Annoyance Law

Talk about a double standard!

A small town in Michigan has recently passed an ordinance to prohibit any annoyance. But it seems the legislation is actually bothering the residents more than helping.

As part of the harasment ordinance, the Brighton City Council voted earlier this month to make annoying behavior an offense that is punishable by a fine of $100.

One resident said, "I think it's the most ridiculous thing in the world. And I think everyone who voted for it should be impeached."

But officials disagree. Such as Brighton Police Chief Thomas Wightman who said, "It's not an annoyance ordinance. It's a harassment ordinance."

What the fuck is a harassment ordinance????

Basically it prohibits physical violence in all public areas. It also prohibits "insulting another person in a public place or harassing another person by telephone, e-mail or other forms of communication."

Though citizens are paying attention the paragraph that reads, "It shall be unlawful for a person to engage in a course of conduct or repeatedly commit acts that alarm or seriously annoy another person and that serve no legitimate purpose."

People will now be ticketed for things like "continued neighborhood disputes, repeated text messages or ongoing harassment between ex-spouses or former boyfriends and girlfriends."

Looks like the town's officials need to pull that stick out of their butts.

"Annoyance" can be subjective and it does kind of sound like it's restricting peoples' personal rights.

[Image by Janet Gough via Celebrity Photos.]