It's my blog and I'll swear if I want to

I read with great interest the article posted Friday on the New York Times political blog "The Caucus" regarding the use of obscenities in blogging. Titled "Easing Off Online Obscenities," the article presented the opinions of several A-list bloggers who appeared on what colloquially was called the "Fuck Panel" at Netroots Nation in Austin, Tex., last week.

So, naturally, as a Certified Uncivil Blogger™, I gave some thought to what role vulgarities play in my own writing. Then I thought, fuck that, I'm going to write whatever the fuck I want.

No, seriously ...

The thing is that I am firmly on the side of those who believe that the Democrats have been far too accommodating in working with Republicans, whether it's in Congress, in state legislatures, or even locally. We've been getting killed by being civil, and the Republicans certainly haven't been the least bit civil: where's the outrage about Dick "Dick" Cheney telling Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), "Go fuck yourself," on the floor of the U.S. Senate? Or how about Huggy Bear calling his wife a "cunt?" Is obscenity only acceptable when it's uttered by a Republican?

If I say "fuck" or whatever too often, fine -- don't read my sucky blog anymore. But whether you're Republican or Democrat, don't tell me that I'm "lowering the bar" or "stooping to their level" or whatever. I for one won't play the civility game -- it's a losing proposition. Sometimes, if you're talking about the heinous acts perpetrated by the Bush crime syndicate over the last several years, or discussing how Huggy wants to extend the death and destruction in Iraq, or any one of a number of blood-pressure-increasing topics, using foul language is not only appropriate, it's practically mandatory.

In short: fuck civility.