I spent an extensive amount of time in three large shopping areas outside of Indianapolis yesterday.

These days one takes one’s chances on what type of behavior will surface when in a public place with all ages abound.

We have taken a few steps back in America, when it comes to the general comportment of the populous.  I don’t enjoy hearing someone use profanity in public, especially around children.  Those who partake in such behavior are general losers in my book.  Football games are subject to such base behavior.  This has been going on for some time though.  I remember watching IU play Ohio State in Bloomington one rainy cold Saturday in the mid-1970s.  Of course the Hoosiers were getting pummeled by the Buckeyes, as it is the natural order of things.  The last time the Hoosiers beat Ohio State, Nancy Reagan was calling psychic hotlines from the White House.  I digress.  During the game some forty years ago, there was a guy sitting close to me.  He was smoking Kools in the rain.  He probably graduated from IU’s school of business.  He also had a potty mouth.  The first time I watched Forrest Gump in 1994, I thought about the guy at the IU-Ohio State game when Forrest started describing the guy at the war rally on the Mall in Washington…the one who used the F-word a great deal.

These days folks cuss too much at ball games where kids are listening.  Stop it already.

Look, I am no puritan.  If I am playing cards or playing golf with my buddies…with no youngsters around, mind you, we are probably going to say a few words we won’t be sharing with the Sunday School Class.  That is as far as that will go.  Some things are special and sacred…like cussing with your oldest buddies.

Before I stop here, know that I was totally impressed by the diverse…young and old…folks I was in the company of this past weekend.  Never once did I hear something in the background that offended me or was not suitable for children.  Does this mean it went on all day in the mall like this?  I doubt it.  But, maybe it did.

Thanks to the nice folks I ran into this weekend.

Speaking the rights.

Danny Johnson