[Ads-l] WE KEEP US SAFE

[Mark Mandel]

"WE KEEP US SAFE" is the headline of a sign posted on many light poles and
other locations in my neighborhood in Philadelphia. It seems to be a flawed
reflexive, where the object, though semantically identical to the subject,
is in the simple accusative rather than the reflexive.

But I think the writer was seeing a semantic difference: addressing *each
reader* with a call to action to protect *the entire community*: "We
[individually] keep us [collectively] safe." I've redacted the name and
address.

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NOTICE OF CEASE & DESIST AGAINST
**************
LANDLORD AT ***************

1. HE HAS NO RENTAL LICENSE
2. HE HAS BEEN OPENLY HARASSING, ABUSING, AND TAMPERING WITH THE UTILITIES
OF HIS TENANTS
3. HE IS KNOWN TO ASSAULT NEIGHBORS AND BYSTANDERS ON THE STREET

BE AWARE!
WE KEEP US SAFE!
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Opinions?

— Mark Mandel

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