Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Concerning free effin’ speech

Has everyone heard about the kid who formed a club and website called the No Cussing Club? I saw another video in which he talked about possible laws prohibiting people from cussing in public, and when he was asked what should be done with someone who breaks such laws, he said something about "beating them" and putting them in jail, and then laughed and said, "Just kidding!"

You know what my initial reaction was? Yeah, it was a phrase of two words, and second word was "you."

Hey kid! I think I'm going to form my own group that condemns anyone who says "you know" constantly in a conversation, and my club is going to try to throw those people in jail. And you know what? You're gonna be cooling your heels for a long time in the Big House because apparently you can't put a sentence together without including "you know" in it! Listen, you sanctimonious little snot, you don't get to decide how people talk or what people say!

Don't worry, I'm exaggerating to make a point. I'm not forming a group, and I'm not going to beat the kid up (although I think I could take him). The sad thing is that this kid has received death threats, and that is totally not cool and just plain wrong. I don't think anyone wants kids going around spewing profanities, and it's a noble effort that he's attempting. But making profanities illegal? Kid, you've got a lot to learn. (I think he needs to listen to George Carlin's bit about the Seven Words.)

ProfanityI'll be honest--I've got a foul mouth. I'm the proud winner of the Foulest Mouth Award on the 6th floor of Mysch Hall at Ball State, and if you could have heard some of my floormates, you'd know that's sayin' somethin'. Nothing has really changed since then. But I also try to be respectful of other people's feelings, and refrain from letting my mouth go when I'm in public. I don't put a lot of profanity here in my blog, but it doesn't bother me if someone drops a well-placed F-bomb in comments. I don't cuss around my parents, because I know it would offend them. It's a matter of respect, not just to my folks, but to others who might be offended by such language, and any kids that might be within hearing range. I'm proud to say that I never once cussed in front of Ken's kids. Sometimes at games, people can get nasty, and I would have no problem with turning to someone and asking them to tone it down a bit, because kids don't need to hear that. Heck, I've gone to Notre Dame games with my Dad, and I wouldn't want him to have to hear that, and he's an Army guy who has heard it all.

My feeling on this is that if someone is being offensive, ask them politely to stop. If they are belligerent and won't tone it down, that's what security is for. If they get to the point where they are disturbing the peace, that's what the police are for. If they've crossed over the line into inciting a riot, that's when you remove yourself from the situation and call the police from afar.

But you can't start arresting people for foul language. I submit to you: I find the language of several ultra-right wing "pundits" (although I can think of more choice words than "pundit") quite foul and extremely offensive. However, I recognize that they have the right to say such things without being arrested for it. If people don't care for it, they can either not listen, or in the case of someone spewing profanity in front of kids at a ball game, ask them to refrain. I'd be willing to bet that nine times out of ten, they'll respect your request.

So I guess if cussing is going to become illegal, I'll see y'all in the slammer. I'll see if I can find a recipe for making wine in the toilet.

19 comments:

  1. I agree if they were to take our freedom of speech away ~ What's left! Thanks for sharing your point of view. Take care and enjoy your Today!
    Katie

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  2. I was on the floor reading this one. I guess I'll be your neighbor in the slammer! LOL

    Hugs, Rose

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  3. Like you, I find the spiel of many of the left wing pundits no better than vulgar profanity . . oh wait, I misread you ;)

    I'm a foul mouth bastard, but I am careful to censor my speech depending on the social situation.

    Still, better this than the West Virginia law proposed by Jeff Eldridge (D)that bans the sale of Barbie or any doll that 'promotes beauty'. (HB 2918)

    Apparently, only ugly people are to be admired or idolized, thus explaining why I'm so unpopular nowadays.

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  4. Hmmm...that was bad huh. I shouldn't toss my bad mouth around in other people's journals.
    I couldn't help myself~~
    (smile)

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  5. You Know, this was such a frigging offensive entry, I mean, you know, cussing is a sin, swear to god woman, you know?

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  6. While a story like this is due to a slow news cycle, didn't kids throw rocks in 'The Lottery'? Could have swore children turned in parents to Big Brother in '1984'.

    The odd thing about the yelling at him, is that justification can be FOUND by the reaction to him. There should have been a more reasoned response, because I DO feel that people who can use this issue to take away personal freedoms, already eroded by the Patriot Act, will do just that.

    General behavouir should be codefied.

