Fox News Gets Angry About Dictionary Definition Of ‘Anti Vaxxer’

During an appearance on Fox News on Monday, Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen was asked by host Dana Perrino about Merriam Webster changing the definition of "anti-vaxxer" to include people who oppose vaccine mandates. While this issue should have been a giant "who cares?" moment, Thiessen questioned why the dictionary writers were allowed to comment on public health issues. Ring of Fire's Farron Cousins talks about this ridiculous moment.

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*This transcript was generated by a third-party transcription software company, so please excuse any typos.

You know, there isn't much that doesn't outrage Fox news and on Monday, Fox news got furious about Merriam-Webster, you know, the dictionary company, changing the definition of the word anti-vaxxer. Without spoiling it, take a look at this absolutely ridiculous segment that Fox news put out because apparently they have nothing better to talk about. Here it is.

They could have explained it a little bit better. But I wanted to point this out as well. You brought this to our attention in a tweet this morning that you did that there is a new definition in Merriam-Webster's dictionary. This is not a joke, folks, that changes the definition of an anti-vaxxer to a person who opposes the use of vaccines or regulations mandating vaccination. You're a wordsmith. I know that having worked with you in the past. This makes no sense.

No, it doesn't. And look, first of all, who appointed Merriam-Webster? I didn't realize they were public health experts, uh, the, to, to decide what is the definition of an anti-vaxxer. Second of all, I'm vaxxed, I'm boosted, uh, but I oppose mandates. Does that mean, make me an anti-vaxxer? Dr. S, my AEI colleague Dr. Scott Gottlieb former FDA commissioner, uh, is, is opposed to vaccine mandates. He's on the board of Pfizer. So when your definition of anti-vaxxer includes a member of the board of Pfizer, which produced the vaccines, you're probably getting it wrong.

That guest, by the way, is Marc Thiessen who did serve in fact, as a speech writer for George W. Bush, he also served as a speech writer for Donald Rumsfeld. He's also a contributor to the Washington Post. So the guy knows his way around words, right? I mean, that's what Dana Perino, the host was getting at. You're a wordsmith, I've seen it in action. Um, you're really gonna take dictionary advice, you know, about the meaning of words from a guy that worked for an administration that tried to redefine what torture is, you know, oh, it's not torture. It's enhanced interrogation. Yeah. You want to talk about changing definitions of words. I think your history, Marc Thiessen, speaks for itself on this. The people you worked for were masters of manipulating language in order to get what they wanted.

But more importantly, because you didn't bring any of that up in the segment, of course, because, you know, that's your legacy and you don't wanna, you don't wanna remind people of how horrible you are as a human being. But, uh, who cares? I mean, really who cares? They've changed the definition of anti-vaxxer to include individuals who are against vaccine mandates. Against, anti, vaccine mandates, vax. You see, see, see how the, see how the words go together against vaccine, anti-vax. I don't know, seems pretty accurate to me. But of course this prompts these individuals, and I've seen plenty of them online as well saying, how can I be anti-vax when I've gotten the vaccine and I've gotten the booster. Encouraging others to not get the vaccine, casting doubt on the efficacy of the vaccine, that's anti-vaxer crap.

I mean, Bobby Kennedy Jr. has been vaccinated, not with COVID as far as I know, but he's freely admitted that he's had all of his other vaccinations. Yet, he is also out there encouraging people to not get the vaccine. That would qualify as an anti-vaxer, who has had vaccines in the past. Same thing with most of the anti-vaxer movement.