Toes in the Water...

I am writing in a conflicted state right now. I want to feel strongly one way, but I can see the arguments another way. I'll start out with my gut but then play Devil's advocate.

There is a song on the radio right now by the Zac Brown band. The main verse contains the lyrics: "Toes in the water, ass in the sand." The "a" word said clearly and strongly during daytime hours.

I have a problem with this. There are kids out there, already exposed to way too much language and violence on TV, who might hear this. I certainly don't want my kids listening to the song and singing it. I used to be able to have no fear turning on a country music station while driving with my kids in the car. No longer I guess.

I can think of several other alterate lyrics that Mr. Brown could have used in place of "ass." Furthermore, why can't there be an alterante "radio edit" that uses a different word or mutes it out like many other songs? I distinctly recall Taylor Swift's album version of "Teardrops on My Guitar" featuring the line "because it's so damn funny." But if you listen on the radio, she says "it's just so funny." A different version of the same song was created for the radio.

Why couldn't this be done for the "Toes" song? Especially since the Toes song features an "adult" word more prominantly? I am very surprised that this song is played on the radio during peak hours. After 8pm, fine. But not when most kids are awake and could hear it.

But now the other side. I look at other countries where censorship is not as strict as the United States. You never really hear about problems with children hearing or seeing offensive material. Maybe, since it is such commonplace, parents can monitor what their children see and hear more easily.

Secondly, I believe an artist should be able to creat his/her work as he/she sees fit. If it has violence, fine. IF it has nudity, fine. Bad language, fine. No problem. That is their creation and they should be able to make it as they want and express themselves as they want to. So if they want their creations played on the radio, on TV, or on display in a museum...they should be allowed to. It's the radio station that chooses to play it and the customer (or in my case, driver) that chooses to turn on the radio to hear it.

So it's a tough call for me. Despite my feelings about censorship, I still find myself upset. I guess I'm mostly upset with the radio station for choosing to play the song during daytime hours and not muting that one word. It can be dones. Just ask Taylor Swift.

Parents and Profanity

I STRONGLY disagree with parents who use excessive profanity in front of their kids. It drives me crazy when I see parents weave curse words into usual dialogue in the presence of their children as if they were regular, common, run-of-the-mill words.

I see this more frequently than I would like. Today, while I was leaving work, there was a guy with his two kids in the parking lot. The dude opens his car door and immediately starts lacing into his daughter about how he is "infuriated by all the s***" she keeps leaving in his car. The girl had to be 7 or 8 years old at most. The boy was maybe old enough to be in preschool.

Now, don't get me wrong, I get aggravated when my kids leave food wrappers and other trash in my car too. And I completely understand having to raise your voice to drive home a point while disciplining your child. But to lace your tirade with profanity is just uncalled for. It teaches kids words they don't need to learn yet and that it is okay to use them in public places. Keep in mind, we were in an elementary school parking lot.

No preschooler or elementary age student needs to be screamed at with profanity. Simple as that. You can make your point just as easily without those words.

This is just one example. I see it everywhere. Walmart, sporting events, you name it. Am I the only one that was taught that these words were "bad" words? My parents cursed. But it was not very frequent and never in public. I knew that these words were not acceptable to say whenever one felt like it.

So is it just the latest generation of parents who have more relaxed views about language? I mean come on, just listen to the radio or turn on the TV. A couple of decades ago you would have never heard what you hear now. Or maybe it's just because I'm older now and a parent myself that I notice things like this now. Maybe things haven't gotten worse and I'm just more aware. Whatever it is, I wish things could change.

I didn't say anything to the guy. It wasn't my place. He could discipline his children how he sees fit. But I sure don't have to agree with it.

-wj