SHUT THE FUCK UP! or Please be quiet.

Many of you may be shocked that I would write something like this. It is not quite as shocking for you as it was for me the day I heard a mother tell her young teenage boy this exact phrase. This mother was a sub at my school and her son was a student. Unfortunately, I can say that in this case the person could probably be stereotyped by this statement and the context she said it in as she was also talked to about writing her son hall passes to keep him from getting tardies to class. Hmm.

Yep, it was a pleasant day for me. I was walking toward the door of the school as I probably forgot to bring something home and this teacher was walking out with her kids. I know I was in plain view. I was probably only a few feet away from her when she let this fly out of her mouth to her kid who was acting like any other teenager. Then afterwards looks at me..."Kids, you know how they are" is the message I got from that look.

I went on about my business, but I was also saddened as I realized that the cycle would continue on through her kids to her grandkids. I also wondered how this lady was talked to when she was younger that this would be normal for her. Hmm.

I was in shock. It is also ironic considering how I was ready to decussify America. I don't understand the point of cuss words really, why some words should be cuss words and some words shouldn't. As a kid, why would I be in trouble for saying some things that grown ups say all the time? Why does shit carry more weight to it than poop? (I mean the impact of the words, not that I think that shit and poop are two different substances that weigh differently). It really makes no sense in some ways. We all know that when someone says dang, they are really saying damn. Geez, lets stop pretending. They are just words. Yet, the reality is that they aren't just words.

I am culturally conditioned, like most people are, that there are some words that are only appropriate in certain contexts. I can't escape it. My reaction was in stark contrast to some of my recent thoughts about cuss words. I may lose readers (all five of them unless google brings me more for using the F-bomb up there) for my headline and actually find that my title is condemnable to hell.

Judging by the shock and reaction I had toward that lady at school that day, it is best that we all keep our F_words and other cuss words to ourselves, or with our like minded friends who appreciate a good dirty joke sometimes, or know when we are joking as we share the above phrase with them. But, to talk to a kid like this is heinous. I would rather trash my ideals of eradicating cuss words from being cuss words than to have the above scenario be the norm for society. I even wonder what I could have done to make a difference for this family as I have a feeling that this is representative of a more dire life for them. I don't think I knew her well enough to talk to her about that stuff. But, I can tell my wonderful readers (if they made it this far) watch your language around the kiddos and may whatever you say be salt and light.

Even though I oppose the free and careless use of these things we call cuss words (geez I hope I am not contradicting myself), I do admit that I would pay to see a preacher start a sermon with the above phrase and use it for such a good point that he does not get fired or get involved in heated controversy. Anyone up for the challenge? I have 10 dollars to spare. If not that, I will pay five for the word nipple (yes, I ripped this idea right off of TV).