The comments of Donald Trump to CNN’s Don Lemon concerning journalist Megyn Kelly after the Republican debate, stating: “You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes … Blood coming out of her wherever” in any interpretation, be it he said “nose” – as Trump’s staff clarified – or as in most interpretations, her menstruation, demonstrates once again the necessity for civility in public discourse.

The truth is, by any stretch of the imagination, the comments were crude, to say the least. Mr. Trump is the latest among our politicians and those in the public forum who, perhaps in an effort to relate to the “crowd,” have descended into shock language.

There is no need for rudeness under any circumstances. There is no need for crudity at all. We as a society have become desensitized to vulgarity and abusive talk.

Can we learn as a nation to once again express ourselves without insults, without crude and offensive references to bodily parts, without cursing? The success of comedian Jim Gaffigan (who is, incidentally, a practicing Catholic) lies, by and large, with his lack of trash talk and vulgar language.

Stand up against foul and offensive language, especially in the public forum. Let those who use it know that it’s not smart and it’s not funny.