January 20, 2009

If for NO OTHER REASON but this fucked up, utterly gross, and completely telling statement from George W. Bush, January 20, 2009 cannot fucking come fast enough.

Q: Tell us about your future son-in-law, Henry Hager. Did he do right and
ask for Jenna’s hand?

The President: “He kind of sidled up to me and said, ‘Can I come and see you?’ We were sitting outside the presidential cabin here, and he professed his love for Jenna and said, would I mind if he married her? And I said, ‘Got a deal.’ [Laughter] And I’m of the school, once you make the sale, move on. But he had some other points he wanted [to make]. He wanted to talk about how he would be financially responsible.”

Via Feministing, who declared this their "Sexist Quote of the Year."

Point of clarification: it's not the asking that is so problematic, because I would like Speed to check in with my fam and make sure they are down with the whole marriage thing. I know that many feminists take huge issue with men asking womens' parents about marriage, but that is a department of the feminist movement that I am not 100% on board with. I agree that a lot of traditions, particularly wedding traditions, have their roots in sexist and oppressive meaning, but I believe that a lot of that inherent sexism has sort of worn off over time. I don't want to get married in a white dress because I want to advertise my highly valued virginity (heeeeeeeeeeh), I want to get married in a white dress because my Mom and my grandmothers got married in white dresses, and THAT is the tradition I care about. I don't want Speed to give me a ring or ask my parents for permission as part of a business transaction, I want the ring because a.) we found one I like, and b.) I like the idea of advertising that I am with someone who I plan to hunker down with forever. I want him to ask my parents so he and I both know that they are on board with the plan, and so that THEY know that we care about their opinion. My negative reaction to this quote isn't about the actual action, it's about Bush actually clinging TO the negative connotation from which the action sprung.

Seriously, how is this douchebag in charge of ANYTHING, much less a country?