Banning Bad Words
Amanda Sousa, a self-styled "pacifist" from Canada, was shocked and appalled when her seven-year-old daughter brought home her spelling assignment. One of the words on the list was gun.
"The word gun is synonymous with death. I'm racking my brain trying to figure out why a seven-year-old would need to learn this word," said Mrs. Sousa. . . . "I don't think this is an issue of political correctness. It's an issue of protecting your child from violence. Guns are violent. End of story," said Mrs. Sousa.
The Upper Canada School Board actually gave in to Sousa's demand and banned the word. Occasionally we hear from Canadian readers upset that we make fun of their country. But how can we help it when Canadians so often play to type?
Never mind the trauma that this child is going to experience should she ever be required to use a glue gun or a staple gun. ("Gun" being synonymous with death and violence and all.) Never mind the question of how this school board is going to teach history without any references to guns. My question is for the mother: if the notion of a gun is so obscene that the word can't even be uttered, what other three-letter words should she not be exposed to?
Die
Presumably this word is out. If guns are out because they're synonymous with death, then obviously death itself cannot be mentioned.
"Die" = "death."
Car
Wanton disregard for the environment. Pollution. Global warming.
"Car" = "death."
Not
What good is this word? It's nothing but a negation. A child that age should not be subjected such negativity. Plus, what happens when you put it next to the word "alive?"
"Not" = "death."
Man
Sexism, violence, exploitation. Why not just teach her the word "rape?"
"Man" = "death."
I could go on.
Cat
Mistreated pets, corporations testing products on defenseless animals, a lioness bringing down a zebra.
"Cat" = "death."
Pie
Sure, just go ahead and encourage children to eat all that sugar and fat. And meanwhile reinforce traditional roles for women. (Somebody has to bake the pie, don't they?) See "man," above.
"Pie" = "death."
Sun
Ever heard of skin cancer?
"Sun" = "death."
Do you see how this works? If we're very cautious and sensitive, here, I think we can rest assured that this child will never have to worry about learning to spell anything.
