Editor’s note: The views expressed by guest columnists are not necessarily those of The Costa Rica Star, its advertisers, or its staff. 

There is a growing trend of vulgarity in public statements coming from U.S. Senate Democrats and those representing the Democratic National Committee. This trend toward filthy language is disturbing. Studies show people are cussing more than ever, including the politicians – a group known for salty talk.

Those offended by this trend include just about everyone – Democrats, Republicans and Independents, too. Perhaps this eye-popping language is intended to attract attention, which it surely is, but for all the wrong reasons like inciting anger, division and riots.

Speaking for all those in America that see a deterioration of basic American values of politeness that is being put on national display by politicians is Mr. Larry Lewis, born and raised in the Southeast Kentucky coal fields of Harlan County. Here’s a quote from Mr. Lewis – speaking in his native tongue Kentuckian — lifted from Facebook.

“Boy, the democrat leaders sure have taken to public cussin. Yet they want to lead the country and engineer how children are raised. Doesn’t quite compute for me,” said Mr. Lewis. “Their mommas need to ‘warsh their mouths with yaller soap.”

No truer words have been spoken to describe the decline of civility being thrust upon the U.S. by those guiding the leadership of America. For example, in a recent interview in the New York Magazine, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, (D-NY) repeatedly dropped three “F-bombs,” one “Bull s..t,” one “Pissed off,” and one, “They suck.”

Here are other examples of recent profane-laced rants coming from the mouth of Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez, speaking recently before large groups of Democratic supporters around the nation.

“If you don’t have the trust of the community, then you ain’t got s..t,” Perez said before the DNC Future Forum. Then in New Jersey before the Working Families Alliance, he said, Republicans “don’t give a s..t about people.”

Then in Portland, Maine, while touring with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Perez said about President Donald Trump’s spending proposals, “They call it a ‘skinny budget.’ I call it a s..tty budget.”

And if this doesn’t beat all, last week the on-line retail store for Democrats.org starting selling T-shirts for $30 with “Democrats give a s..t about people” imprinted on them. Now there’s a head-shaker.

All of this public vulgarity will do little to impress voters who have heard it all before. But with all the media play foul language is getting these days, children are seeing adults acting like spoiled children getting away with a ‘potty mouth.’ What is a parent to say to their 4-year-old who looks up at them in the kitchen and asks “What is f..k?” or “What is s..t?” after hearing these words on TV in the family home. More and more the media is not bleeping out the cuss words anymore. It’s easier for a mom or dad to explain “Bleep” rather than “f..k.”

Many a politician has been caught saying something they wish they hadn’t on an open microphone that was replayed over and over on TV news. But now the profanity has escalated to a more visible level and becoming more acceptable, according to a poll conducted by the Associated Press and the University of Chicago. (see link to poll below) 

Even Vice President Joe Biden got caught on an open microphone in 2010 speaking to President Obama about ObamaCare during the bill’s nationally televised signing ceremony when he called the Affordable Care Act a “big f…in’ deal.”

Same goes for Republicans, they have been caught, too. President Trump sure regrets those offensive comments he was caught saying on an open-microphone back in 2005 in New York City about women and his vulgar descriptions. Among politicians saints are few and far between.

There’s enough profanity in this world, but coming from the mouths of politicians and repeated in the media it sure rings cheap. None of it helps anyone nor does it advance any cause.

 

P.S. — Here’s a link to a foul language and rudeness study taken last year.

Britt Nelson relocated to Costa Rica in 2011 from Florida, where he served as news editor for the Palatka Daily News, a newspaper owned by the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group (NYT-RNG) for 20 years.

Nelson served the NYT-RNG for 18 years in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida as a correspondent, reporter, staff writer, senior staff writer training new reporters, copy editor, page designer, editorial writer, editorial page editor and editorial board member.