons And Dunne encouraged people to give what they can towards a worthy cause. Tickets for the event are priced at €10 for adults and €5 for children and can be purchased at selected Centra and SuperValu . Recently retired jockey Blackmore said: 'I got roped in a few years ago and you couldn't say no because it's such a brilliant evening. "Everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer so it's just a brilliant cause to support and the event is growing every year.' Mullins, whose Galway Races said: 'I'm one of the lucky few who hasn't had cancer knock on our door yet, but you know inevitably that it's going to come at some stage, and you want to do your bit. "It's a really great evening of fun but for a very serious cause.'
Otago Daily Times
26-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
‘Serious' bullying of teachers alleged at Wānaka school
Mount Aspiring College. Photo: Gregor Richardson Bullying, harassment and "deeply unsettling" behaviour by Mount Aspiring College students towards staff members has led to the school bringing in outside help to deal with the issue. A letter from the Wānaka school's Post Primary Teachers' Association branch representative Denise Bruns, obtained by the Otago Daily Times, revealed an ongoing issue with students bullying teachers. Denise Bruns. PHOTO: ODT FILES "It has been brought to my attention that there are still instances of bullying by students towards staff. Some of which are quite serious," she wrote in a letter to staff. One teacher who declined to be named told the ODT she had been called the C-word and other names by students in a classroom. Another source said other teachers had been subjected to derogatory language by students, some of it of a sexual nature. There had been incidents where students had surrounded teachers making them feel unsafe. In the letter, Ms Bruns asked staff to speak up about stressful incidents and whether they felt safe in the schoolyard environment. "I completely understand if you might feel hesitant, embarrassed or upset. Concerns have been raised about staff being on duty alone." She mentioned the repeated nature of the behavioural issues. "Most concerning was a report of a student making an intimidating comment that they revealed they knew a staff member's home address, implying a threat beyond the school environment. This kind of behaviour is deeply unsettling and must be taken seriously." Nicola Jacobsen. PHOTO: ODT FILES School principal Nicola Jacobsen told the ODT the "spontaneous" letter was addressing a "one-off" incident where three students followed a teacher in an intimidating way. "We have responded to a specific incident where a staff member had done the right thing on duty and tried to move some students on, and there was something that happened where essentially the students followed the teacher." She would not say how the students had since been penalised, but said they had been given "tough consequences". A safety plan for the teacher was put in place, which was the principal accompanying her on lunchtime duty. "I think what happened is the student followed the teacher when they disagreed with her, which was the wrong thing to do and the teacher did feel intimidated by their actions." It was a small group of students spoiling the situation, Ms Jacobsen said. "What we've got is a really small group of students who, for whatever reason, [are] not doing the right thing and not responding to interventions. "It is a long road to support those behavioural changes." That included getting in an outside agency to intervene in the children's behaviour. "The vast majority [are] doing the right thing. Teenagers make mistakes and sometimes get it wrong and staff at no point should not feel safe." She acknowledged staff had requested support aside from the one incident. The board and pastoral team were looking into data on behaviour at the school, and would be taking the issue seriously. "I do not want people to be by themselves on duty, when they would feel better and more supported if there was someone with them," she said. Mount Aspiring College board deputy chairman Mark Sinclair and Ms Jacobsen also issued a joint statement saying it had systems in place to address poor behaviour. "We have robust systems in place to ensure wrap-around support for students when dealing with behavioural incidents, and these procedures also exist to protect staff. "This includes free, confidential guidance counselling, access to external agencies and a united, collegial staff with multiple communications channels for individuals to feel supported across the school." Ms Bruns' letter said "restorative practices" with students had been ineffective. "Several staff described the process as 'not worth it', citing students refusing to give names or showing a complete lack of respect for the process, for staff or for school expectations." Mount Aspiring College is no stranger to controversy. In June 2020 the Ministry of Health put the school in statutory management following a poor education review report and parental concerns about a lack of leadership and governance. Among other issues at the time there were rumours of bullying among teaching staff, including of department heads bullying younger teachers, so much that some resigned or changed teaching positions within the school. Then-principal Wayne Bosley resigned that year. An independent chairman was appointed to the school's board in August 2020 and a new principal, Ms Jacobsen, who had been deputy principal at Pakuranga College, started at the school in January 2021.
The Guardian
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
When my 70s bar job was a Babychambles
Hannah Crosbie writes about Babycham's potential revival as though it lived up to its original marketing hype as a sophisticated drink for the ladies (Liquid optimism: why Babycham is ripe for a revival, 28 February). As a barman in the 70s, I remember the frequent orders of triple brandy and Babycham. They were often followed by devastation, and I can remember suggesting to the landlord that, if we stopped serving this 'alcoholic lemonade', we'd have less trouble. Unfortunately, my advice was ignored and the fights Holman-LisneyTadley, Hampshire The theatre or cinema pipe organ (Letters, 27 February) has almost completely faded from public awareness. Those that remain are mostly in the hands of charities and individuals, including the Mighty Wurlitzer in London's magnificent art-deco Troxy theatre. Let us ensure that these amazing instruments continue to make their special contribution to the world of popular orchestral LeemingVice-president, The Cinema Organ Society A wonderful English teacher at my secondary school commented 'Susan enjoys a bit of sedition' in my report (Letters, 3 March). After checking the dictionary, I decided that this was a good thing and have continued to do HutchinsonOxford The BBC could safely broadcast Malta's Eurovision entry here in the north (No kant do: Eurovision bars Malta's entry over title's similarity to C-word, 5 March). We would never confuse the C-word with CharltonNorthallerton, North Yorkshire Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Sky News
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Malta's Eurovision entry censored over song's 'appropriateness'
Why you can trust Sky News Malta's Eurovision entry has been ordered to change its song Kant - allegedly due to the likeness with the C-word. The country's representative, 24-year-old Miriana Conte, wrote on Instagram: "We've just been notified that @ebu_hq [the European Broadcasting Union] has decided against using the Maltese word Kant in our entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. "While I'm shocked and disappointed, especially since we have less than a week to submit the song, I promise you this: the show will go on - Diva NOT down," she said. Kant means singing in Maltese but its pronunciation is similar to the C-word in English. Ms Conte also says "serving kant" several times in the chorus - a play on the phrase used in queer and drag culture meaning to be bold and extravagant in a positive way. The Times of Malta reported that the BBC had complained to the EBU about the song's appropriateness, but the corporation told Sky News it had no comment on the matter. Ms Conte told a Maltese television channel last month that the EBU accepted the song with its original title and lyrics. Malta has never won the Eurovision but has finished as the runner-up twice - in 2002 and 2005. This year's song contest is being held in Basel, Switzerland between 13 and 17 May.
