Cursing in Public

I'm an old gal so it's murder to my ears to hear so many people using the "F" word in public. Teenagers are especially fond of this particular word and some can't say a sentence without using it a few times. It is their adjective of choice.

I've used the word myself so I'm not a puritan but I don't swear in public because I have respect for the people around me. I think that's what I resent most about people cursing in public...the lack of respect.

We used to have respect for our elders but that seems to have been bred out of too many youngsters. Their parents have become their friends instead of their mentors. I heard a man meekly explaining to his little son the other day, "My job is to let you know when you've done something wrong and when you've done something right". He said this in an apologetic way as though he wasn't sure he really believed it if it made his son angry with him. Like it or not, that is his job and that's how children learn to live in society.

A parent has truly failed his/her child if they fail to teach them respect for others. This actually begins with teaching a child to respect their parents. If anyone has watched "Nanny 911" and seen totally out of control children then you'll understand what I mean.

Years ago I had my two very young grandsons with me at McDonalds and we stood in line behind a group of teenage boys who loudly peppered their language with the "F" word. The place was packed and no-one else seemed bothered by this but I was. We didn't use that kind of language in front of our children. I stepped forward to face one of the boys (darned huge boys) and asked him to watch his language because my little boys shouldn't have to hear it. I fully expected to have those kids turn on me and curse me out but something interesting happened instead. The boy looked ashamed. The cursing stopped. Amazing how one person can change things just by speaking up, isn't it? Apparently those boys had received good training at home but forgot it once they got together in a group of their peers. It happens but I'm glad those boys showed respect by tempering their cursing once they were reminded it wasn't always acceptable.

My city is considering a bylaw prohibiting swearing in public but I think that's silly. First they need to get rid of the druggies, drunks, and hookers that walk the streets. We old gals can curb some of the swearing just by "speaking up".