Isn't all this about players taking responsibility for their actions? Stop being a dick and you won't get suspended. Pretty simple.
perhaps ban any speaking at football pitches?
Stop being a dickhead and launch an argument for why you should be able to abuse refs. If that is what you truly believe.
I think Greenie's point (if he has one) is that there is a distinction to be drawn between saying something mildly sweary to an official, and abuse.
For example, currently what you've said above ("stop being a dick") would get you a four week ban. But you've used it in every day conversation, as we all do, so that 4 weeks off seems a bit ridiculous.
Nobody is arguing that you should be able to get up in a ref's face and abuse him (like I did...) or chase him to the changing rooms (like Declan). But saying to a linesman in the heat of the moment "come on mate are you fucking blind" is hardly a 4 week ban offence is it?
If that linesman turned around and said "fuck off mate you can't see anything from where you're sitting" then fair play to him too.
I mean, how thin skinned can you be?