I want to keep this blog free of politics. This is a grammar blog, not a political blog. If you want to learn more about my views on politics, look me up on Facebook or read some of katesadventures.com.
However, this picture was too good to resist:
We’ve got quotation marks. This guy is clearly a Catholic. You can’t forget about original sin! Those fetuses aren’t really innocent!
The best thing about this picture is that it could easily be changed with punctuation marks:
STOP THE DEMOCRATS! WAR AGAINST INNOCENT UNBORN CHILDREN!!!!
I think I like that much better.
From the emails I’ve received from you, I know that you feel the same way: because of this guy’s bad grammar, I seriously doubt his credibility. It has nothing to do with his views; I say this from a politically neutral position.
To all political protesters: If you want people to take you seriously, learn to use grammar correctly on your signs. That’s the first of many steps.
The Grammar Vandal 
It could be worse…
Stop! The Democrats? WAR! Against “innocent” un.born children;
I think his easy-going smile discredits him more than grammar ever could. I mean, with that smile, I doubt he would play war with a deck of cards, much less declare it on Democrats.
Kate,
Shouldn’t it be Stop the Democrats’ war…possessive? I agree that the quote marks make it a bit cutesy, but I really think the sign maker’s intent was to demonize the Dems.
Susan
I agree with Susan. It ought to be “Stop the Democrats’ war on innocent children”.
Oh, grammar mistakes.
Yes, Susan and Kelly, it should be “Stop the Democrats’ War.”
I figured that was obvious, so I didn’t comment on it.
I love this pic.
I’m enjoying the potential punctuation suggestions, but I still trying to figure out the author’s meaning. Why the quotation marks around innocent? Is this sarcasm? Are the unborn children NOT innocent? And is war the best choice of words? Politics aside, what exactly is the war this man wants stopped? He doesn’t even suggest an action for his readers. Maybe his sign should say “Stop the war on unborn children; vote Republican” (I was going to say “Stop the war on unborn children; kill a Democrat” but not even bad grammar guy would write such a thing on a sign. Or would he?
Hi Kate,
I caught you on NPR and loved what I heard. Lately I’ve been seeing the word some used like this: “some 4,000 coffee drinkers…” It irks me and I don’t know why. Any thoughts?
The fact that “innocent” is in quotation marks leads you to believe that the children are not innocent. Putting the word in quotation marks is akin to saying, “they say they’re innocent, but we know they’re really not.” You in(sin)uate as much in your comment. Anyway, great photo.
it should be “Stop the Democrats’ War.” I figured that was obvious, so I didn’t comment on it.
Wait, but, it can’t be “STOP THE DEMOCRATS! WAR AGAINST INNOCENT UNBORN CHILDREN!!!!” as you suggested, and “Stop the Democrats’ war.” Why is one correction more obvious than the other?