Blasphemy!

Jun 5 16:02 UTC 2000

My crusade: wilfully and thoroughly mock the Public Act of 1931, which should
be generally deconstructed and rebuilt, since it has both decent laws (the
rape code, for instance) as well as, well, this, among other things:

THE MICHIGAN PENAL CODE (EXCERPT)


Act 328 of 1931

750.102 Blasphemy; punishment. [M.S.A. 28.297 ]
Sec. 102. Any person who shall wilfully blaspheme the holy name of God, by
cursing or contumeliously reproaching God, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.



History: 1931, Act 328, Eff. Sept. 18, 1931 ;--CL 1948, 750.102 .

Former Law: See section 17 of Ch. 158 of R.S. 1846, being CL 1857, ' 5872;
CL 1871, ' 7707; How., ' 9293; CL 1897, ' 11706; CL 1915, ' 15480; and CL
1929, ' 16832.



750.103 Cursing and swearing. [M.S.A. 28.298 ]
Sec. 103. Cursing and Any person who has arrived at the age of discretion,
who shall profanely curse or damn or swear by the name of God, Jesus Christ
or the Holy Ghost, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. No such prosecution shall
be sustained unless it shall be commenced within 5 days after the commission
of such offense. 


History: 1931, Act 328, Eff. Sept. 18, 1931 ;--CL 1948, 750.103 .

Former Law: See section 18 of Ch. 158 of R.S. 1846, being CL 1857, ' 5873;
CL 1871, ' 7708; How., ' 9294; CL 1897, ' 11707; CL 1915, ' 15481; and CL
1929, ' 16833.

=====

So much for separation of church and state, and not establishing a state
religion.

response 2 of 9:

Jun 5 18:10 UTC 2000

As far as it how it fits with the First Amendment, well, it's clearly in
violation. =} I don't know if it's ever been enforced, I would hope not,
although I understand that laws which clearly contradict the First Amendment
don't have to be enforced in order to be struck down (while laws that violate
other parts of the Constitution DO, in fact, have to be enforced first).

Although I'm not a lawyer, so I may be wrong. =}

response 4 of 9:

Jun 5 22:36 UTC 2000

I think the interpretation might come in under the word "profanely".

response 6 of 9:

Jun 6 14:34 UTC 2000

heh

response 8 of 9:

Jun 8 15:14 UTC 2000

You know, that first law says I could go to jail for saying, "You've been a
naughty God, haven't you? You didn't finish all your peas."
=}