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  7. Hah! Rebecca took the fun out of it for me...Pouts DAMN! That's ok she owes me for saying she was the insane one out of a group of us....You know the saying a friend is someone you turn to the next day in jail and say that was a blast. I would of been there, done that so many times over already based on my language alone! Paul has been known to turn to me and say is that necessary only to get a barrage of even more colorful language. I've toned it down a lot in the last few years. To date an F-bomb is the most readily and easily one to escape my mouth. (Hugs)Indigo

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  8. You know I've never been one to cuss much you know ... when I do, you know I'm PISSED beyond words. You know what I mean? Can we throw him into the slammmer, you know for saying 'you know' so many times?!? You know, they might have to throw me in there afterall how many times have I said you know now? And then when they do, I'd be saying "OH FUCK!"

    Monica

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  9. How about a fine IF the offender was already asked politely to stop and doesn't!! LOL!! JK!! But I do get offended, not by one or two words... but by a constant string in a conversation that is NOT necessary. I don't want to hear it, but I'll deal with it, but I get VERY offended when someone does it in front of my mother. I HAVE asked people (kindly) to be considerate (of my mom), and honestly, they're usually obliging, even apologetic.

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  10. My son said that if anyone had to go to the slammer for cussing, the slammer would be full of COPS!!! LOL!!!

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  11. All too often I hear people dropping F bombs, publicly, in the context of their conversation and they do not care who is around! So unnecessary and UN-classy! I really don't cuss, unless I'm really pissed (oops, is that a cuss word?)!

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  12. My alcoholic neighbor next door and his brother across the alley =, an aLCOHOLIC ALSO USES THE f WORd EVERY OTHER TIME HE SAyS A SENTENCE. Their mother did the same. Their mother said to me "Lucy it is just another word so why does ir bother you." You just say it over and over and it won't bother you. The problem was they used it in their yard, their house and I had to liten to it. That may be freedom of speech but it should not be loud enough to where I can not help but hear it. My favorite that I have tried to stop, is "Oh crap" woops is that a nasty word. We all do it every day. Lucy

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  13. I'd like to see this club in school. I hear the middle school kids at Gabby's school use words not even my husband the former drill sgt used! They are so foul it is disgusting. Now I have been known to drop the f bomb on many ocassions and I certainly dont want to go to jail for it but I do think there is a time and place for it. I always try to watch my words when I am around kids, in church, with old folks, etc...but if I am at a hockey game drinking beer and a bloody fight breaks out on the ice! Holy shit I am gonna get excited and cuss with the rest of the fans.

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  14. I believe in the absolute effectiveness of cussing if used in just the right place and time and said because one really means it. (Sometimes using a gosh darn substitute for the real thing is just freakin' frustrating.) I remain very aware of where I am and who's listening before I let out any bad stuff. Sending me to jail for this would be, I believe, very counterproductive.

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  15. There's something about a cuss word that makes me feel better when I'm irritated. Of course, I'm a hypocrite. I never cuss in front of anyone (except Gizmo) so no one knows I'm a closet cusser...lol.
    Hugs, Joyce

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  16. fuggin' A right on! power to the F-word!

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  17. They'll have to build a whole wing for me lmao I swaer like a sailor and them some at times, "take me away offficer". Of course there are times not to swear and I think were all adult enough to know that, and I also hate the phrase "Init" and "do you know what I mean though" all from people who have NO vocabrulary except from what they learn on TV and their parents..lol.

    Yasmin
    xx

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  18. I cuss too... but i try to keep it at home and Paul hates when I cuss in front of the kids. Thank goodness they don't make me put money in a jar (here at home) or I'd be even more broke all the time. LOL. I guess some kids just need a hobby.

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  19. Dirk hates it when I let a few fly. He's much 'purer' than I and just has never done it. I'm a lot more fiery than him and quiet a bit more earthy in my views and experiences. His parents do not do it and his mother is devoutly religious. Both of my parents cussed and my mother who is in her late 70's uses words like that in the place of adjectives and often as puncuation. It embarrasses me when she speaks because she never censored who she was around when she did it. Imagine your school teacher or the minister to see my red face about it.
    One of my huge pet peeves are the "YOU KNOW" people and those who say, "UH", too often when they're trying to make a good point. I never expect much from those people and therefore I haven't ever been disappointed.
    I am trying to not slip up with the cuss words and stop altogether because I have a large enough vocabulary that I can always chose another way to say something. And one day when I grow up I'd like to have as much class as my husband. Sometimes nothing expresses it better.
    Nelishia

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I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you?