Watch Your Mouth! How Cussing in Public Could Land You in a Texas Jail

In Texas, cussing or using swear words has somehow become a normal part of people's conversations. It's very crude. It can be unprofessional to use in a business environment. It has become an overused part of dialogue in some of our favorite TV shows. Surprisingly, the use of cuss or swear words can even be a criminally punishable offense. No, if you use a cuss word in a public setting around a police officer, you won't be ticketed or arrested. However, if you do use cuss words in a certain way, you can be arrested.

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Using Cuss Words

Not one of us is perfect. As much as we try to be patient and understanding in a public environment, there comes a time when that patience wears out and we could lash out. Part of that lashing out could be a physical altercation. Part of the lashing out could also be the use of cuss words. While, for the most part, cussing in public won't get you into legal trouble, the use of cuss words in an aggressive or threatening manner could lead to police putting you in cuffs and charges being brought against you.

How Cussing Can Get You in Legal Trouble

The use of cuss words in an aggressive or threatening manner in a public setting can be considered disorderly conduct which is a class C misdemeanor punishable with up to a $500 fine. Obviously, if you take it beyond that, then the penalties do increase. For instance, if you brandish a firearm, that can go up to a class B misdemeanor which can result in some jail time. Same thing if you fire a weapon into the air or start a fist fight with someone in public (mcconathylaw.com).

According to Tex. Penal Code § 42.01, an individual can be charged with disorderly conduct if they intentionally or knowingly:

Use abusive, indecent, profane, or vulgar language in a public place and the language alone can cause an immediate breach of peace. These types of words can include cursing, cuss words, or racial slurs.

I am Not Perfect

I used to be one of those who would cuss quite a bit. I stayed away from the GD word and saying Jesus Christ out of frustration because God and Jesus are not cuss words, they are our Lord and Savior and should not be used in that manner. Cussing just became annoying to say and to hear. For some reason, dropping an f-bomb for no reason at all is a sign of "I'm cool" or "I'm a rebel. Look at me."

My Witness to You

Being a follower of Jesus, it's not the right thing to do. I am certainly not perfect and will still drop a cuss word every now and then. No follower of Jesus is perfect and are lying if they say or believe they are. But I do my best to follow the words in the Bible:

Exodus 20:7 - You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

Ephesians 4:29 - Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Again, I will never be a perfect Christian. I fall short every single day of being even a good Christian. But I at least try and know the goodness that God has to offer.