If you’re offended, sorry not sorry.
1 Like
Interesting concept and one that I had not considered in that context. In self defense situations were are often told to “shout at the attacker in a loud commanding voice”. The obvious intention of that is to distract, intimidate or otherwise give pause to our attacker (it also lets other people within earshot know there is something up). While I do not personally utilize profanity with any regularity I am a 24 year sailor with significant exposure to the Marines and I can string together a slew of epithets, cusses and colorful language that would make Gunny Hartman proud or make an L.A. streetwalker blush. I also agree with George Carlin about the worlds most useful word.
If the use of foul language buys me a little time in an assault / dangerous situation by making the bad guy hesitate then it is another tool in my toolbox.
Cheers,
Craig6
1 Like
As a Christian, I abhor and do not use foul language in any situation. That being said however, I learned a long time ago to ignore it in a self defense situation. It does not offend me, it just verifies my judgement concerning the perps (lack of) character. I listen to the message he is sending me and plan my response appropriately.
4 Likes
Let’s just say I would likely be more inclined to take order from Samuel L. Jackson than Morgan Freeman.
2 Likes
for some reason @MikeBKY , just for a second I was seeing/hearing Morgan FAIRCHILD and thinking “Oh, I’d hear that much better”
…but I read it over again and my mind caught up with me eyes.
… Ah… ya… ok… I get it. Right…
2 Likes
Morgan Fairchild would get my attention!
3 Likes
Although I am Christian, I am also a Marine. I learned early on to use the F bomb every other word and on occasion drop a slew of a rant using the NUCLEAR F BOMB. I could literally make just about anyone blush when I was in combat with the things that would fly out of my mouth as a Sgt. Combat Engineer in Iraq.
2 Likes
If you are not accustomed to using profanity, don’t. If you think it’s necessary you must practice. You cannot sound meek or mild, you can’t stutter. Everything you do must be in a confident manner. If you have never done something like that, practice. Where? While driving your vehicle (with no passengers). People sing in there cars, use hands free cell phones. It doesn’t matter if you look, or think you look weird. Practice the things you would say, or think you would say to an attacker. Someone cuts you off, pretend it’s an attacker. Shout, “STOP! Move back!” No speeches! Short, loud, commands. Depends on the situation.
When you shout, pay attention to your pitch. You don’t want a high pitched sound. Practice lowering it. Think about kids playing. You hear the screaming, yelling, but you tune it out. (Kids should be taught to lower the pitch of their voice when yelling for help.) A lower, loud voice projects strength, to an attacker it will signal that you are not an easy target. If nothing else, it can shock them, even a pause of 1-2 seconds could be enough. Imagine a 70 year old woman yelling, “STOP YOU PIECE OF $#!^!” in a low pitch loud voice. Practice, get used to how it sounds to you. Own it. If you’ve never done this in your life, you may even startle yourself.
I spent 23 years on active duty in the Marine Corps, giving commands, and obscenities comes easy to me. I have discipline, so I do exercise tact, bearing, and judgment when speaking. I don’t use this violent, vulgar language unless it’s necessary. I don’t in front of my wife. I can turn it on or off.
5 Likes
SEMPER FI brother
1 Like
Right out of the Bene Gesseret manual for training"The Voice"…
(just sayin)
3 Likes
Semper Fi Brian_J!
2 Likes
OOHRAHH
Once a marine, always a marine and we both have a great badge of honor. The badge of the good 'ol EGA.
1 Like
^^^ this.
If some of my brain is busy processing my reaction to the language, it’s not available for assessing my situation and responding to it. I think the article’s contention that more exposure is a useful strategy is a good one.
Stress Inoculation is one of the best things we can do to prepare for a deadly threat situation… it means we are not as likely to be derailed or immobilized or shut down by the circumstances when we most need to respond.
Exposure to rough language is another form of stress inoculation.
