The Exorcist steps and logic

Throughout the past year, I've walked a rather famous set of stairs on a weekly basis. When I head in to campus (depending on which building I'm going to), I sometimes walk the stairs commonly known as "The Exorcist Steps." (*cue gloomy, haunting music that is constantly playing when you walk down them*)

In truth, there is no haunting music, and the stone stairway is only scary because when you stand at the bottom and look up, you realize how far it is (75 steps with only 2 landings), and when you stand at the top and look down, you realize how far it is (and pray you don't trip and fall).

I was walking these steps after taking my Comprehensive Exam (the one that if I don't pass, I don't get my MA), and while my brain may have been mush by that time, this is what I saw:

"Killing people is rude"

My brain may have been mush by this point, but evidently not as mushy as the person who decided to stencil this not-so-intelligent saying half way down the Exorcist steps. Killing people is many things. Killing people is illegal. Killing people is wrong. Killing people is bad. Killing people is mean. Even killing people is stupid. But "Killing people is rude?"

It made me wonder if the author of this trite phrase had spent too many lonely hours watching reruns of old Full House episodes in which the middle daughter, Stephanie, responds to anything she doesn't like with, "How rude!" (I tried it once. I got in big trouble for it. My parents thought the response "how rude" was rude itself, and I was sent to my room and threatened with worse punishment if it ever happened again.)

If you're a fan of The Exorcist (It's only fair to point out here that I've never seen the movie, nor do I plan to.) I'll be happy to take you to visit the famous filming location. If we're lucky it'll be a warm, sunny day, and those either drunk or foolish enough to invent such phrases as "Killing people is rude" will have stayed home, so we can enjoy the site without poor logic ruining the experience.