Swearing in Wal-Mart, let's outlaw it
Filed under: Home, Shopping, Relationships
A customer at Wal-Mart, Kathryn Fridge, 29, was arrested after uttering the "F word" in front of her 2 year old daughter when she couldn't find what she was looking for. Assistant Fire Marshal Alfred A. Decker IV overhead the comment, took the woman to his car, handcuffed her and wrote a citation. That was last August. Last week, the city prosecutor got around to dropping the charge.
Now a lot of folks may think this was frivolous and a violation of the First Amendment, but I'm thinking it's about time. I'm sick of hearing people publicly vent whatever emotion they may be feeling in range of children, gentlemen and ladies and me. Why do I have to listen to it? I can be having a perfectly nice day and then I hear someone ranting and raving at a sales clerk, or even worse their children. Just because they have not developed adult emotions and professional restraint, why must I suffer?
I'm one of those people who not only take umbrage, I take action. If someone talks vulgar in front of me, I often say, "Excuse me?" Or if children are present, I tell them to watch their language. Yes, I get looks and sometimes the offender even gets nasty. But more often than not, they apologize and cool it.
I think the world needs more manners, not less. More consideration of other people, not puking emotions when you feel like it. While swearing at Wal-Mart is not against the law, maybe it should be.
I remember a Sci-Fi story where an armed assassin shot anyone who wasn't polite. It only took a few shootings and everyone in the community was unbelievably nice to everyone else. An interesting concept.
Barbara Bartlein is the People Pro. For her FREE e-mail newsletter, please visit: The People Pro.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-31-2009 @ 7:42PM
Susan said...
I totally agree. What we are doing is teaching our young children that profanity is every day. Well, it is every day all right, every day common trash talk that is simply not necessary to get your point across. I have also told people to watch their mouth. Thanks! Keep up the good work!
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3-31-2009 @ 7:56PM
van said...
how does this have to do with my wallet and finances, though?
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3-31-2009 @ 8:01PM
Heather said...
Are you serious? What was meant by claiming a lot of folks think this was frivolous and think it was a violation of the first? How was it not? She said one word and was arrested for such word. Where did we loose you? She is no guiltier of a crime by stating what she felt at the time than you are for thrusting your opinion of the situation on to the web. How is your emotional maturity any better than the people you of which you speak? One word or phrase completely ruins your day? Where is the maturity in that?
I want to be clear that I am not condoning the mother's actions. It is none of our business on the words parents choose to use. The child was not in physical danger. Saying something in front of or to someone are two completely different things. Your type of thinking leads to a regression of growing children must do in order to be prepared for whatever life may throw at them. You cannot shelter children as such, and expect them to be able to handle true life. In life other people will say things that annoy you, do things that offend you, and basically whatever they please. The only things you can do are look to yourself and continue to be a person that satisfies your expectations.
Your mention of the nerd station Sci-Fi's movie is somewhat disturbing. In your opinion, shooting someone for not meeting YOUR standards is less offensive than an evil day ruining word? Some people's priorities...You are getting a wag of my finger...
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4-01-2009 @ 8:33AM
Mother Goose said...
I applaud your posting, Heather.
People smoke, I have to breathe it. People don't shower, wear deodorant, brush their teeth, or wear too MUCH perfume---and when I am in line at WALMART, I have to "endure" ( I used the term loosely) all of those. I am rather surprised that the author of this article, as you state, equates intolerance with maturity. I have been in stores where people are wearing vulgar clothing with unacceptable body parts revealed. I have been in traffic where I see decals on cars with cartoon characters urinating, or the F-BOMB on bumper stickers or even worse. Do I like it? Of course not.
At a drive through window on day, a cashier had on a Tshirt with the TRIX rabbit and it said, "Silly rabbit, *rhymes with trix* are for Chix". Of course, my children recognizing the Trix rabbit asked what the Tshirt meant. I explained to them it was someone using a common image with a saying that wasn't something we say. I explained to them it was unacceptable and and vulgar----they hardly needed a literal explanation. But they learned something very valuable about their world--how to deal with people who, while doing something ENTIRELY LEGAL, are doing something that is DIFFERENT from what we do. A perfect moment to TEACH and GROW. I hardly think they will need therapy for viewing a vulgar Tshirt.
To the author of this article I would say that surely something in your life is objectionable to me. Do you smoke? Drink? Gamble? Have extra marital sex? Are you divorced? Think none of THOSE effect your children? Of course they do. Do I care? No............ because I have my hands full making my OWN decisions for me and my children and quite frankly, I suspect something in your own life warrants the focus you are giving to someone else's First Amendment right------lower your nose a little bit. Tolerating someone else's behavior you don't necessarily agree with IS maturity--NOT acceptance.
3-31-2009 @ 8:35PM
A said...
If foul language is good enough for those in congress and the professional world why not have it in wal-mart LOL
whats wrong in the world is too many opinions that are viewed as the only correct choice. what people should be irate about is being cheated and defrauded daily by the crooks who own the insurance companies politicians and fortune 500 companies !wars for corporate profits and costs of high goods and services out of greed , wake up smell the corruption and weed it out and its not always organized its legalized corruption !
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3-31-2009 @ 8:38PM
A said...
save america,,,, abolish insurance ,and make the supreme court justices an elected term limit position !
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4-01-2009 @ 1:33AM
Ben Lurkin said...
I guess you missed the WalletPop's recent press release, in which they claimed the moral authority to propagate political and moral dictums as well as information about personal finance.
If you're on their mailing list, they'll send you an email when they are ready to announce their new fatwa service. Enjoy!
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4-01-2009 @ 10:14AM
fistpittingnork said...
Some people need to just mind their own business.
It's tacky and unprofessional, but still, keep your mouth shut and keep walking.
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4-01-2009 @ 1:20PM
Jeff Hess said...
Shlaom Barbara,
Is it OK if I say, feck, fred, fudge or perhaps funicular?
B'shalom,
Jeff
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4-01-2009 @ 10:48PM
Donna said...
GET SERIOUS! wITH EVERYTHING GOIN ON IN THE WORLD 2DAY YOUR ONLY PET PEEVE IS USING PROFANITY AT WALMART. GET A LIFE LADY.WHEN U HAVE MAJOR CONCERNS LIKE THE RISING EMPLOYMENT RATE OR THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE OR MAYBE THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO R GOING TO BE HOMELESS AFTER THE GOVT.SIEZES THEIR HOMES THEN WRITE AGAIN.
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4-02-2009 @ 2:10PM
ashley said...
This is actually funny... we are talking about WAL MART ok... she wasnt saying FUCK to her kid she was saying it aloud.... For a second i for got what country I live in ... Im aloud to say what I want when I want... If I didnt want that right I could move to another country.... I am not by any means saying its right to curse around children but to get arrested for it?? I dont think thats a little over board... maybe asking her not to do it would of been better.... But by all means she was in Wal mart... Its not the most up scale place to be so really what do you expect? There is much more to worry about then say fuck
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4-05-2009 @ 10:24PM
ryan said...
I stopped at a Marc's for some pet-food. 3 clerks were calling each other "niggas". I don't know if it was used as a term of address or just the way they prefer to end every sentence they say. it was aggravating to hear, so I left without buying pet food.
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