Profanity is useful like arrows but not like asphalt.

Three cheers for Middleborough. The disappearance of manners and courtesies have virtually disappeared from today's society. Credit them for at least trying to bring a back a modicum of civility.

Jeff would make a more productive use of his allotted space by seeking to curb the incivility and lying that he cultivates with his columns and the phony aliases he uses to litter the site with his insults and hatred.

Maybe if our young were brought up with some respect, we wouldn't have this problem.

You find a column that you disagree with as "incivility". Your conspiratorial belief that Jeff is lurking on the posting board as a stealth "reader" is borderline psychotic. Therein lies your problem. It is not Jeff, it is you.

This comment is rich coming from the best friend of Jacoby/Ozark/migh/caroe/127guy/jspencer3153. The right-wing lies and propaganda you both spread here are the real problem.

The rightness or wrongness of the vote will, or course, be decided in court. The fact remains, however, that the measure was passed by those who showed up for the town meeting. Town meetings can be difficult to attend for those with busy work and home schedules, but the issue was decided by those who participated in the process.

Hear, Hear! I'd rather hear the f-bomb anyway, then the endless racism, sexism, homophobia, and just plain meanness one gets from Jeff Jacoby's columns and his acolytes in the Globe comment section. Exhibit one: Richmond12 calling another poster "borderline psychotic" in a discussion of civility.

It bears repeating: The "f-bomb" is far less offensive than Richmond12 calling another poster "borderline psychotic" (see below). And then there's Jeff's endless columns on how same sex marriage is going to destroy civilization. Talk about incivility!

This is the first, and may be the only time I ever write the following phrase: Well said Jeff Jacoby! You and the ACLU on the same side of an issue... has hell frozen over?

"Common courtesy and reasonable standards of public conduct," indeed. Try explaining those to the 240 pound, drunken 26 year-old lout, who screams out, "Hey, A-Rod, you s*%# dog balls," to the thrill of his four buddies, when you're sitting with your nine-year-old daughter at Fenway.

potty mouth, indeed. so, Jeff Jacoby hears the siren song of the 17th century nanny state. good thing we had an 18th century revolution and a 19th century reconstruction and a 20th century civil rights movement. Jeff wants to be our beadle? This little piece of prestidigitation has been brought you by someone who hates government, lives in the media and is so confused. as far as fenway park drunks, that is a place of public accomodation and the beer taps should be cut way before the seventh inning stretch. and all children good, and all parents wise.

As someone from a family which all but prohibits use of profanity, I am truly sympathetic to Middleborough's effort. Still, I do concur with Jacoby that a broad-based ordinance may not be the best remedy for what I consider to be a decline in social standards. Peer pressure and good home training may be more effective.

Although I normally avoid profanity (unless I smash my finger with a hammer), I don't understand why some people get tied in knots over a 4- or 5-letter word. Many of those words were acceptable in the past. There are "bad" words in the King James Bible. Other than possibly a religious oath, there is nothing inherently wrong with the words. Somebody or some group decided at some point in time that a word or phrase is not acceptable. It's some people can't bring themselves to someone is dead. Instead they say "passed away" or some other euphemism. The next time you hear a word that bothers you, use you brain to recognize that it's your problem, not something wrong with the word itself.

Since I mentioned smashing a finger with a hammer, I should point of that studies have shown that profanity in reaction to such an event actually lessens the pain. That may not be the only situation where profanity is useful. I'm 71 and I find it hard to believe people want to turn the clock back on such a minor issue. Freedom of speech means having to hear things you don't and don't approve of.

I also think that Jeff's mug here would be much more acceptable if he shaved off that beard and mustache, combed his hair and wore a nice golf shirt. Where in the world did he grow up?

Fenway has ushers. Report him. It's also a private, not a public, space.