National

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Opinion

James Hughes Contributor October 1, 2025 — 7.30pm

Once upon a time in Darwin, the pop song Snoopy vs the Bloody Red Baron of Germany was a radio staple. The guilty artist was The Royal Guardsmen. For anyone unfamiliar, The Red Baron was Manfred von Richthofen , a World War I fighter pilot. Before an Australian took him out, 80 skirmishes broke his way. Manfred earned that Red Baron moniker, but someone in Darwin radio begrudged him the “bloody”. Bloody became bleep. A friend who grew up there says he and his little brothers would sweat on that bleep and shout “bloody!” Censors clipped the Guardsmen. Kids clipped the censors.

Hardly anybody says bloody these days. Why bother when you could use that other, tougher word? In 2025, saying f--- is as c

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