Teen swears by no cussing campaign

LOS ANGELES - Pay no attention to that eerie silence in America's most populous county this week; it will simply be the sound of 10 million people not swearing.

At least that's the result McKay Hatch is hoping for once his campaign to clear the air is recognised by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Today, the board is scheduled to issue a proclamation by Supervisor Michael Antonovich making the first week in March No Cussing Week.

That would mean no blue language from the Mojave desert, where it gets hot as $&...? in the summer, to the Pacific Ocean, where on a winter's day it can get colder and nastier than ... per cent$?!

Not that 15-year-old Hatch expects complete compliance. When his No Cussing Club meets at South Pasadena High School on Wednesdays it's not unusual for a non-member to throw open the door and fire off a torrent of four-letter words. He's also been the target of organised harassment by pro-cussers.

And Antonovich's county motion carries no penalties.

"It's a good reminder for all of us to be respectful to one another and watch the words we use," said the supervisor's spokesman, Tony Bell.

The county isn't the first entity to try to put the lid on swearing. Hatch's hometown of South Pasadena declared itself a cuss-free zone for a week last March.

Hatch has lofty goals.

"Next year, I want to try to get California to have a cuss-free week. And then, who knows, maybe worldwide," said the high school student, who believes if people treat each other with more civility they can better work together to solve bigger problems.

He said his campaign began to form about the time he hit middle school when he noticed his friends beginning to swear, something his family didn't allow. He formed the No Cussing Club and invited others to join. Soon the group had a website, bright orange T-shirts, a hip hop theme song and inquiries from people interested in joining. He estimates 20,000 people have formed similar clubs.

"It's not about forcing anyone to stop, just to bring awareness," he says of the movement. "If you can do a week without cussing, maybe you can do two weeks. And then maybe a month."

- AP