Family values

Posted by R. Berg on August 06, 2004

In Reply to: Family values posted by ESC on August 06, 2004

: : : Greetings all,

: : : Taking time from my holiday for a question that has come up. Does anyone know who coined the term "family values"? I'm guessing it originates in the late 70's/ early 80's and that it is political jargon but I'd like to know for sure.

: : : All is well here in spite of the 3 foot long reptile lurking in the basement.

: : : Regards,
: : : Camel

: : Where are you? What is that reptile? I sincerely hope your family values will ensure you are well protected!!!!

: Well, it says here:

: "(Vice President Dan) Quayle coined the term 'family values,' and though no one could define exactly what he was talking about, politicians and commentators soon began rhapsodizing about the concept as though it had real meaning. Quayle's most famous campaign was an attack on the sitcom 'Murphy Brown,' but he had other things to say, too.

: 'We're not going to redefine the family. Everybody knows the definition of the family. A child. A mother. A father. There are other arrangements of the family, but that is a family and family values.'

: Quayle said this in 1989, yet the 1990 census showed that during the preceding decade, 64% of American families were not composed of a child or children, and a married mother and father."

: From "How They Stole Morality" by Diane E. Dees, September 24, 2002, Democratic Underground. www.democraticunderground.com/ articles/02/09/p/24_morality.html Accessed August 5, 2004.

Well, Quayle didn't exactly say the child's parents had to be married, did he? Let alone married to each other.

• Family values Word Camel 07/August/04