2008 Woodie Awards
Is profanity free speech? YES
Context and appropriate use add to free expression.
By: Sylvia Masuda
Issue date: 5/5/05 Section: Insight
It's called "colorful language" for a reason.
There may be a lot to worry about concerning profanity's big, bad side. The ugliness is definitely there, and at times it can be extremely apparent.
However, banning on-campus profanity is not the answer to whatever problems profanity may cause.
One can argue that profanity makes for an unpleasant environment.
Then again, so does smog. And vandalism. And rear cleavage hanging out of baggy jeans.
It is going to be a difficult rule to enforce. Certainly, there isn't a lot that can be done about hampering the use of harsh language. Words can be whispered, written or sign languaged.
For every person who is punished because he or she swore out of place, there will be many others who were never caught.
Unlike cadavers or graffiti, words are uttered and gone in seconds. Dead people are harder to dispose of.
Those who do not want to hear such words circulating in the air can take action-for themselves. Speak up. that is what free speech is for. "Potty mouths" who are also courteous enough will listen.
It may also be that profane words are just "filler" for when one can't think of any other way to describe something.
In many cases, this assumption is correct.
Then again, so are overused, ambiguous words such as "good" and "bad," and other words that have no meaning, such as "uhm" and "like."
Cliches, too, are phrases used without knowing the actual definition of what is being said. They come a dime a dozen.
There are also those all-too-familiar adverbs used for the sole purpose of lengthening one's paper (or opinions article): "absolutely," "definitely," "totally" and "very" are all good examples.
Take a look at any recently-written English paper. Usually, many of those 750 words could have been deleted.
If profanity is going to be seen as an on-campus no-no because it is "useless," then the above examples should receive the same treatment.
There may be a lot to worry about concerning profanity's big, bad side. The ugliness is definitely there, and at times it can be extremely apparent.
However, banning on-campus profanity is not the answer to whatever problems profanity may cause.
One can argue that profanity makes for an unpleasant environment.
Then again, so does smog. And vandalism. And rear cleavage hanging out of baggy jeans.
It is going to be a difficult rule to enforce. Certainly, there isn't a lot that can be done about hampering the use of harsh language. Words can be whispered, written or sign languaged.
For every person who is punished because he or she swore out of place, there will be many others who were never caught.
Unlike cadavers or graffiti, words are uttered and gone in seconds. Dead people are harder to dispose of.
Those who do not want to hear such words circulating in the air can take action-for themselves. Speak up. that is what free speech is for. "Potty mouths" who are also courteous enough will listen.
It may also be that profane words are just "filler" for when one can't think of any other way to describe something.
In many cases, this assumption is correct.
Then again, so are overused, ambiguous words such as "good" and "bad," and other words that have no meaning, such as "uhm" and "like."
Cliches, too, are phrases used without knowing the actual definition of what is being said. They come a dime a dozen.
There are also those all-too-familiar adverbs used for the sole purpose of lengthening one's paper (or opinions article): "absolutely," "definitely," "totally" and "very" are all good examples.
Take a look at any recently-written English paper. Usually, many of those 750 words could have been deleted.
If profanity is going to be seen as an on-campus no-no because it is "useless," then the above examples should receive the same treatment.