John says : A city 's recent ban on public swearing is a hopeless cause . McWhorter asks : Where do you draw the line ? Is it a swear word ? How do police enforce it ? Plus the ban does n't apply to what people do `` in private . '' It is part of the cultural discourse ; even mild - mannered people curse , he says . McWhorter : We need to ignore what is considered profanity in society and just ignore reality .
John says : A city 's recent ban on public swearing is a hopeless cause . McWhorter asks : Where do you draw the line ? Is it a swear word ? How do police enforce it ? It is part of the cultural discourse ; even mild - mannered people curse , he says . McWhorter : We need to ignore what is considered profanity in society and just ignore reality .