New York City Council's Asinine Priorities

In the past week, we've come to learn about Ratgate - a KFC/Taco Bell establishment in the West Village that was overrun by rats, and yet passed a New York City Department of Health inspection just the day before. You've all seen the video:



In response, the Department of Health closed that location, suspended the inspector, and has started closing other restaurants where there are vermin infestations. Part of the problem is that there are insufficient inspectors to cover all the establishments in the city as thoroughly as needed.

So, instead of focusing on the very important health and safety aspects that can and should be improved, the New York City Council has decided to opine on the use of the word "nigger."

New York declared the n-word off limits to all races Wednesday in a purely symbolic resolution prompted by the common, casual use of the slur in hip-hop music, comedy and street slang.

“People are using it out of context,” said Leroy Comrie, a black city councilman who sponsored the unanimously passed measure. “People are also denigrating themselves by using the word, and disrespecting their history.”

New York’s resolution is not binding and merely calls on residents to stop using the slur. Leaders of the nation’s largest city also hope to set an example.

Ah, the purely symbolic gesture. I have another symbolic gesture - the Bronx Cheer.

Has the New York City Council forgotten their copies of the United States Constitution? Here's a quick refresher for them:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Or, if they've forgotten that they're citizens of New York State:

Art I, Sec. 8: Every citizen may freely speak, write and publish his or her sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right; and no law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press.

I read that to be even more protective of the right to free speech than the US Constitution, even as it speaks of the responsibilities that come with such speech. What part of this does the City Council not understand? Free speech is just that - free speech. It means accepting words and ideas that you do not agree with along with those that you do.

Patterico notes that even if the City Council has read their copies of the Constitution, there's case law that would point to their efforts as being violative of the Constitution. Governments cannot simply ban a word. Even ones that can be used in an offensive and harmful manner.