The F-bomb

Thank you George Carlin for the 7 dirty words you can’t say on television (or radio) (1). His comedy bit defined for all of us the bleeped words now so familiar. Yesterday the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) lost a court case that challenged the rules as vague and unequally applied, and claimed that because the rules related to the magnificent 7 are arbitrarily applied, a chilling effect (legal term for inhibiting free speech) on broadcast media is apparent (2).
About time, too. I grew up with the F word. F this and F that and where is the F-ing thing. It is all over the media, rules or not, and all over literature. No, not in Harper Lee’s book, but keep looking and you will find it well represented. This morning, Morning Edition (NPR radio) had a sound bite from someone who stated unequivocally that the F word is obscene and offensive. I don’t agree.
But if you do agree, then why do you say “fricken” this or “fricken” that? Or maybe “F” this or “F” that? We all know you mean the f-bomb, so why not say it out loud? If the word “fuck” is obscene or offensive, then “fricken”, which stands in for it is equally obscene and offensive. If you would not agree that fricken is offensive, then you acknowledge that fuck isn’t either. The use of “fricken” or some other f-substitute is just a sidestep, but the intent is to conjure up the real F word.
Years ago, I mean many years ago, when I was about 10 or 12, I got in trouble for saying “Jesus Christ! “ about something. Not long after, I heard an older boy shout “Judas Priest!”, meaning “Jesus Christ!” I tried that at home and got only a mild response, and quickly leaned a lesson: If you say what you mean and mean what you say you can get into trouble, but if you allude to what you mean and obfuscate slightly, you skate by. Now THAT I think is obscene and offensive. When I hear you say “frick it” and we both know you mean “fuck it” I find that offensive.
On closing let me recommend a little ditty by Kevin Bloody Wilson that illustrates the point in song. It is about the “C” word, but equally relevant. Warning: He uses both the “C” word AND the “F” word, so if you offend easily, you better not click on the link. Have a fricken flippin friggin wonderful day.
Kevin Bloody Wilson singing “You can’t say C*** in Canada”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBWAjn2a3rA

1.WARNING: The 7 words are used often in this video; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Nrp7cj_tM
2. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/07/13/128490248/fcc-indecency-rules-unconstitutional-appeals-court
Image: mybiggestcomplaint.com/.../2007/08/f-bomb.jpg