As America's homophobic newsroom, Fox News is so desperate to show that a proposal to use gender neutral terms, in our federal code, is an "attack" on "traditional marriage." Yesterday, Fox & Friends introduced us to its newest victimization meme - a war, not on Christians or Christmas, but words!
As Newshounds Ellen reported, the Fox News slime site, Fox Nation ran with a Washington Examiner article about how a proposal by Congressional Democrats, to update government terminology to reflect same sex marriage, is a "war" on the words "husband" and "wife." (Very important language for the patriarchy.) Yesterday, Koch brothers' tool and Fox friend, Pete Hegseth, brought the outrage to TV.
After the patented "PC" police cartoon, Koch brothers tool Peter Hegseth immediately framed the agitprop: "New attack on traditional marriage that could keep you from [OMG] ever hearing the words husband and wife again from the federal government." The banner framed the propaganda message: " 'Term' Limits, Liberal Left Attacks Traditional Marriage." An irate Hegseth reported that some congressional Democrats have introduced legislation to [OMG]"expunge" those sacred words from federal laws and replace them with gender neutral terms. The visual was a repeat of the "PC" Police thing as Hegseth asked "is this necessary."
In introducing his first guest, Hegseth quipped "ladies first" and added that if the nasty PC police got their way, he wouldn't be able to say that. He asked Christy Setzer, of "New Heights Communication and former Howard Dean spokeswoman to explain the law and, in working in more agitprop, asked "where does this end, where does expunging gender from our code end."
As the banner proclaimed that this is a "War on Words" by the Democrats, Setzer assured the panicked audience that any change would not extend to religious ceremonies, the privacy of the home, and the workplace. She explained that now that same sex marriage is legal there is no need to differentiate between same sex and traditional marriage because it's all the same under the law. The banner reinforced the agitprop despite Setzer's commentary: "No More 'Husband' Or Wife."
Hegseth read commentary, from a sponsoring legislator, which supported Setzer's enumeration of the practical reasons for this newest, bogus, Fox "war." Hegseth was clearly irritated as he asked if the departure of "husband and wife," from the federal code, is "inevitable" because of what the evil Supreme Court decided.
Amos Snead, former Capitol Hill staffer, whined about political correctness and added that "lots of people enjoy the title of husband, enjoy the title of wife." In invoking the mythical slippery slope that obviously, for Fox News, is the highway to hell, Snead said the doesn't know "what's next" and "how far we will go." The accompanying banner just might be the most insane banner evah: "War on Weddings."
When he opined that Congress shouldn't be involved, Hegseth said "great point" and asked Setzer if Congress should be involved. He sputtered "where does it end, not just with that but why gender at all." He wanted to know if it eventually will go to "male and female." (He so doesn't get it!)
Setzer, again, attempted to explain how gender based assumptions are becoming obsolete and that this doesn't have anything to do with anything outside of government language. The banner kept up the paranoia: "Spouse and Spouse, Dems Push End to Husband and Wife." Hegseth had to get the last propaganda message in with his comment that this debate, about political correctness and the law, will continue.
Fox News does love its wars - but gender neutral bureaucratic language is a war on marriage. Seriously? I would love to think that Fox is just trolling us but, sadly, they're for real. And remind me, who is really waging a "war on words?"
Christy Setzer said intelligent and realistic things.
Hell, I live in Alabama, and even Alabama’s tax return forms use “Your” and “Spouse.”
If your tax return doesn’t demand the antiquated use of “husband” and “wife,” why should any other government forms? Even most job applications and a W-4 form have abandoned “husband” and “wife” in favor of the neutral “spouse.”
And I’m pretty certain “spouse” has been standard on all these forms for a couple of decades—even before marriage equality was a concept. It was done because—SURPRISE!—women actually work outside the house for real income. Even married women work outside the house.
I’d also like to point out that nobody’s talking about the term “Ms.” anymore, so give it time.
