Yellow-Bellied Sap Sucker

The American public by-and-large have lost their creativity. In times past, when one person was upset with another person they would utter colorful phrases and epitaphs. In today's society, the f-word is more than likely involved in verbal confrontations.

In colonial times, one man might have insulted another by calling him the heel of a hyena or the jaw of a jackal. Cowardice was derided with yellow-bellied sap sucker.

Even in my youth, euphemisms used in anger were mild compared to what is heard these days. I remember when saying, "Your mama wears army boots," was a drastic insult. Of  course, that was in a time before women were allowed in the military beyond medical positions.

There was a time when a man would not curse in front of a lady--and some gentlemen adhere to that. More often than not, though, any female within ear shot is not only likely to hear cursing, but be the object of the curse. And let's not leave the women out of it--some of them could turn a preacher blue in the face.

It takes hardly one brain cell to utter the f-word; it takes many more to think up a colorful insult. Maybe we've just become lazy. Whatever the reason for the trend, I hope we see a reversal in the near future.