Profanity should remain as a tool of human expression

I don't consider myself a vulgar man, but it's no secret that the occasional four-letter word slips past my lips. This is phenomenon has earned me more than a few displeasing looks, making it a subject I feel the need to pontificate on. There are those who would prefer the end of profanity. And these types of intolerant people are everywhere, a fact that I find personally sickening.

Words such as the f-bomb and sally-harry-ike-tom have been around for a long time, and they aren't going anywhere. These words are understood by everyone. Yet there's still a sizable part of the population that finds their use in public places - the classroom, McDonald's, etc. - unsuitable. This is pathetic. The whole concept of "offensive language" is pathetic. Those who refuse to use them are, without equivocation, also pathetic.

There can be only two causes: either the words themselves make these supersensitive people uncomfortable or the thoughts behind the "strong words" do. To the first, I laughingly refuse to bend my language around your needs, especially if you lack the brainpower to treat the English language as a language. To the second, I proudly retain my autonomy of my own intellect. I'll think whatever thoughts I think should be thought, and I'll express them with whatever vernacular I please. Anyone trying to stop me can read "1984" and then jump off a cliff. A tall one. Hades, that's even worse than letting a language control your comfort level.

People always are going to hate each other. They'll always find ways to express it. Making the n-word taboo hasn't changed a thing. All it's done is changed how well people hide their feelings. Going further, children cannot be harmed by mere words. The very idea would be amusing if it wasn't taken so deathly seriously. Language is a tool for inter-human communication. Hearing something such as "I don't love you" would be far more detrimental to any child than anything the censors might bleep out.

It might seem ironic, but I take personal offense to the increasingly popular baby-talking, gibberish pseudo-profanity. The people who use them - from mispronunciations such as "biatch" and "shizzle" to indirections such as "unmentionables" and abbreviations such as "s.o.b" - can, for reasons I don't have the inclination to mention, go FAQ themselves.

Look at it practically. Take any second-language learner - the most blue-collar, hard-luck, 60-hours-a-week immigrant - they might not know what "penis" means, but they'll know the popular alternative, the one without the extra syllable and one less letter.

There should be no shame in using such plain and expressive language. There should be no harsh looks when you use language everybody understands because that's the point of language. Not everyone knows what "pontificate," "equivocation," "recidivist" or "pedagogy" means. And not everyone should. Yes, the English vocabulary is large and varied, but one always should strive to be understood by even the least educated members of our society. Flowery language is for fools trying to impress other fools.

I've written this entire column with nary a word that might be considered "improper," and I feel I've communicated my point adequately enough. This ability, however, does not correlate strongly with any such desire. I have very little patience for those who try to enforce their views of morality on others, particularly myself.

Josh Fenton is a senior communication major from Troutdale, Ore.