Bag and Baggage

 

It was more than a year ago that I first heard Fox News refer to Hillary Clinton as having ‘baggage.’ At the time I thought, ‘odd turn of phrase.’ The term has since crept into the general political discussion when talking about women, but rarely for anything else. I suspect it was Frank Luntz, that extraordinary Republican propagandist who came up with it, and as usual, mission accomplished.

Men have resume`s, voting records, reputations and histories. “Hillary has baggage.” Carpet bagger? Bag lady? Old bag. Yes, old bags have baggage. That’s the set of brain cells that fire off when talking about women.

Frank Luntz wrote the book on the subject of using certain words to evoke emotions and sway opinions, but I suppose he has apostles among the neo-cons capable of the same propaganda. After all, Goebbels didn’t run the Nazi propaganda machine alone. I’m sure Luntz has a think tank. But the term baggage is every bit as effective as all Luntz’s other nasty creations. Perhaps he even deserves to have the process named after him, like Luntzism or Luntzer, or Luntzheader.

Want to make sexism an issue in this campaign? Want to quiet women down with an implication of “are you an old bag too?” Baggage is the word you want. Nothing ends a conversation faster than name-calling, but subtle name-calling acts like a virus, polluting the conversation.

No more baggage. If someone has something negative to say about a woman’s resume, voting record, or reputation make them explain it in specific terms.

Nancy Sherer

 

 


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