Yahoo News Australian judge rules that the c-word is NOT offensive
The c-word is one of the most offensive in the English language but a judge in Australia disagrees.
In fact, Judge Andrew Scotting ruled that the word is not offensive, arguing that it is used so much in Australia that it has reduced its ability to shock.
His comments in New South Wales Court came during the case of 75-year-old Danny Lim, who wore a sandwich sign in August 2015 calling then prime minister Tony Abbott a “c***”.
Lim was given a £307 fine for offensive manner in a public place under the SOA, a law used to target people using offensive language in public in New South Wales.
However, Lim refused to pay the fine, opting to fight the case in court in February 2016 – which he subsequently lost.
A magistrate in that rule said that a reasonable person would have been offended because the word was used in reference to the prime minister of the day – but did not say why a reasonable person would be offended by it.
But now Judge Scotting has overruled that decision, saying that Aussies used the word far more than people in other English-speaking countries.
He said: “The prevalence of the impugned word in Australian language is evidence that it is considered less offensive in Australia than other English speaking countries, such as the United States.”
He added: “Politicians and their views are often subject to criticism in public. This is an essential and accepted part of any democracy.
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“That criticism can often extend to personal denigration or perhaps even ridicule, but still maintain its essential character as political comment.
“There is no reason to conclude that the Prime Minister, as the leader of the Federal Government should be treated any differently to any other person who holds or seeks political office.”
Judge Scotting summed up by saying that the sandwich board was “marginally offensive” and was used as part of a political comment against the government of the day.
