Virtue Signaling Gone Wrong: People Saying "Awoman" After "Amen" Is Peak Cringe
By Mustafa GatollariJan. 5 2021, Published 3:22 p.m. ET
If you hop onto social media, it won't take you very long to see that there are clear divides between two schools of thought. When it comes to the world of politics, it's simplified between "liberal" and "conservative" mindsets. While there are minor squabbles and "cancellations" between these two groups, generally, people take a reductionist approach to online arguments and either go the GOP or DNC route. Or "cancel culture" vs. "political correctness," which is what's happening with this amen and awoman prayer.
Yes, you read that right, someone said, "awoman" after "amen" in a prayer.
Emanuel Cleaver, while saying a prayer before the 117th meeting of Congress, ended his speech by saying "awoman" after "amen." Many took that as an attempt on Cleaver's behalf to be unnecessarily "politically correct." Pretty soon, the thread devolved into a general discussion about the pitfalls of identity politics, with many folks arguing that a long-running "liberal strategy" in securing DNC support was to focus on identity issues over policies.
A prayer opening the 117th Congress concluded, "Amen and a woman."
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) January 4, 2021
"Amen" translates to "so be it." pic.twitter.com/SIGBtgLk5v
But for the most part, people wanted to point out that "awoman" is not only an entirely, newly fabricated word, but within the context of a prayer, it makes zero sense.
The definition of "amen" roughly translates to "so be it." It's an affirmation at the end of a prayer that's been used in a variety of different religions and cultural traditions for thousands of years.
Friar Matthew Schneider tweeted about the origin of "amen" as well: "For the record, AMEN comes from the Hebrew root אמן ('MN) which is the verb to be firm, confirmed, reliable, faithful, have faith, believe. 1. It has nothing to do with the word 'men.' 2. Most verb roots are 3 consonants in Hebrew, the first here is a silent consonant though."
He pointed out that the word has nothing to do with gender, along with some context surrounding its Hebraic roots.
For the record, AMEN comes from the Hebrew root אמן ('MN) which is the verb to be firm, confirmed, reliable, faithful, have faith, believe.
— Fr Matthew Schneider LC 🤴🤴🤴 (@FrMatthewLC) January 4, 2021
1. It has nothing to do with the word "men."
2. Most verb roots are 3 consonants in Hebrew, the first here is a silent consonant though
Others also pointed to other religious traditions that used the word, again, in instances that don't pertain to praising or referencing specific genders.
How ignorant can they be ?!!! And by the way, Amen might come from arabic, أمين , which means honest, faithful, truthful.
— Rose (@r_kelada) January 5, 2021
There were a large number of individuals who couldn't believe that Cleaver was an ordained minister with doctorates who still didn't know the meaning of "amen."
And he is an ordained minister ? with doctorates ? And does not know the meaning of Amen ?! How ridiculous !!!
— Rose (@r_kelada) January 5, 2021
This is from @LeftistsLexicon :
— Captain Spaulding (@Captain56949877) January 4, 2021
I want this man to be my mentor and womentor. I'm glad he's trying to make amends and womends for the sexist mentality and womentality in our culture. Everyone should be amenable and awomenable to such amendments and awomendments to our language.
But for every person who was outraged, there were others who didn't think that adding awoman, albeit "incorrectly" to the end of the prayer, was the worst transgression someone could make.
Others thought it was just a nice gesture that was maybe wrongly injected into a situation, while others thought that it was somewhat of a tongue-in-cheek joke meant to rustle the jimmies of a few people who would most definitely get their jimmies rustled by a saying such as that.
I think EVERYONE should make a Big Ridiculous deal of this, as we just have Nothing else to discuss as a Nation. Smh.
— ⭕Piper (@dontfukwitmeh) January 4, 2021
All the outrage but no “patriots” defending the separation of church and state and asking why they are even praying. It’s almost like it’s always for show and nobody actually cares about the Bible or the constitution unless it’s conveniently justifying their cemented view.
— Red-Eyes B. Lives Matter (@Agilesalmon) January 4, 2021
Emanuel Cleaver is a Methodist minister with a Master of Divinity degree from St. Paul School of theology
— DerekAitken (@DerekAitken) January 4, 2021
He was the pastor of a church from 1972 until 2009
Then there were other people who couldn't believe that a prayer was being held at Congress in the first place and that the United States should defend and respect "the separation of church and state" as much as possible.
It baffles me that supposedly educated people believe in magical sky fairies.
— Matt Clarke #FFS! (@matts_musings) January 4, 2021
These people are so ridiculous. Who are they even praying to? Why bother.
— JayandZaeMimi (@JayandZae) January 4, 2021
What do you think? Is this a case of political correctness gone wrong? Or should people just lighten up and put their stock in other issues of "more significance"?
