Off-color rhetoric is typically part of the landscape at political rallies. It’s on placards, on caps, on T-shirts, you name it. But when it is taken up by elected officials who are participating in the events alongside everyday civilians, R-rated verbiage can turn heads – especially among their political rivals.

That’s when it is most likely to get noticed, even in a crowd like the one at last Saturday’s Women’s March through downtown Denver.

And that’s when fingers wag; it’s when those involved have their judgment questioned – especially if children were present – and critics issue told-ya-sos. Of course, photos of the offending language are likely to turn up at some point in campaign mailers. Or, on a Facebook page. Or, at least, in a political blog.

Hence, a post this week by the conservative Colorado Peak Politics – the right’s watchdog over all matters left-of-center in the state – chiding some political celebs for letting it all hang out in the march. In an article snarkily titled, “Stay classy, Democrats: Women’s march reveals Democratic legislators’ crudeness,” the blog published photos from the event depicting some elected officials in what the blogger thought were unflattering ways. Among the pics were these of Democratic state Rep. Alec Garnett, of Denver, and Sadie Hansen of ProgressNow Colorado.

It’s the T-shirt of course that caught the blogger’s eye. One is displayed for the camera by the lawmaker, and Hansen dons one in the other photo. We try to keep things PG-13, so we blotted out some of the slogan. (Here’s the link again to Colorado Peak Politics’ full post, including an unexpurgated view of the T-shirt.)

The sentiment behind the play on words is pretty straightforward and arguably consistent with one of the themes of the march. As to the attempt at humor, some no doubt find it funny; some, kind of crude; some, downright offensive. And yet others might shrug.

Does Colorado Peak Politics make a reasonable point in singling out a public official like Garnett (son of Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett) for proudly displaying the wording? Some might contend having untold thousands of the shirts in a crowd hardly makes for a family-friendly setting, yet there’s the lawmaker holding a child with plenty of other families in attendance.

The slogan has been associated with fundraising for the group Planned Parenthood. Does that legitimize it? Is the blog making much of a small matter? Well, would parents permit their small children to use such language? Would schoolteachers?

And here’s one more awkward question: Would House Speaker Crisanta Duran allow Rep. Garnett to use such language at the podium? Just askin’.