Clean Language ( was Re: Freaks and Geeks)

[Tonks]

> [Lee]:> 
> What really distresses me is that such language is considered 
acceptable and used liberally in the military training.  Even when I 
witnessed a Civil Air Patrol drill, the sergeant used an expletive 
practically every other word and liberal use of the "f" word.  If I 
were a parent with a child in CAP, I would not hesitate to have 
words with the sergeant about such language.
> 
> It doesn't make men out of boys, as some would say it does.  It 
doesn't sound cool, macho, intimidating or any of that twaddle.  It 
says to me that such sergeants and trainers need to learn proper use 
of the English language and teach such usage to others.  The 
whole "raw" language approach doesn't fly for me.

Tonks:
I am afraid that is true of the military in general. I also noticed 
it a number of years ago when I saw and heard a group of policemen 
on duty at a local station as they talked amoung themselves. I was 
surprised at their language. At the time I thought to myself that 
since they dealt with criminals all day they started to take on the 
same sort of speech as what they heard. 

I wonder if the fowl language in the military is for a purpose. Not 
to 'make a boy into a man', but to teach hated of the enemy. I 
suspect there is some psychological reason for doing it. But with 
women in the military these days, I think it would be more out of 
place. But then I don't think that women should be in the military, 
but that is another story. (I can see the e-mails coming now. By 
this I mean, a women should not be in a combat zone, on the front 
lines or not. War is a man's job. And no, I don't think that women 
should stay home and have babies, either. We should let men do the 
dirty work. That is what they were made for.. to take out the 
trash... and, oh ya, don't forget to change my flat tire while you 
are at it.  ;-)

Tonks_op