Are Old Laws Funny or Dangerous?
Massachusetts has some old morality laws about cursing and other no-nos. Is it time to clear the books?
Massachusetts is famous for its out-of-date laws. The Boston Globe cites a few, like a cursing ban at sporting events. But there are other laws, passed more than 100 years ago, which could complicate present-day political and legal dilemmas. But the old laws sometimes have a major effect on modern-day issues. State Rep. Byron Rushing, D-South End, reminded the Globe that former Gov. Mitt Romney used a 1913 law about residency rules to prevent out-of-state gay couples from marrying in Massachusetts. That old law was scrubbed from the books in 2008, five years after it was cited by Romney. The 19th-century anti-abortion laws are a particularly thorny issue, according to the Globe. They may be relics of a time past, but they didn't stop the …
J. Parker
12:04 am on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
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