Keep Your “Motherfuckers” Germane

This seems like a reasonable rule change for Seattle City Council committee hearings:

The new rules give the presiding officer at a council meeting the right to kick a commenter out of council meetings for up to 28 days (up from the originally proposed 14, since council committees may not meet for several weeks on end) for “outbursts” from the audience or from disruptions that block other people from speaking.

The new rules also limit public comment in front of committees to “matters within the purview of the specific committee or an item listed on that day’s agenda.” That change actually could broaden the scope of public comment at committees, because committee chairs currently have the discretion to limit public comment to items that are actually on their agendas. Public comment at full council would remain limited to items on the agenda.

However, to the chagrin of council members like Sally Bagshaw, who has been verbally abused by Stand Up America’s Sam Bellomio (who ran against Bagshaw this year) over and over, the rules don’t prohibit foul language or outbursts at the public speakers’ podium, as long as they’re relevant to legislation or the business of a specific committee.

As most of you goat fucking shit for brains know, I’m pretty pro swearing. And if you want to go in front of a meeting and use language that adults use, well, OK. But the worst thing at those meetings is when people decide to talk about something that isn’t on topic. Seriously, if I’m using my afternoon or evening to give testimony or report on it, don’t waste my time, or the time of the rest of the public, with some nonsense asides.