Next time you’re in line at the grocery store and you roll your eyes at the person with two carts full of items refusing to leave the 10-items-or-fewer line, you might be in trouble with the law — at least if you live in Elmhurst, Illinois. Officials of the Chicago suburb are looking into finding a way of putting an end to the practice by legal means.
The idiocy stems from a recent city council meeting where an Elmhurst resident was ejected from the room after rolling her eyes in reaction to something that was said by a council member.
Members of the Elmhurst city council have asked the City Attorney to look into the creation of a “disturbance and disorderly conduct” violation and to see if eye-rolling could somehow be shoehorned into its definition.
Illinois state law defines disorderly conduct is “an act in such unreasonable manner as to alarm or disturb another, or to provoke a breach of the peace.”
While she apparently is against a prohibition on eye-rolling, the Elmhurst citizen who was booted from the meeting says she’s all for having a definition of disorderly conduct in the city’s books.
“I’d like for them (city officials) to have a better understanding of the open meetings act and its meaning and to understand what disorderly conduct is,” she explained.
As for the City Attorney, who is slated to report back to the council on his findings on Jan. 26, he seems doubtful that rude behavior at a city council meeting should be an issue for law enforcement.
“It’s not in any way a punishable offense by a fine,” he said. “It’s a matter of decorum.”
What do you think: At what point does eye-rolling and such behavior cross the line and become something that could be considered disorderly conduct?
Elmhurst considers violation for eye-rolling [Triblocal.com]
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OMG
As long as we’re outlawing facial expressions… can we outlaw the stupid fish kiss lips (whatever the hell it’s called) that every girl under 25 seems to think is the right face to make in a picture?
Eye Rolling = Free Speech. It’s an expressive act.
Elmhurst city council‘s s suggested legal punishments for eye-rolling:
• Confinement to one’s bedroom for 1 – 2 hours
• Relinquishment of one’s XBOX privileges
• Legal prevention of one’s consuming of desserts after dinner
• Non-sexual spankings
Don’t you look at me in that tone of voice!
The can try all they want but i do believe this would violate Freedom of Speech. True its not speech in the verbal sense but we also have freedom of expression and that falls in there.
This is a huge waste of time and money…why would anyone come up with this insane law?
Law against eye-rolling? That has to be the stupidest damn idea I’ve heard all week. This town is just asking for a massive lawsuit.
City Officials – find something better to do (like maybe your job??) than whine and get all pissy about your sensibilities being offended.
I can’t wait for them to tell us how they cracked world peace, because no sensible person would want their tax dollars going towards the wasted time and effort to put this into law
wait, really?
That’s probably one of the most asinine things I’ve heard. “You there…with the stroke! Stop rolling your eyes!” Those people should be embarrassed for even suggesting that.
And as a side note, I’d probably be in prison for 20 years if eye rolling was an offense as I do it about 10 times a day.
On a technical level, what do you define as an actual eye-roll? I mean, if someone’s eyes roll sideways but only partially up, would that constitute an eye-roll? Or perhaps they could devise a lesser fine for side-eye-rolls instead of a full on eye-roll fine?
First eye-rolling, next face palming…look out America, pretty soon they’ll be passing out medication to inhibit emotions altogether. There could be an Equilibrium sequel in the works because of this!
All public officials should be REQUIRED to take and PASS a course on the Constitution and Bill of Rights. It might curb this sort of utter stupidity!
Why did I roll my eyes after I read this?
Just another example of “Government Gone Wild”! When will this “we know best” attitude of presumably elected officials stop? Next on the agenda….where and when you can vacation. Oops…..that’s already been taken care of in the Gulf region.
Will they outlaw the douchebags that warrant the eye-rolling, as well?
Can’t we just outlaw the town of Elmhurst, Illinois for harboring douche bags?
are sighs still legal ?
the taxpayers in elmhurst sure know how to elect their officials who then know how to waste funding
Never.
Where’s that .gif of the prairie dog rolling his ojos? LOL
Disclosure: We lived in Elmhurst for a while when I was a kid.
Holy Mackeral, There must be something better for the members of the Elmhurst city council to be doing with thier time.
somehow i wanted to cleverly connect this to the open-cary fad, but words fail me.
Talk about a passive aggressive town.
Well gosh this council member disturbed for acting in an unreasonable manner. Honestly, I hope someone sues the council for breach of public trust and wasting tax payer money on pure self loathing garbage.
Illinois is not exactly known for its governance, so no surprise here.
I suppose if your eyes make loud grinding noises as you roll them it might constitute an unreasonable disturbance.
“his findings on Jan. 26″
should be corrected to July 26 (as per the linked article).
i was wondering if this was last year’s story, or if Elmhurst council really does require 6 months to study the issue.
-pedantic
As a liberatarian, f’ any form of censorship of free speech (including eye-rolling) by the government. This country is turning into such a ridiculous nanny state.
YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO NOT BE OFFENDED.
How does a post as pointless as this get 149 comments from Consumerist readers, but the one entitled “Like Being Single? That’ll Be $388,059, Please” get only 49?? The latter one was a lot more interesting to me and affects us more, as I assume many, if not most, Consumerist readers are single. Do Consumerist readers not have their priorities straight?
This is an over the top type of law that is not in the best interest of consumers, the official that proposed this should be fired. As a frustrated citizen this is stupidity at it’s best. Each person has the right to show frustration at the imbecile that cannot read or who demonstrates his /her lack of common sense at the
checkout line or at town hall meetings. Eye rolling is a trait that I personally use to show frustration without verbalizing. Freedom takes another hit, if everything is outlawed the we are all outlaws.
How nice of Elmhurst to employ the mentally handicapped in such a lofty position as city council.
Living three towns from elmhurst, I am not surprised. [rolls eyes]
Cough … cough …rolling eyes = freedom of speech … cough
I see room in this edict for making a V with your fingers and sticking your tongue through them at city council meetings. Or maybe the oh-no-you-dint finger wave and head bob.