Why is there no natural syntax for accessing attributes with names not being valid identifiers?

[Roy Smith]

In article <mailman.3594.1386203271.18130.python-list at python.org>,
 Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed at ix.netcom.com> wrote:

> 	Spaces? I present to you two FORTRAN statements
> 
> 	DO 10 I = 3           .           14159
> and
> 	DO10I = 3           ,               1 4 1 5 9
> 
> Which is the loop and which is the assignment?

I know it's rude to quote oneself, but:

http://www.python.org/doc/humor/#bad-habits