"The unseen pillars of civilization..."

[Robb]

from the pre-release text of the SOTU:

"We are living in a time of great change. Yet some things endure: Courage and compassion, reverence and integrity, respect for differences of faith and race. The values we try to live by never change. And they are instilled in us by fundamental institutions, such as families, and schools, and religious congregations. These institutions, the unseen pillars of civilization, must remain strong in America."

Anyone else sketched out by "fundamental" and "religious" so close together? Or am I just a dingbat?

[ewagner]

1. Dingbatism notwithstanding......

the juxtaposition of the words frames the argument. Good catch.

[Robb]

2. I'll be interested

...to see if he's got a bad enough coaching team to tell him to emphasize those words.

[Cleita]

3. Sounds like words from a superman comic book.

The first part anyway. The second part about the fundamental institutions sure is part of the mantra of the right to look like only they are the people who are moral,hard working and patriotic.

[leftyandproud]

4. *GAG*

my personal response to hearing that...

[Must_B_Free]

5. How exactly are they Unseen?

As they should be, in the eyes of the government?

And then he trys to pretend that they are being discriminated against in not receiving funds from our taxes.

[renegade000]

6. ascending tricolon crescendoing on the religious institutions

although, perhaps i give to much credit to his speechwriters for such a rhetorical analysis.

[neebob]

7. I was surprised he didn't say "fundamentalist institutions."