"Any person who shall willfully blaspheme the holy name of God, by cursing or contumeliously reproaching God, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor."

The First Amendment Center's David Hudson has an entertaining and slightly unnerving story about the various blasphemy and profanity laws still on the books in various American states. Here's a sampler:

Michigan's blasphemy law says: "Any person who shall willfully blaspheme the holy name of God, by cursing or contumeliously reproaching God, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor."

Oklahoma law provides: "Blasphemy consists in wantonly uttering or punishing words, casting contumelious reproach or profane ridicule upon God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, the Holy Scriptures, or the Christian or any other religion." Uttering such speech is classified as a misdemeanor….

Consider too the plight of the cussing canoeist Timothy Boomer, who in 1999 was charged and convicted for violating a Michigan anti-profanity law designed to protect women and children.

Boomer hit a rock and took a spill while canoeing down the Rifle River. Upon resurfacing he let loose what a sheriff's deputy characterized as three minutes of profanity within hearing distance of a father, mother and their two youngsters. Though a Michigan appeals court later tossed the conviction, Boomer remained known as "the cussing canoeist." He told the Associated Press in 2002: "I'm a little more careful about what I say in public these days."

Read the whole filthy thing here. Reason on free speech here.

(Via How Appealing)