What's in a bad word?

THE EDITOR, Sir:

The recent shooting death of a woman and the wounding of her sister by a policeman in St Thomas is indeed one of the most unfortunate happenings since the start of 2012.

The event is regrettable because we expect police personnel not to respond to situations based on how their emotions are impacted, but on the basis of an objective evaluation of the necessity to maintain law and order. Unfortunately, the lines between the corporal's emotions and the demands of the law are too often blurred.

How should we expect an officer of the law to respond when he is being abused and disrespected by members of the public who are assailing him with some of the most disgusting-sounding Jamaican bad words?

How can the nation forget the despicable behaviour which unfolded in full view of television audience of the woman who resisted the attempts of the policeman to have her removed from a 'robot' taxi? Her shocking defiance of the officer's command to leave the car cannot be allowed to be repeated, lest the authority of the police be equated to the bark of a dog who has no teeth.

Don't we know that it is the duty of every citizen to comply by submitting to the police when he declares that one is under arrest? And that after such declaration that person is no longer at liberty to do as he pleases?

ELEVATING VULGARITY

It is claimed that all the woman did was to curse a few 'bad words', which some declare is nothing. But is the use of bad words, especially in public sphere, really nothing?

It would appear that one is driven to use bad words either when he is terribly upset or when he wants to describe a situation or a person in a most vulgar manner. I am appalled by the attempts of some among us who are advocating for the use of bad words to be made acceptable.

Where did we get this insatiable desire to want to institutionalise and elevate vulgarity and the basest of human conducts?

I encourage those persons who feel that they must use bad words to form an association with the view to acquiring an island where they may indulge to their hearts' content, and where they are not likely to offend decent humanity.

CASHLEY BROWN

cashleybrown@yahoo.com