For lack of a better (expletive)

In a story in today's Arizona Republic, a man is quoted as screaming "I'm going to kill you, you son of a (expletive)."

Unless I'm mistaken, "bitch" isn't an expletive, even when used in the heat of the moment. Yes, yes, I know that many words in certain contexts are deemed "objectionable" and editors have a right to show their discretion, but has it occurred to anyone that the reason some words are considered profane is because we shroud them in whispers, bleeps and parenthetics?

I, for one, would rather my child said "you son of a bitch" than "I'm going to kill you".