04 March 2006

In defense of profanity

Subject: In defense of profanity
From: Splendid_IREny
Date: Mar 4 2006 4:36PM

I've defended switters before and, since he is quite capable of speaking for himself, especially in response to you, I'm here in the defense of profanity.

I like profanity. I use profanity. I use it well. The poster switters uses it like a virtuoso musician. People who use profamity well can make it sing. Can make it holler like Screamin' Jay Hawkins or plead like Billie holiday. I have my moments, I don't put myself in the pantheon of David Mamet just yet. But, damn me, I know fucking beauty when I hear it. I know the bleeding amen of an honorable cuss.

A good cuss shows up in an otherwise clean, well-gargled sentence and it's a righteous taint of whiskey and nicotine-stained fingers; of chipped nail polish on WalMart employees; of needing gas money to pay the electric bill at a check cashing store per an urgent request to the utility's customer service number; it's paying off the here and now in installments and not dare thinking of how to pay for the future, which, as it happens, is fucked up in the bullshit policies of a man who's never worked an honest day in his life.

But a good cuss, though most often musical in the working man's blues, belongs to anyone who's just fucking had it. It's the lowest note you can sound. It's the first clump of sod the gravedigger pulls from the earth and it's the dead's punctuation when another clump hits the coffin: Well, fuck it."

That you consistently, consistently breathe flames of self-appointed good intentions-for-all comes as no great surprise. So, I hope it comes as no surprise to you that I am not offended by switters' posts nor by the use of profanity.

Way I see it: Profanity is the one currency that no government can take away from me. Not form anyone. Not even from you.

So, what's the real complaint?

http://fray.slate.com/?id=3936&m=17075879

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