I do both…… do you? If so do you have to ask permission to do either? Well…….. it seems so. How does it make ANY sense that it can possibly be so? It used to be that swearing in public was not only frowned upon…. it was illegal. Those times surly were terribly oppressive weren’t they? At some point someone, (if I remembered his name I wouldn’t repeat it) decided that he was oppressed because the constitution guaranteed his right to be crass and offensive to any or every one. FREEDOM OF SPEECH……….. a simple right interpreted to be inclusive enough to allow people to be as offensive as they chose regardless of social or community norms. So that has evolved to the point that people, including police, are required to tolerate other people hurling all sorts of expressions and vulgar insults, (some mixed with accompanying spittle), without any recourse. On the face of this it seems like an unjust imposition on people that have done nothing to incur this assault. Has the result been an open exchange of ideas and frustrations, or has there been an erosion of civility and acceptable terms of expression. Personally I don’t like the atmosphere created when any type of foul language is deemed to be the norm. If the use of foul language means using forceful language I think it has become counter productive. Foul language has become so commonplace that it no longer has the impact of force, it just seems to reduce ones opinion of people that use it. Have you ever noticed that when someone unleashes a string of obscenities their main point is lost? Be that as it may, the court says that the offenders have the RIGHT. I don’t like it so maybe we, no I, should organize a march of some kind to try to change the high courts decision. No…….. wait a minute……. I accept that the high courts ruling is the law of the land unless and until the same court rules otherwise. I swear this seems to be an out of date opinion. Is the use of this language the sign of a weak mind or just a surrender to what has become the norm? What do YOU think? How does this seem to you?

Now on the I pray part. How is it possible that the very people that find it acceptable to hurl vulgar insults in someones face find it OFFENSIVE……… even illegal for a person to say a prayer in public view? Even if it is not audible to them or anyone else. How is so offensive to them and their civility that the SUPREME COURT must put a stop to this vile, offensive behavior? Anyone caught participating in such behavior must be stopped! They must lose their jobs. They must not be allowed to teach or coach at any level! Let that fact sink in for a minute…………….. Prayerful respectful language and action are offensive while vile incivility is acceptable???? What universe do we find ourselves in and how did we get here? I’m not sure on that , but I WILL bet it wasn’t through prayer. Has it come to mean that respectful and polite people have come to be deemed as weak? Is that the yardstick? If you don’t use foul language you are weak? Where did that lesson come from? I think this is another example, a very “in your face” example of the good vs. evil world we find ourselves in. No….. it’s not a new battle, but the intensity is certainly increasing. Step back a bit and consider all of the changes that we have seen in the last……… you name the number of years…….. are you nostalgic or pleased? It’s hard to think that our kids and grand kids will be nostalgic about these times……….. but maybe so………… after all we have given them the foul field that they are growing up in to consider as normal.

As for me I will try to watch my language, so I don’t offend anyone, no….. so I don’t present myself as one that needs the foul reinforcement for my ideas, and I will try to be more mindful of my prayers in both frequency and content. Wish me well?????? I do you!

From my morning coffee, it’s Dave of the Woods