When cell phones are outlawed, rude people will continue to have cell phones!

This story is a perfect example of the kind of rude and uncivilized behavior called "disorderly conduct."

Sakinah Aaron was walking into the bus area at the Wheaton Metro station several weeks ago, talking loudly on her Motorola cell phone. A little too loudly for Officer George Saoutis of the Metro Transit Police.

The police officer told Aaron, who is five months pregnant, to lower her voice. She told the officer he had no right to tell her how to speak into her cell phone.

Their verbal dispute quickly escalated, and Saoutis grabbed Aaron by the arm and pushed her to the ground. He handcuffed the 23-year-old woman, called for backup and took her to a cell where she was held for three hours before being released to her aunt. She was charged with two misdemeanors: "disorderly manner that disturbed the public peace" and resisting arrest.

As a form of disorderly conduct, yelling obscenities into a cell phone is no different than simply yelling obscenities while walking down the street. Yet cell phones are targeted for restrictions, even though the vast majority of people carry on conversations in a normal manner. It makes about as much sense to prohibit cell phones because some people yell obcenities into them as it would to prohibit talking because some people yell and scream.

The civilized should not be penalized for the conduct of the uncivilized.

It's more national kindergarten egalitarianism; the same kind of thinking which blames responsible gun owners for stuff like Columbine. (Or civilized bloggers for ankle biters.)

posted by Eric on 09.28.04 at 08:31 AM





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