It would appear that members of the Kenosha Common Council have too much time on their hands, so they've taken up a new hobby... coming up with ordinances that violate the Constitution:

Swearing in front of your mother may have earned you a bar of soap, swearing in front of a Kenosha Police officer in the line of duty could cost you $118.

The city's Public Safety and Welfare Committee is backing an ordinance change that would allow Kenosha police officers and firefighters to issue citations if they hear profane, vile, filthy or obscene language while engaged in duty.
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The city already has an ordinance that prohibits using "profane, vile, filthy or obscene" language within the city. Kenosha Municipal Court Judge John A. Neuenschwander has ruled that a third party, besides the officer and accused offender, would need to witness that language for the citation not to be dismissed.

So you see... the city of Kenosha already violates the Constitution, so it's ok if they add to it.  Speaking of which, why do Firefighters have the right to issue tickets regarding things that have nothing to do with fire safety?

Alderman Michael Orth, a member of the committee, said his only concern was that police officers and firefighters sometimes use strong language when dealing with a crowd and Orth did not want to see those responders liable for their comments.

"Police officers have to be very adamant in some situations and I don't want this to boomerang back where some punk thug files a complaint against a police officer because their feelings got hurt," Orth said.

So let me get this straight.  Police officer's feelings are so fragile, that Kenosha needs an ordinance to protect them from getting their feelings hurt, but we won't hold them to the same standard as regular civilians?  And they get to carry guns?  If they're feelings are so fragile that they can't handle being sworn at, then perhaps we ought to rethink their right to carry fire arms.  After all, I'd hate for a police officer to get so angry at someone swearing at him, that he decides to shoot the guy.  Because as you know, someone who swears at a cop when he's getting a speeding ticket is automatically a thug.

We give police officers an incredible amount of power over us, including the right to shoot other people, and detain them against their will for periods of time.  That means they need to be held to a higher standard, not a lower one.

"If someone's being a knob, you can take them into custody or issue a ticket," Downing said.

I'm sorry.  They're not thugs... they're knobs.  What it sounds like to me is that the Kenosha Common Council wishes they had an ordinance they could use to arrest Robert Gates with, and not be called racists.  Apparently the very overused "disorderly conduct" isn't enough.  They want to fine you for using your Constitutional right to free speech, if it makes you a "knob".  Is there a definition of knob in the ordinance?

Alderwoman Kathy Carpenter, also a member of the committee, suggested obscene gestures could be added to the list of actionable violations.

Guess which finger I'm using to type this Kathy?

The proposed change was supported on a 3-1 vote. The only opposing vote came from Alderman Don Ruef, who was concerned the measure may unnecessarily occupy the city's police force. Alderman Steve Casey was absent.

That's the reason why he voted against it?  Did one person on that committee even think about the fact that they were trying to create an ordinance that violated the 1st Amendment to the Constitution?

Let me ask you fine folks this... especially Kathy Carpenter.  Why stop at swearing at police officers?  Why not apply your ordinance to people who swear and make objectionable gestures to politicians who are trying to have town hall meetings about health insurance?

H/T goes to the lovely MsAlly for alerting me to this story.