Offensive Language !

When the film " Gone with the Wind " was released in the late 1930's the churches protested that Rhett Butler's line "  I don't give a damn " was an offensive swear word.  At that time the police were likely to arrest a  citizen using the word " bloody " in a public place.  In that age before television the radio stations were forced to ensure that nothing unseemly went to air.

Similarly the print media obeyed identical rules.  When reporting evidence given in court that contained a reference to human body waste they were careful to use just the first and last letter of that four letter word and fill in the middle with dots and dashes.  That was said to be a kinder, gentler age.

For a very long time we were amazingly reticent about using the " F " word.   It might come into the conversation if a group of men were having a beer together in a pub, but it was definitely not something to drop in mixed company.   Using it in a public place would certainly get you to see the inside of a police cell.

How different it is today.   The " F "word is frequently heard in mixed conversation and the newspapers report court evidence verbatim.  The vernacular of Australia has certainly changed over recent decades and many people think that is a healthy move that brings an improvement in clarity.  That charge of " offensive language " still exists on the law books but is now rarely used.  There is the obvious difficulty in finding a magistrate still clinging to the lexicon that existed in yesteryear.

There is still a four letter word that refers to the female anatomy that the media seem reluctant to print.  It is often used openly on protestors signs where deemed appropriate but people seem hesitant to include it in general conversation.  Surprisingly, it recently had its day in court when an attempt was made to restrict its use.

Sydney has a seventy year old character who often appears in public displaying sandwich boards strapped to his front and back displaying a political message.   Back in the time when Tony Abbott was our prime minister these sandwich boards carried a message that one woman pedestrian found offensive and who reported it to the police.

The sandwich boards wearer was arrested and later given a five hundred dollar fine in a local court for " offensive behaviour. "   That magistrate found that the law was concerned that message would offend the " hypothetical reasonable person ".

The sandwich board wearer appealed and in 2017 a district court judge set that conviction aside.  The sign he was wearing said "  Peace  Smile. People can change.  Tony you cvnt.  Liar.  Heartless Cruel.  Peace be with you ".

The fact that the intended word was misspelt harks back to when dots and dashes obscured the real meaning, but its intent was crystal clear.   It seems that the lexicon of Australia is still a work in progress !