On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 15:14:07 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

Can they not be 'historically accurate' without foul language?

The language is irrelevant, John.

It is VERY much relevant. It's the whole point of this issue.

For the simple-minded, the issue is "Does the movie contain bad language?"
Yes, it does. For high-functioning individuals, the question is "Is the bad
language in the movie probably an accurate representation of how guys talked
during that war, especially when in life threatening situations?" Again, the
answer is yes. We can now conclude that unlike other movies, where the bad
langage was written into the script just to sell tickets, this movie had a
powerful story line and the language was purely incidental.

That may be true, but it doesn't excuse it.

If you think the
bad language stood out in "Saving Private Ryan" in the same way it did in a
trash movie like "Bad Boys II", you're wrong. You're just looking for a
reason to whine.

The language is the same. Why it was used is irrelevant. It sends a
message that it's ok to use that sort of language, which is not the
message I want my kids to hear.


Finally, the question is, are you, as a parent, able to watch such a movie
with your kids and explain the reason why the language exists under certain
circumstances. If you are not, then the movie is not the problem. YOU are
the problem.

I do not want my kids to think it's ok to use that sort of language
PERIOD. Making excuses for it only complicates the situation. Kids,
especially young ones, do not understand complex situational nuances.
They think in more binary terms. Something is either good or bad. I do
not want to be in a situation where I have to explain to a 5 year old
why it's ok to say the work "F*ck" when you're about to die, but it's
not ok to say it casually on the street.

I'm a realist. I know that at some point in their lives, kids will be
exposed to foul language. My goal is to hold that point off for as
long as possible. If they learn early on not to use it, they will be
less inclined to adopt it later on.


It doesn't matter to the people who claim
to object to it, even though they want you to think otherwise.

And you know this how? Did the animals tell you?

It's a show -nothing else.

A show which kids then use as a gauge to "normal" human behavior.
I would rather my kids think it's cool to be responsible, and have
some decent manners and consideration.

I guarantee that if your kids are ever being shot at, they will be using
language that would curl your hair, Dave.

Not if they never knew it. They'd use a different word. The word is
only a conduit to their emotional state. That state could just as
effectively be communicated with different words.


Dave