John McWhorter : The Big Think McWhorter asks : Where do you draw the line ? Is hell a swear word ? How do police enforce it ? Profanity is part of the cultural discourse ; even mild-mannered people curse , he says . McWhorter : We need to rethink what is considered profanity in 2012 and just accept reality .
John McWhorter : A town 's recent ban on public swearing is a hopeless cause . McWhorter asks : Where do you draw the line ? Is hell a swear word ? How do police enforce it ? Profanity is part of the cultural discourse ; even mild-mannered people curse , he says . McWhorter : We need to rethink what is considered profanity in 2012 and just accept reality .