The song seems to be a sort of screenplay where dumb-ass sons are ridiculed. It's making fun of the ignorant, sexist sons, and Bess wins in the end.

I think people who don't pay attention, or can't get the underlying meaning, are going to think the song's about the worst possible thing. The fact is, though, that we're living in a time of people who "don't get it" thinking they should be running things.

And for the record, I wouldn't sing this song because of them.