This past Saturday, I found myself with an unexpected hour of free time and the coveted TV remote. In my home, that’s a rare luxury—like winning the lottery. The remote is fiercely contested, much like the scene at the cornucopia in The Hunger Games. The strongest usually prevails, and let’s be honest, that’s never me. My kids can be quite intimidating.
So, there it was, the remote just sitting there, unguarded on the couch. I took a leap of faith, kicked off my shoes, and settled in to channel surf—well, as much as my limited skills would allow. Eventually, I landed on the UFC 188 prelims. Don’t judge me; it was a Saturday afternoon, and my choices were either mixed martial arts or a landscaping show on the Home & Garden channel. Honestly, watching fighters go at it is far more captivating than watching someone plant flowers, right?
As I lounged on the couch, munching on snacks and watching fighters collide, I noticed something peculiar: the incessant bleeping of censored language. It seemed absurd. Here I was, a suburban mom engrossed in a brutal sport, and yet, the show was bleeping out words like “damn” and “hell.” Meanwhile, the screen was filled with blood and violence. I was witnessing two fighters engaged in a bloody battle, and yet the real concern was the words they might use during the fight.
I understand it was the afternoon, and some children might be watching. Many parents want to shield their kids from foul language, fearing it could lead to negative behavior. But let’s take a moment to reflect on the situation: two nearly naked men are locked in a cage, unleashing punches that send blood flying. One fighter is grounded and taking repeated blows to the face, while the other’s hands are slick with blood. I’ve seen less gore in episodes of The Walking Dead!
And yet, all the curse words were muted—because God forbid a child hears profanity. But let’s be real: this is UFC, not a scripted drama where the violence is staged. Those fighters are real, and the brutality is genuine. Yet, we’re more concerned about muting a few choice words than addressing the actual violence on display.
Is there really a segment of the population that finds certain swear words more disturbing than the sight of blood? I’m not sure I want to meet those people.
Now, I’m not suggesting that UFC or similar sports should be censored. I genuinely enjoyed watching the event, despite its occasional cringeworthy moments. The athleticism and skill displayed are impressive. However, I’m perplexed by the logic that prioritizes censoring language over violence. If our goal is to protect children from emulating negative behaviors, maybe we need to rethink our approach.
If little Timmy drops an F-bomb at dinner, the worst that might happen is Grandma choking on her mashed potatoes. But if he attempts a flying armbar he saw on TV with his friends, that could lead to a trip to the ER. It’s time to reconsider what we’re shielding kids from.
It seems more logical to censor the violence rather than the words. Words are just that—words. They aren’t inherently dangerous. An exclamation of “damn!” isn’t likely to cause harm, but a real-life fight? That’s a different story. With our world facing increasing violence in various forms, one would expect a greater concern over allowing children to watch bloody brawls packaged as entertainment than over their exposure to a list of “bad words.”
Perhaps I’m out of touch. My kids certainly have their moments of colorful language.
It’s a strange world we live in, and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. Maybe enrolling little Timmy in karate or jiu-jitsu could offer him valuable lessons in discipline and respect, and perhaps even some self-defense techniques. And don’t forget his sister; she might need to learn how to counter that flying armbar!
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Summary
In a world where foul language is bleeped out on TV while brutal violence is broadcast without hesitation, it’s time to question our censorship priorities. As parents, we should reflect on what truly poses a risk to our children and consider offering them positive outlets such as martial arts to teach discipline and respect.