F***! Sh*t! A**hole! B*tch!

Hello guys,

OK, there is one thing I dont do ever in this world. I don't swear. I don't say bad words. I don't shout expletives at anyone. The most common swear words are f***, a**hole sh*t and b*itch. While these words are included in any dictonary and could be used academically as well (f***= sexual intercourse, sh*t= excretement, a**= donkey and b*tch= female dog), they are best known as curse words. I remember when I was in 6th grade, we had to go through masculine and feminine words of animals and the words b*tch and a** would be there too. It did not seem funny then. However, these words have been used endlessly to death today, so much so they have formed a part of our everyday vocabulary. Watching Hollywood movies, these words are used as if it was something these characters learn at school. Meet the Fockers has a baby that says a**hoole cutely, and people find that hilarious. The TV sitcoms fare better because they don't allow for swear words (thankfully enough). Gosh, what I hate the most is how some people use God's name in vain. That ticks me off.

So despite watching movies where swear words are the norms, how come I have never uttered expletives?

Well, to be honest, there have been two occasions where I did shout out loud with a curse word. Hello? You there in the back row...are you all right? Don't be shocked! :-)

In 1993, when I was in 10th grade, I failed one exam very badly. I had spent a lot of time studying for it, and it was a crucial exam. If I did not pass this exam I was not going to go into the next semester. The day I found out the results, and realized I failed, I stayed quiet. I came home, went upstairs quietly, closed the door, locked it and sat on my desk facing the window. SH*T SH*T SH*T SH*T SH*T I shouted out to the window. I was so angry at myself, so much so, I said the curse word! Thankfully, the following week it turned out that I did not fail but passed the exam. So much for my sh*tty words

In 1998, when I was in university in Sharjah, I was becoming frustrated at the people and the university. See, I was the pioneer student and there was nothing on campus apart from dorms and classrooms. Main building was incomplete, no library, no sports complex, no student center, one pathetic cafeteria. After several weeks, I was also getting frustrated with the 10pm curfew. I felt like I was in kindergarten. On top of that the people were very difficult people to converse with. My roommate was a suicidal. So, one fine evening over the weekend, I stared out my window into the empty vast desert (which should have had grass) like a sad person, and shouted out into the air f***, f***, f***, f***. So there. At least I felt better.

So, since then, I have never uttered any curse or swear words. I have never insulted anyone. This is what I tell myself: The same mouth that I use to pray, to thank God, to ask for blessings, should not be the same mouth to utter curses and expletives. There are so many people I know who swear and curse as if it were part of their everyday vocabulary. I am so anti-swear words that I cannot even write them out. I do get angry at times, but I have learnt to not curse or shout at the other person, no matter how much rage there inside me. People should be fined for swearing.

Mansur