The Power of Language: "Profanity is not Freedom of Speech"

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The Power of Language

Running head: THE POWER OF LANGUAGE

The Power of Language:

“Profanity is not Freedom of Speech”

English 101

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I composed this paper exclusively for this class, and it is my original work.  When I have used information from other sources, I have provided appropriate in-text citations and a corresponding list of references.  I also understand that evidence of plagiarism may result in a failing grade for this course.

English 101-01

10/13/2004

The Power of Language

        Many Americans believe that the use of profanity is a right built into the Constitution of America as part of the Bill of Rights. Freedom of speech was not added to our Bill of Rights to excuse profanity, bad manners, defamation, or outright lying. The constitution does not even mention that we, as a people, have the right to be offensive and vulgar towards others. Children, among all people, should not be exposed to the filth of profanity.  Yet profanity is found almost everywhere you go.  

The Internet is a fascinating place, full of interesting facts and opinions. Many people enjoy visiting chat rooms or message boards in hopes of finding new information. Sometimes they run across other users expressing themselves in the only way they seem to know how - with profanity. Some people are not bothered by this and for others it is merely an annoyance, but for many individuals, it is offensive. They are tired of having their eyes and ears assaulted. Most of these offended people are not innocent themselves. They may or may not be Christian but they do accept the fact that some people swear in the heat of anger. However, they will never condone the usage of profanity in everyday language. These are people who choose not to use swear words in their own conversations and would prefer not to see or hear them either. Is that not a fair request?

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 How is profanity exploited? The worst offenders are the motion picture and the music industries. How many movies have you seen recently that have not included profanity, and I'm not just talking about a word or two? The movie industry is well aware that big bucks come out of the younger crowd. They believe that an "R" rating will increase the appeal of their movie.  In order to achieve an "R" rating, they must include a required number of swear words or a certain degree of violence or sex; or a combination of the two.  

In the past, swearing ...

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