Conversation Starter
The visceral reaction I've had to the election showed me how much I care - how important this is. This being my country. We're divided. There is a gap of understanding. Actually, it's more than a gap. It's a chasm. A gulf. Willingly allowed by both sides. Neither side can fathom how the others can be so "wrong."
Maybe there is no understanding. Maybe I'm naive. But I don't think I am. And I don't feel that I am.
So, whatever we're doing - us liberals - need to change it. One place to start is to look at the conservatives, who by the standards of our political system, have won - for now. We need to learn what the conservatives have done to sway the people and do it better.
My hypothesis is that conservatives have appropriated language in such a way that tugs the heart strings, elicits trust and therefore there is no further need to question their authority. Engaging the emotions, then following up with your case is one of the oldest fundraising tactics and very effective. Duh! This works on me. Remind me that I care, show me that we agree, give me a good case once - and I'll likely take your word on other issues. This is highly convenient in our busy lives.
Whether we (Californians) see them or not, there are a lot of Christians. Conservatives connected with them on issues that evoke a lot of emotions - abortion and gay marriage. The evils of these were espoused from the pulpit. Conservative's positions were santioned by the Word of God. Murder is wrong. Homosexuals are heathens. Case closed. " I will never vote for anyone who kills babies and lets gays marry," said a 74 year old rural Missouri woman who has missed probably only four Sunday Services in her entire life and those because she was in the hospital recovering from surgery and has been voting Republican her entire life - for economic reasons. Otherwise known as my Grandmother, a woman whom I deeply love but still don't understand.
Christian values were more powerful that we thought. Conservatives very effectively used language to emotionalize two issues and solidify the vote based on those. That war is murder and our nation has a debt that will take generations to repay don't matter anymore.
Our job is to take back the language and remind everyone of the Values of Equality, Freedom and Justice that our America stands for!
As for me, first I'm going to brush up on my history and let Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, Martin Luther King, Jr, and Malcolm X be my inspirations and teach me the courage to help this world become the place of Equality, and Freedom that I know it can.
Things to consider:
"As Martin Luther King wrote in his 'Letter from a Birmingham Jail,' '' Jacques said, "there is no convenient time to ask those who oppose equality to think more kindly about it." - Cheryl Jacques, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign, after the 2004 election. (GAY MARRIAGE: Did issue help re-elect Bush? SFC, Carolyn Lochhead, Chronicle Washington Bureau 11/4/04)
Interview with George Lakoff
www.michaelmoore.com: 17 reasons not to slit your wrists
Pissed is an okay way to be.
The Declaration of Independence
The Constitution
The Bill of Rights
Stand and Fight
Maybe there is no understanding. Maybe I'm naive. But I don't think I am. And I don't feel that I am.
So, whatever we're doing - us liberals - need to change it. One place to start is to look at the conservatives, who by the standards of our political system, have won - for now. We need to learn what the conservatives have done to sway the people and do it better.
My hypothesis is that conservatives have appropriated language in such a way that tugs the heart strings, elicits trust and therefore there is no further need to question their authority. Engaging the emotions, then following up with your case is one of the oldest fundraising tactics and very effective. Duh! This works on me. Remind me that I care, show me that we agree, give me a good case once - and I'll likely take your word on other issues. This is highly convenient in our busy lives.
Whether we (Californians) see them or not, there are a lot of Christians. Conservatives connected with them on issues that evoke a lot of emotions - abortion and gay marriage. The evils of these were espoused from the pulpit. Conservative's positions were santioned by the Word of God. Murder is wrong. Homosexuals are heathens. Case closed. " I will never vote for anyone who kills babies and lets gays marry," said a 74 year old rural Missouri woman who has missed probably only four Sunday Services in her entire life and those because she was in the hospital recovering from surgery and has been voting Republican her entire life - for economic reasons. Otherwise known as my Grandmother, a woman whom I deeply love but still don't understand.
Christian values were more powerful that we thought. Conservatives very effectively used language to emotionalize two issues and solidify the vote based on those. That war is murder and our nation has a debt that will take generations to repay don't matter anymore.
Our job is to take back the language and remind everyone of the Values of Equality, Freedom and Justice that our America stands for!
As for me, first I'm going to brush up on my history and let Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, Martin Luther King, Jr, and Malcolm X be my inspirations and teach me the courage to help this world become the place of Equality, and Freedom that I know it can.
Things to consider:
"As Martin Luther King wrote in his 'Letter from a Birmingham Jail,' '' Jacques said, "there is no convenient time to ask those who oppose equality to think more kindly about it." - Cheryl Jacques, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign, after the 2004 election. (GAY MARRIAGE: Did issue help re-elect Bush? SFC, Carolyn Lochhead, Chronicle Washington Bureau 11/4/04)
Interview with George Lakoff
www.michaelmoore.com: 17 reasons not to slit your wrists
Pissed is an okay way to be.
The Declaration of Independence
The Constitution
The Bill of Rights
Stand and Fight
Labels: politics
2 Comments:
My thought of the week re: using the language of values to support progressive policies. A values-based perspective in support of marriage equality.
V - Will you road-test this with grandma next time you talk with her, and let me know how she responds? This is an argument that at least I have not tried before -- to appeal to the same value of "sanctity" that the right-wing has so far used against this fight for equal rights:
(Written as if addressed to someone who is using the argument that marriage is sacred and "defined" as being between one man and one woman, and why can't we just settle for civil union) --
"Yes," you say. "I agree that marriage is sacred. But WHY is marriage sacred? Think about it: When you got married, that feeling of magic, sanctity...where did it stem from? Certainly not the gender of the person standing across from you! Not tax breaks! What was sacred was your love and commitment to each other, and the choice to stand together and support each other for the rest of your lives. That is why marriage is sacred, why marriage is unique, and that is why we must not deny anyone the right to marry the person that they love."
-jess
I likely won't road test this with my Grandma the next time I talk with her because I want to talk with her the time after that too. I will try
this argument when I get the chance though, just not on the matriarch of my family. It's hard enough finding common ground with her. I talk with
them so infrequently, and they're so set in they're ways I don't want to spend energy fighting a battle I know will only cause hurt between them and I. I love them even though we are different. Even though it makes me sad, I'm ok with them being different from me. I would rather spend my time reminding them that it's ok for me to be different because i'm a good person too that they love.
Plus, While your argument might work on some, i doubt it will work on her and others who have the bible behind them - because of how the
bible says that homosexuality is wrong. I won't try any argument with her until I have some bible to back me up.
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