I am not exactly following your logic, Dawn. Just because someone might argue there aren't bad words, only bad intentions, doesn't automatically conclude that that person would teach a 4 year old to swear at their teacher. Or swear in general.

My son knows pretty much all swearwords. He doesn't use any. He was taught that there are many different ways to use swearwords and not all are bad. Not necessarily a desirable method to express emotions or feelings, but certainly not offensive either. Different strokes for different folks.

When my son was 6 or 7 I took him to a Pearl Jam concert. His Dad was outraged because of the language exposure. We were in row 10 or so and Eddie Vedder takes the stage and yells: "Are you ready for a ****ing good time?" My son turns to me in utter disbelief and shouts: "he used a bad word". The people around us burst into laughs. See my son probably has never heard anybody actually use the f-word but he did know it was a 'bad' word. Why would someone so cool as Eddie Vedder use the forbidden word and does that mean EV is bad? Should we not see any other concerts for fear of exposure to 'bad' words? Should we stop listening to music altogether cause only bad people use bad words?

Bullshit.

This was an excellent opportunity to explain that bad words are not offensive but bad intentions are. People can be mean without using certain words and people can use certain words without meaning any harm or disrespect. Some people use certain words in certain circumstances to color/emphasise/express/lend a certain thrust to the context. Highly valid, I might add. Colorful language can indeed add and enhance and express and explain and emphasise in ways bland or edited language cannot even come close.

I have seen people swear up a storm while expressing some very passionate views. I ended up having more respect and trust for that person than ever before and I could have ever had without certain words. Why? Because I've never realized how committed and strong that person felt about certain aspects. He could have never more clearly and more decisively and more firmly articulated his appreciation/view/committment by using nice language than by saying: "that is ****ing bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit. ****ing bullshit and you do not disrespect my people ... bla bla" than by saying: "that is just not right and I don't appreciated your deragatory way of talking to xyz, nor do I feel that you have the right to judge over yzx"....

To be offended by mere words is quite shallow and narrowminded. IMO. Just like nice words and flatter isn't always truly nice and flattering.