GK: After this message from the Professional Organization of English Majors. Sentence consruction is so important and a badly-constructed sentence can cause confusion for years and years. Like this one.
TR: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
GK: What does this mean? Anybody can have a gun? Or just people who belong to a Militia? Or just people on the fringe?
TR: A well regulated Militia, comma, being necessary to the security of a free State, comma, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, comma, shall not be infringed, period. -- That means I can have this gun and if you want to take it away from me, English major-- go ahead. Make my day. (GUNSHOT)
GK: The shot went wildly off target as the English major, moving with the swiftness of a puma, kicked the gun out of the non-Militiaman's hand --(
TR: OOOFFF) -- and simultaneously pressed his thumb to the gunman's right temporal lobe , directing blood to the syntax cortex.
TR: I no longer feel the urge to bear arms, now that acupressure has made me aware of the power of words. Thanks, English Major.
GK: A message from the Professional Organization of English Majors.