Ontario Government Encouraging Kids to "Flick Off"

Would you let your kid wear this?

The Ontario government hopes you will, as it launches an ad campaign against global warming that cost taxpayers $500,000. The campaign against climate change launched yesterday by Environment Minister Laurel Broten and billionaire Richard Branson encourages youth to "FLICK OFF." The slogan's font is clearly designed to make flick look like... well, you know.

Oh, how wonderful! Just what we need; the government encouraging our kids to engage in vulgarity and using my money to do it. Talk about undermining the attempts of thousands of Ontario parents who believe that profanity is not only demeaning to the individual but inappropriate for religious reasons.

I have no problem with a campaign that promotes a greater concern for the environment that encourages people to conserve energy by turning off lights. But does environmentalism trump all other concerns? Have we lost the ability to be creative without appealing to the absolute lowest levels of communication? If so, let's leave the lights on. Perhaps this culture is not worth saving.