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September 1, 2012
Food/Drink

“If vegetarians love animals so much, why do they eat all their food?”

"If vegetarians love animals so much, why do they eat all their food?" is a jocular saying that has been printed on several signs. The saying has been cited in print since at least 2000…

June 30, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If voting changed anything, they’d make it illegal”

Entry in progress -- B.P. [This entry was prepared with the assistance of Garson O'Toole, the Quote Investigator.] “If vaccines worked, only the elite would be vaccinated” is a similar…

March 31, 2024
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If war and infrastructure spending helps the economy, why don’t we just bomb our own cities?”

"If war and infrastructure spending helps the economy, why don't we just bomb our own cities?" is shown on a meme, as posted on Facebook by Tung Nguyen on March 19, 2024. Authorship…

April 20, 2018
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If wars can be started by lies, then peace can be started by truth”

"If wars can be started by lies, (then) peace can be started by truth" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Julian Assange, the director of WikiLeaks, said at an anti-war…

May 14, 2021
Work/Businesses

“If we all just stay home for 2 weeks, we could flatten the gas shortage curve”

A temporary closure of the Colonial Pipeline in May 2021 caused gas shortages in the United States. Some people applied Coivd-19 (coronavirus) pandemic logic to the problem. "Maybe if everyone…

January 16, 2020
Education/Schools

“If we all just switched to cursive and stick shift cars, we could cripple a generation”

People don't write in cursive or drive stick shift cars like they used to. "If we all just switched to cursive and stick shift cars, we could cripple an entire generation" is a…

April 26, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If we all stay inside a bit longer, then maybe we can starve mosquitos to extinction”

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic caused people to quarantine in their homes. Many people wondered if all the mosquitoes would starve because of the lack of humans to bite. "Mosquitos are…

March 29, 2025
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If we are pronounced dead when our heart stops, why are we not pronounced alive when our heart starts?”

"If we are pronounced dead when our heart stops, why are we not pronounced alive when our heart starts?" is a pro-life (anti-abortion) saying that has been printed on many images.…

June 23, 2016
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If we are to live together, we have to talk”

Former U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) met with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev (1894-1971) at her Manhattan home in October 1960. Roosevelt explained the situation (as cited in the…

March 1, 2010
Food/Drink

“If we are what we eat, I’m fast, cheap and easy”

The food phrase "you are what you eat" is taken from a phrase by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826): "Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are." Many…

September 20, 2012
Food/Drink

“If we aren’t supposed to eat animals, why are they made out of meat?”

"If we aren't supposed to eat animals, why are they made out of meat?" is a humorous saying that has been put on T-shirts and has been included in many collections of one-line…

March 19, 2023
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If we become less white who’s gonna play that funky music?”

"Play that funky music, white boy" is a line in the song "Play That Funky Music" (1976) by Wild Cherry. The line had been suggested to the band while playing to a predominantly…

June 13, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If we can just get through this month, we only have one more month to go before we need to get through another month”

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic made people take things day by day. "If we can just get through this month, we only have one more month to go before we need to get through another…

February 20, 2025
Work/Businesses

“If we can just get through this month, we only have one more month to go before we need to get through another month”

"If we can just get through this month, we only have one more month to go before we need to get through another month" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Many people…

October 19, 2013
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If we can’t be equally rich, we can at least be equally poor”

Entry in progress -- B.P. Google BooksCome Wind, Come WeatherBy Daphne du MaurierNew York NY: Doubleday, Doran1941Pg. 48:"We must all be equal now," he said. "If we can't be…

March 28, 2025
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If we can’t say someone is dead until their heart stops beating, why can’t we say someone is alive when their heart starts beating?”

"If we are pronounced dead when our heart stops, why are we not pronounced alive when our heart starts?" is a pro-life (anti-abortion) saying that has been printed on many images.…

January 22, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If we can’t trust people with freedom, how can we trust them with power?”

"If you can't trust people with freedom, how can you trust people with power?" is a political saying that has been printed on many images. "If we can't trust people with…

May 28, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If we continue wearing masks, the next generation will think a mouth is a private part”

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic resulted in many requirements to wear face masks. "I think Americans would even accept mandatory face masks over isolation. I predict by next year, the human…

November 16, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If we divide 123 genders by white supremacy, how much climate change do we have?”

"If we divide 123 genders by white supremacy, how much climate change do we have?" (also "If you divide 170 genders by white supremacy... how much climate change do you have?")…

February 13, 2015
Work/Businesses

“If we don’t have it, you don’t need it” (store sign)

"If you need it, we have it" is a business slogan that has been advertised since at least 1907. "If we don't have it, you don't need it" is a business slogan that has…

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BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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