First Sublime, Then Ridiculous

Welcome to Remedial English, class. I’m your instructor, Professor Doomsy (a last-minute replacement for Dr. Staff).

As your first assignment, please explain to me what is wrong with this sentence…

“Dr. King showed us that a life of conscious and purpose can lift up many souls, and on this ground a monument will rise that preserves his legacy for the ages…”

That’s not the entire sentence, but that’s enough.

The Free Online Dictionary defines “conscious” (adj.) as follows…

- Having an awareness of one's environment and one's own existence, sensations, and thoughts.
- Mentally perceptive or alert; awake

Yes, I realize that this wouldn’t describe our president and he surely must be talking about someone else (bonus points for anyone who mentioned that).

However, the main point here is that the word “conscious” is an adjective and to state that someone lived “a life of conscious” is nonsense. However, in the event that the president meant to say that “Dr. King lived a life of conscience,” he would be correct (vague, but correct – Dr. King is worthy of this and other accolades in accordance with this story).

What is even more preposterous than the fact that this was uttered by the President of the United States is that it was dutifully recorded BY A MAJOR ONLINE NEWS ORGANIZATION WITH NO ANNOTATION DENOTING THAT IT IS GRAMMATICALLY INCORRECT!

What was that? Oh, I’m sorry – you’re now telling me that some of you want to transfer? Well, seeing as how it’s not required for your declared major, it’s OK by me.

I know there wasn’t much of a line at registration for Introduction to Basket Weaving or Bowling Theory and Concepts, so you may be in luck. Class Dismissed.

Update: And speaking of Dubya, here's the latest from Ann Coulter...

President Bush says he is protecting us from terrorism and terrorists. Well, so far he's been in the White House six years. We have had 9/11 and four years of the going nowhere War in Iraq. To date, 3,000 troops killed, 20,000 in veterans hospitals, a flood of illegal immigrants crossing the Mexican border. How many are terrorists? I don't think our country can stand anymore (sic) of him.

It's about time President Bush and the Republican Party took responsibility and stopped blaming the Democratic Party. We managed to win World War II in four years. What is taking you so long, Mr. Bush? Maybe because we, the Democrats, had a plan.

Once again, that would be Ann Coulter of Bensalem, Pa., and her letter to the editor appeared in the Bucks County Courier Times this morning.