"Don't Say Gay"

[Benjamin Barrett]

On Feb 16, 2012, at 8:15 PM, Victor Steinbok wrote:

> That's the name of the Tennessee bill that prohibits the discussion of
> any gay issues in schools prior to 9th grade. But this is not why I am
> forwarding this. John DeBerry (D-Memphis) made an argument in support of
> the proposition:
>
>> The basic right as an American is my right to life, my right to
>> liberty and my right to the pursuit of happiness. Within that includes
>> being able to run my home, raise my children as I see fit and to
>> indoctrinate them as I see fit.
>
> What got my attention was the beginning of the second sentence, "within
> that includes..." that treats "within that" as a subject.
>
>     VS-)

Interesting catch. And it sounds perfectly normal, evidence that grammar is a construction fabricated from patterns in speech.

Benjamin Barrett
Seattle, WA

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