Partial reply to foul language in public

I bring this forward to a new post so as to not steal the prior thread. A couple of replies referred to Tourett's syndrome, and this hopefully will shed some light on this little known medical problem.

Tourett's Syndrome.. When I was teaching high school, I had 2 notable students with this problem. One case was a girl who had been in my 10th grade Biology class. She had been a very good student, both academically and socially, and got along well with the other classmates. During her Junior year she had been in a serious car accident and had brain damage resulting in Tourett's. She had no control over her terribly loud profane mouth and often loud "barking", and because of her unpredictability, she lost most all or all of her friends. As her 12th grade physics teacher, I had to accommodate her disability while trying to make progress with the rest of the students. It was almost impossible.

The other case was a good looking young man who was in my class in a different year. He had Tourett's since being a youngster and his parents had worked very hard to train him to predict the oncoming episodes and then leave the classroom before an episode occurred. This worked very well. In both cases, stress and/or loud noises would act as a trigger for outburst episodes.

My point here is to help people understand what some of our population is faced with, and thus be more helpful and accommodating of someone with disabilities.

Regarding the main topic of foul language in public, I think our society has slipped considerably. But we do have some expectations of civil discourse in many areas. As a teacher, I expected that in my classroom, but I could not control what went on in the halls during passing times. If I could identify the offender, I would have a private conversation with them regarding their language and our expectations. Hopefully we made a difference.

Paul in MN

We had a neighbor that would cuss like a sailor while he was sitting in church. Someone could ask him a question about the Bible and he would stop cussing long enough to give a highly intelligent answer and then return to his swearing. The old timers said he was possessed by a demon, I guess in a way he was. At the time we had never heard of tourette syndrome but most now believe that is what he had. It was rumored that he had an accident when he was a young man that killed a friend of his. We thought that the trauma of causing a friends death left him tormented that way.

That form of foul language can be overlooked but not the foul language that is used simply for shock or attention getting.

(quoted from post at 16:59:14 12/07/16)
We had a neighbor that would cuss like a sailor while he was sitting in church. Someone could ask him a question about the Bible and he would stop cussing long enough to give a highly intelligent answer and then return to his swearing. The old timers said he was possessed by a demon, I guess in a way he was. At the time we had never heard of tourette syndrome but most now believe that is what he had. It was rumored that he had an accident when he was a young man that killed a friend of his. We thought that the trauma of causing a friends death left him tormented that way.

That form of foul language can be overlooked but not the foul language that is used simply for shock or attention getting.

Click to expand...

What part of "foul language" being part of protected free speech don't you guys understand? While I don't use foul language in public nor in front of my wife most of the time I do use it when around friends who are OK with it. That is a personal choice in how I conduct myself. But I will not stand for being censured either! You nor anyone else has a right to censor anyones language except in your home or business.



Rick

"I do use it when around friends who are OK with it."

And/or those who aren't confident enough to say something.
You and I both fought hard for our rights, you are right to
continue to defend them. I don't disagree in the least.
That doesn't mean people aren't offended by some words or actions.
Keep in mind that burning the American flag in protest is
protected by the same amendment. That offends me far worse
than an occasional cuss word. But that wasn't Paul's point.

Rick,

I have had a lot of respect for your many additions to this board, but your above comment suggests that I am out of line by teaching young adults how to communicate in a civil and respectful manner. I highly doubt that the framers of our constitution meant that everyone has the right to disrespect everyone about them by foul language. Sure, our courts have leaned hard toward that interpretation and our society has slid downhill. But as per your suggestion that I have the right to reject foul language in my business, well my business for 32 years was educating young adults. Of course I had no interest in or control of their behavior (language) once they left my classroom.

I highly doubt you'd be comfortable with your grandsons or granddaughters using the f-word as an adjective before every noun or as an adverb modifying every verb in the same sentence. Some military guys are really good at cramming a half dozen f-words into every sentence fragment that comes out of their mouth. Maybe they can do their job well, but the language sets up a barrier to any civil conversation.

I have worked on many construction jobs during summers and have made a few life long friends. But the constant foul mouth people never got invited to my home for lunch or a cold drink. Maybe you think I am some kind of Puritan re this subject. I assure you I have not been perfect, but I do try to keep a civil tongue. At times it does seem to get more difficult with age.

Paul in MN

The only difference between man and animals is long established rules of civil behavior. Some people believe these
rules of civil behavior are no longer relevant. Fortunately, the freedom in our society (generally) lets me choose with
whom I want associate. My circle of associates may be getting smaller, but it is my choice, and I really don't miss the
crudest ones that often have no real thoughts to add beyond their four letter words.

