My wife and I teach our kids that using profanity makes your I.Q. level drop considerably....maybe not in truth, but in others' perceptions of you.

When I was rather young, I caught a nice fish I was proud to show off. I said, "Wow, look at the size of this Bass-Turd (spelling changed, of course)!" I knew Bass were a fish, and I'd heard my Dad call these fish by the name I had just said. I thought that is what the name of the fish was. There was absolutely no ill-will on my part, and I was quite confused to suddenly be in so much trouble....but my Mother immediately fixed my erroneous knowledge!

Fast forward to early teenage years...during summers, I worked in bean fields and cornfields with a group of slightly older teenagers. I slowly picked up on the language they were using. One day, my older brother made certain "suggestions" that I should desist all use of profanity, and gave some good reasons. I desisted.

Even now I work with a good mix of folks. A few are a bit rough around the edges and seem to have anger management issues with the sudden curses they throw loudly at their computer monitors in our office space of cubicles. People are who they are...what would I say to change them, and why should I have to say anything? If life hasn't taught them enough creative words to use in lieu of profanity, then anything I would say would doubtless have little affect.

I know we can be influence by the speech patterns of those around us, but in the end, we each CHOOSE the words we use. Even good people can use bad words, but all should reconsider.