> Swearing's no big deal. It's just a way of blowing off steam. People need to stop being sensitive & just let it roll off their back. It doesn't matter. This nation guarantees freedom for everyone, not just those who don't want to be offended.

I'm mostly just replying to this for the sake of being argumentative, but here are my thoughts on the matter.

I choose not to swear because most swears carry a meaning behind them that people don't often think about. But that's just a minor point. The more important thing to me is that it is a cultural thing. Sure, you can say that it is "just blowing off steam", but our culture (assuming you are North Americain) has given it more impact than that. For example, if I went to work and swore up a blue streak during a meeting with a major client company, nobody would just shrug it off as "just blowing off" steam. I feel that a courtesy I would extend to a business associate is one that I should /certainly/ extend to a friend, or even a stranger I encounter in day-to-day life. As long as our culture frowns upon the use of certain words, I will avoid using them for any reason. Besides, I have plenty of ways to blow off steam without swearing... One of my favorites is "krunk". (Has anyone here watched enough Conan O'Brian to know what that is?)

That's my spiel. I could say more, but I'm sick right now, and don't want to.

Don "The Monkey'cough, cough'man" Jackson