Dear Editor,
This issue of cuss words, bad words, whatever you call it; I call it indecent language (for this purpose): it comes up every Reggae Sumfest, where invariably somebody gets pulled off stage for using it/them. Then the discussion revolves around whether it’s okay to express oneself that way or not. And now it’s about maybe selecting the okay ones and banning the really offensive ones.
My questions are: Who decides which ones are too offensive to keep and which are not? What makes a cuss-all-you-want judge eligible for that team of decision-makers? Who is to stop new phrases and words from entering the fray in the future if the law allows some and not others? Why do we even have to express ourselves that way, especially towards each other? When we strike the law off the books because it’s archaic, aren’t we opening the gates for just about anything?
By the way, how are cuss words with a history of derogatory meaning against females any worse than those for men? Why are we approving of potentially offensive and hurtful language?
Instead of encouraging non-use, we’re advocating for freedom of expression and, hence, more use? How is that helpful to the society? It’s no longer just an expression of passion; it’s peppered in everyday language. Why? Well, seeing as how it’s not me you are talking to when it creeps into your sentences, don’t be offended when I just walk away or hang up. You clearly forgot who you were talking to.
I am,
Kathy Gayle