Or as one fellow so aptly said, he was "a strong believer in the "f...in" constitution, except for the 2 or 3 "F...in"
parts he did not agree with"

(quoted from post at 22:03:37 12/07/16)

(quoted from post at 16:59:14 12/07/16)
We had a neighbor that would cuss like a sailor while he was sitting in church. Someone could ask him a question about the Bible and he would stop cussing long enough to give a highly intelligent answer and then return to his swearing. The old timers said he was possessed by a demon, I guess in a way he was. At the time we had never heard of tourette syndrome but most now believe that is what he had. It was rumored that he had an accident when he was a young man that killed a friend of his. We thought that the trauma of causing a friends death left him tormented that way.

That form of foul language can be overlooked but not the foul language that is used simply for shock or attention getting.

Click to expand...

What part of "foul language" being part of protected free speech don't you guys understand? While I don't use foul language in public nor in front of my wife most of the time I do use it when around friends who are OK with it. That is a personal choice in how I conduct myself. But I will not stand for being censured either! You nor anyone else has a right to censor anyones language except in your home or business.



Rick

Click to expand...

Who said anything about censoring it??? That is the most idiotic statement. You can use all the f bombs you want to but don't expect everyone to want to do business with you. I occasionally let a couple of bad words fly too. I fully support everyone's right to free speech but that sometimes comes with a cost. Someone who hates bad language also should have the right to despise it if they wish. Freedoms have always come at a cost and that also applies to everyone.

Brain damage can also produce intemperate outbursts of profanity, and other forms of erratic behavior. One such famous case was that of Phineas Gage, a Vermont railroad worker in the 1800s. In 1848 he was setting a charge in a drill-hole, using a 4-foot long, 1 1/4 inch steel rod to tamp. The bar produced a spark inside the drill-hole, setting off the charge and propelling the rod upwards like a projectile from a cannon. The rod struck Gage under the cheekbone and completely exited through the top of his skull.

He was assumed to be dead, or soon to be dead, but he greeted the doctor back in town with the challenge "You've got your work cut out for you here, doctor", or something to that effect. Somehow he survived and lived another 12 years and resumed his work and life. However, the damage to his frontal temporal lobe changed his behavior in several ways. Prior to the accident he had been a stable, industrious fellow who was very circumspect in his speech and manner. After the accident he was often irrational and irritable, and was given to explosive outbursts of the "...most vile profanity imaginable."

Knowing this, I assume that all people who resort to profanity as the only modifiers to bind their sentences together are exhibiting some form of mental damage or deficiency.

When there is a medical reason for foul language I can excuse it except for the fact that is had to have been learned somewhere. Therein is my problem with foul language. When as a child you learn or hear foul language(my maternal grandfather's favorite was G---m SOB used at least once every day) then it becomes a part of every day living. my children were taught that there are enough words in the English language to cover every instance without using profanity. I am 85 and my sons and daughters in their 50's and 60's to this day never resort to profanity. Besides, most profane words are meaningless and do not enhance the conversation one little bit. HENRYO

(quoted from post at 22:03:37 12/07/16)

(quoted from post at 16:59:14 12/07/16)
We had a neighbor that would cuss like a sailor while he was sitting in church. Someone could ask him a question about the Bible and he would stop cussing long enough to give a highly intelligent answer and then return to his swearing. The old timers said he was possessed by a demon, I guess in a way he was. At the time we had never heard of tourette syndrome but most now believe that is what he had. It was rumored that he had an accident when he was a young man that killed a friend of his. We thought that the trauma of causing a friends death left him tormented that way.

That form of foul language can be overlooked but not the foul language that is used simply for shock or attention getting.

Click to expand...

What part of "foul language" being part of protected free speech don't you guys understand? While I don't use foul language in public nor in front of my wife most of the time I do use it when around friends who are OK with it. That is a personal choice in how I conduct myself. But I will not stand for being censured either! You nor anyone else has a right to censor anyones language except in your home or business.
Rick

Click to expand...

Freedom of expression is as precious to me as the freedom to own firearms. I will not stand to be told what words to use when, and anyone who wants to cross my path with a rebuke is likely to get a lot more of an earful than they bargained for. I try to be respectful, but I will not tolerate being told what to say when. People who do not like it can just stay away - I don't want those snowflakes around me anyway. The kind of old man whining is just like telling folks to get off your grass.

People will tend to stay away from a crude and vulgar person expressing his " constitutional right " to be crude and vulgar .

Paul.,I agree 100% with you..I tend to stay away from people and business places that
use the F word all the time..If you use the F word at my house you will be asked to leave..
It got so bad in the plant where I retired from that people are now being fired for their foul
mouths...They were warned and chose to ignore it..