I’m generally pretty careful with my language but I do know when injured my vocabulary takes a decided turn for the worse. A few years ago, my Special Forces hubby and I were loading pallets into a trailer. One edge got dropped and the pallet took a bad bounce cracking my forearm hard between flying pallet and the trailer rail. I thought my arm was broken and when I stopped swearing and could focus again, the look of pure astonishment on my hubby’s face was noteworthy 
Don’t know what I said, exactly, but he tells me it was pretty spectacular. I’m guessing if I needed rough language in a self defense situation, I’d have it.
3 Likes
@Zee I am picturing that right now, both you and your husband’s look! There are times where I sound like a drunk sailor or my Marine son. Sad to say he learned a lot of it from me. But I can say without any doubt that yelling “Drop the gun MF” gets attention a lot better than “Please drop the gun” or just “Drop the gun.” I also learned very early always to vocalize “Don’t make me hurt you.” And this was before cell phones had cameras and everything was recorded. Now that you have to assume everything is on tape, loud direct commands are important and there is no question that certain expletives tend to give the impression that you are serious.
2 Likes
No clue, don’t watch The Voice.
3 Likes
I do make mistakes. I was driving, my sons were in the car. They were quiet. I have my turn signal on, traffic was a brutal in Baltimore, I need to get to the right lane to make the next exit. This “person” decides to speed up on the right, and then pull in front of me. If I had not reacted quick enough, he would have hit the front right side of the car. So, even though that driver couldn’t hear me, I went into auto mode and ripped out 10 second burst of profanity. My youngest son was laughing, and my older son said, “Dad, that was awesome.” Traffic is my downfall on language discipline.
4 Likes
Growing up the son of a WWII drill instructor gave me an appreciation of the fine art of effective swearing.
However, given the state of everyday language in use by a fair number of people, a n order given in a command voice WITHOUT swearing might just be more startling to them.
3 Likes
A quote I still remember from freshman year “knowledge”
The General is sorry to be informed that the foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing, a vice heretofore little known in an American Army, is growing into fashion and he hope that the officers will by example as well as influence endeavor to check it and that both they and the men will reflect that we can have little hope of the blessing of heavens on our arms if we insult it with our impiety and folly; added to this it is a vice so mean and low that every man of sense and character detests and despises it.
General George Washington’s letter to the Continental Army 1776
We used to have to recite it every time an upperclassman heard us curse. Broke us fairly quickly of cursing in public.
I drop a swear word on occasion, but apply the same rules I have for smoking cigars…not in large groups or around strangers and not in front of the wife and kids (or others kids). Usually occurs on the golf course with my partner after a miserable shot 
But it would definitely be applicable in a defensive scenario.
I have a pretty thick skin so as long as someone is not cursing at me, I don’t get offended by people swearing (and again as long as it’s not in front of my wife and kids, or my Scouts).
2 Likes
LoL! Excellent Riposte!
But, if you haven’t been down this particular rabbit hole check out Frank Herbert’s “Dune”. If it tickles your interest there’s a Tonne of additional books in the story. Even one which deals specifically with the Bene Gesserit. Old Science Fiction, serious literary work, Mr. Herbert was one of the first voices to speak to our impact upon an ecosystem.
1 Like
I do see the point of being forceful - and I’m willing to bet I can probably keep up with language of the majority of you all - but I will argue that you do not need to swear at the attacker. In fact, it’s something the USCCA actually teaches people to NOT do.
Why? I think the article itself gives you a great reason - some people are extremely offended by foul language. What if someone witnessing your self-defense situation is one of those people and now questions your innocence in the situation? People associate swearing with a criminal - again, what are witnesses going to think?
You can be very commanding with your tone and body language. Look at any mom whose children are misbehaving and give them “the look”. No swearing was needed to get her point across. No words are even needed.
For your legal defense, foul language isn’t needed. Train to issue commands in a way that they will be taken seriously - without foul language.
2 Likes