About Naughty Words
Cambridge University in England has just completed an in-depth study of people who cuss. The study found that cussers are much less apt to tell lies because they are more practical in their approach to life’s ups and downs. A quick scan of that report somehow caused me to remember many early studies that determined original American Indians had no swear words in their vocabularies.
Looked up a column from January 2002 dealing with that matter:
If there were no swear words in the Anglo-Saxon vocabularies there could not have been truck drivers, loggers, cowboys, columnists, or carpenters. Can you imagine a fella smashing his finger and then just saying “Ouch?” You wonder how in the world Indians got along until the whites came and taught them how to swear and cuss like civilized human beings.
The above observation on the ancient Indian morality seems especially interesting in the light of a current hassle down in Nevada. Local and national tribes have united to fight the naming of a luxurious super modern whorehouse, “The Crazy Horse Resort and Spa.” AIM (American Indian Movement) spokesmen say it is inappropriate to name a brothel after such a famous Indian leader. Crazy Horse was a Sioux war chief at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876.
The new sporting house would be just down the Interstate east of Reno near where the famous Mustang Ranch brothel has been locked up by the feds for fraud and racketeering. County officials want to issue the license because the new business would be strictly on the level and could bring in over a quarter of million a year in tax revenues.
AIM spokesman Rocky Boice says, “AIM has no objection to the brothel itself because brothels in Storey County can be good for their economy.”
The new sporting palace promoters are Lance Gilman and Susan Austin.
If they really want to get along with the Indians, maybe they could name their new place the General Nelson Miles Resort and Spa … or perhaps the George Armstrong Custer Retreat.
While we are into the subject of the world’s oldest profession, perhaps this is a good place to look at the ongoing battle over the famous Dumas Brothel building in Butte. If you may recall, The International Sex Worker Foundation for Art, Culture and Education, (I’m not making this up) want to buy the building and turn it into a fine cathouse museum.
The current owner, Rudy Giecek, has done restoration on the fine old building and it has become “a popular tourist attraction” as Rudy worked with Norma Jean Almodovar, a “Sex Worker member.” On Dec. 26, the Sex Worker group and Giecek announced they had reached an agreement over ownership and operation of the business. Giecek says, “He is satisfied,” and I’m sure he is.
One last thing for those who may have forgotten. Two years ago in Skagway, Alaska, our sewing club was touring the old red light district and our guide told us, “The children born to the ladies there were called ‘brothel sprouts’.”
G. George Ostrom is a national award-winning columnist for Hungry Horse News. He lives in Kalispell.