They make difference

Ms. Beasley from Fayetteville seemed to be asking for a response to her tolerance of bad language. She defended it by saying that people needed a release for their frustrations and spewing a few cuss words shouldn’t be a concern to anyone else.

I’m surely no saint, having colorfully expressed myself in traffic, in long lines and an occasionally misguided hammer. But the truth is, I’ve always regretted it. Having three children made me more aware of how I expressed myself, and now that I have grandchildren I’m even more conscious of what I say. The words we use are part of the construction of the atmosphere our children grow up in. The things we say in front of our children become a part of their developing character, and that is a huge responsibility.

And bad language also classifies a person. There are homeless men with more character expressed in the way they talk than the wealthiest man you know who doesn’t know any better.

But bad language goes hand in hand with how we express ourselves about politics, religion and even football referees. We seemed to have lost a lot of our dignity. Our president and other celebrities like Kanye West and Kathy Griffin haven’t set very good examples.

When I look at these people I actually find myself feeling a bit sorry for them. They seem to have everything a person could want, but still sound empty and angry, and their egos regurgitate hate and jealousy in a childlike way. Men like this have shown us that all the power and money in the world can’t buy character. They believe the house they live in, the clothes they wear, the cars they drive, make them “classy” people.

Of course the Bible warns about “what comes out of our mouths,” but whether you are religious or not, you owe it to yourself and to the people you love to carry yourself with a little more dignity. And a little repentance isn’t a bad thing either. Actually, you’ll find that it feels pretty good. WADE GREEN

Camden