Lexical Cleansing

An American teenager has observed that swearing can take place in connection with "drug use, bullying and other harmful behaviour", and has implemented the usual eminently logical theory that banning the symptom treats the disease. Accordingly, California's state assembly, for lack of any larger problems to deal with, is considering the imposition of an annual state-wide profanity-free week at the beginning of March. There will, as yet, be no compulsion involved, but officials of the legislature will be "encouraged" to do financial penance should they let slip a nasty word. Doubtless the resulting emotional repression will be salutary. Let's hope not too many of them carry guns.