Saying "shit" on the air.

When I was a young reporter working in the hinterlands of America and then the big cities of Washington and New York, there were certain words one could never use on the air or quoting anybody, one of those words was – “shit.” If it was said it was deleated. It was and is a derogatory term used in any number of ways to denote disgust. It exists in every language and culture.

In the last 24 hours, I heard the word used as a quote, either spoken or written, or used once and then referred to the, “S” word so the nuance would be clear, on all the television networks, both broadcast and cable quoting the President of the United States referring to countries like Haiti and El Salvador.

I think our national puritanical under-garments are showing. We are not too far removed from those pilgrim beginnings. When I was a youngster and even into my teens, my Mother would not tolerate vulgarity in our house-hold. I never heard my Father use any vulgar words unless it was outside the home and then only rarely.

Me? (Sorry Mom), I use them often in expletives at other drivers, (my friends will attest to that). I use them when I see cruelty to humans and animals, at comments about congressional irresponsibility and when I slam my thumb when closing the dish-washer.

My Mother used to say when she did something that required an expletive, “phish-posh and piddle paddles.” I tried it once, but it never worked for me.

The way Mr. Trump used the term was not presidential and internationally offensive. The way some of the media reported the quote needs to be modernized. Get over it!