Do Not Despair!
From: Jessica Nusbaum
Sent: Thu, Nov 04, 2004 11:28 pm
Subject: Do Not Despair!
Friends,
Do not despair. Don't be depressed. Get Angry! That's right, let yourself get good and mad.
There is no denying that there are dark days ahead. But it is always darkest before the dawn -- and the good news is, we do not even have to wait passively for dawn to arrive. WE ARE the sun that will rise. The conservative extremists rule by fear; but anger is stronger than fear. The fire of our anger will ignite a new star, a new sun that will rise from the darkness.
1. Do not despair. The people who are on the fence -- the true "undecideds" who are torn between conservative and liberal values, the people who went to the polls and voted for Kerry or voted for Bush but either way didn't really feel good about it -- they sense it when we despair. They can smell it. When we see ourselves as "losers", guess what? We LOOK like losers. And from the perspective of the "undecideds", who wants to play for the losing team?
2. Do not buy into their message. Do not buy into their spin. Now, I'm sure you're thinking, are you crazy? I disagree with everything they say! Why on earth would I buy into their message? But I'm not talking about their policy messages -- I'm talking about something that runs much deeper.
In the wake of the election, the right-wing message machine has gone into overdrive, repeating their interpretation of the results. Their message is that the American people have given George Bush and the Republicans a mandate to govern. Don't buy it just because it's for sale everywhere. THESE ARE NOT PURE FACTS. The right-wing spin doctors are using a particular subset of the facts in order to create a frame of thinking.
You wonder, how can I say this? Perhaps you are thinking, but the facts are all on their side!
NO! The facts are NOT all on their side. They are simply choosing to repeat the facts that tell their version of the story. How about this fact: "A record number of us voted to change course. More Americans voted against George Bush than any sitting president in history."
That is what I'm talking about.
So when someone argues, "it wasn't just the Presidential race; it's also the new seats that the Republicans won in the House and the Senate and even the governor's races", how do you respond?
If your response is, "I know! It's awful! How did this happen? How did this country become so conservative, so right-wing?" then you are reinforcing their frame; you are buying into the mindset that they have created for you. You are ALLOWING THEM to convince you that America agrees with them.
BUT they did NOT win in a landslide. Who the hell started calling 51% a "clear mandate" to govern? We barely lost the presidential race. And, ok, so what about all those other races?
Try this response instead: "You're right, but did you realize that Montana, one of the reddest states, has a new Democratic governor? And first-time candidates for state legislatures from Hawaii to Connecticut beat incumbent Republicans." Maybe things aren't so hopeless after all!
(All facts I've cited here come from the email sent out to Democracy for America's mailing list by Howard Dean on November 3. So you don't have to just take my word for it! Visit www.democracyforamerica.com for the rest of Governor Dean's message.)
3. The good news. The battle is not about whose values are better -- conservative or liberal -- the battle is about messaging. About who can translate their most deeply held human, family values into the political arena most effectively. So far, the right-wing message machine has expressed their political interpretation of values more clearly. But that does not mean that their values are better. It means that we have to make our message clearer. And that is GOOD NEWS because messaging is manageable. Messaging is something we can control. And it is something for which each and every one of us is responsible, every time we speak about politics. We all have a role.
4. Stop attacking each other. Stop the blame. We've fallen into this trap for too long: blaming each other for our collective loss. It's a cop-out, and it plays right into their hands. It helps the right-wing when we spend our energy accusing each other for losing! And it's an abdication of our own responsibility for contributing to a strong progressive message. So stop saying it's Kerry's fault for not being "human" or "emotional" or "charismatic" enough. Stop blaming Bill Clinton for having sex. Stop blaming gays for wanting to have the same right that we do to marry the person we love. For goodness sake, we're all on the same side here! We are only shooting each other in the foot to carry on like this.
It is time for each and every one of us to take responsibility for the message that we represent and the values that we care about.
George Bush is not a great speaker. No! He's not that charismatic - certainly not a Reagan or Clinton. They aren't all voting for Bush the person - they're voting for value-based politics - and right now, the only Party talking about politics through the language of values is the Republican Party. And that's why Republicans are winning, not only in the White House, but across the nation.
But it's not only the job of John Kerry or Mary Beth Cahill or Barack Obama - whoever - to tell our story. Each and every one of us must tell our story each and every day -- every chance we get. We have a lot of catching up to do on the messaging front, which is why every person and every thought counts. Don't wait for the next election to keep fighting.
5. Here's how I am continuing my fight. My battle begins in my own mind. I will not let them control my thinking, my frame of mind. Say it with me this time: I will not let them frame my thinking!
Every time I hear someone speak about this election from a place of frustration, disgust, despair, I remind myself that they are unconsciously voicing the stories of conservative dominance that the right-wing WANTS us to believe. I fight back by sharing facts and values and feelings that frame the story that WE want to tell. A story that resonates not only with truth, with facts, but also with hope and a deep belief in the values of fairness... equality... freedom to live our lives according to our own choices... cooperation... support for those less fortunate so that they may have opportunities for success and happiness and fulfillment.
The right-wing extremists have a big head start, decades spent crafting their message and repeating it over and over and over again. It's no wonder we could not turn things around in the few short months of a political campaign. Change does not happen over night. It will happens gradually, by hammering away at our message, reminding each other of OUR values, day after day. And that's why we have no time to lose. There is no day to begin but today.
Peace and love,
jess
P.S. I began by writing the following email to send to everyone I know in other countries. Part of my personal efforts toward an international PR campaign to counteract the representations of the mainstream media. Please feel free to use it, borrow from it, or forward it on.
Also, If you are interested in these thoughts, I HIGHLY recommend the very brief and readable book just published by cognitive scientist, linguist, and master of messaging and framing, George Lakoff. Title of the book is "Don't Think of an Elephant!", an allusion to the old psychology game about the power of the images that are evoked by a single word. The book is a summary of the principles he has discussed in his more "academic" books -- but this time, written specifically for the popular audience. It is a must read.
From: Jessica Nusbaum
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 7:54 PM
Subject: Has America gone mad?
Hello friends,
It is with a sad heart that I write to you all today. For many, many of us here, it is a dark day to be an American.
By now, I'm sure you have heard the results of the election here: that George W. Bush has won the presidency for another four years -- and he has apparently won it fairly, both in our electoral college system (which counts the votes by state) and in the national popular vote (which simply counts the total number of votes won by each candidate).
I am writing today because I want to tell you the story of the fight against George Bush. I don't know how the election is being explained by the media where you live, so I want you to hear it from me. I want you to know that millions of Americans DID fight as hard as we could to defeat Bush. That we tried every way we knew how.
People took days, weeks, or even months off from their jobs -- using personal vacation time, or even unpaid leave -- in order to volunteer with John Kerry's campaign. Other people flew home from distant states -- even other countries -- in order to vote in "swing states" like Florida and Ohio. We donated money, volunteered our time, sent letters and made phone calls to friends and family and strangers in states where the vote was expected to be close. In my family, cousins who have always voted for Republicans decided to vote for Kerry this time. Those cousins live in Ohio -- the state which, in the end, decided the election. People who have never voted before in their lives came out to vote in this election.
I do not want you to believe that all Americans agree with George Bush. Today, for the first time in my life, I saw people cry because of the results of a political election.
I remember conversations with many of you when I visited you, traveled with you in Europe, Australia and South America, over the last few years. You said that you understood the difference between the American government and the American people. You understood that George Bush was not elected fairly in 2000. Sadly, this time is different. We cannot argue with the election results this time. But I ask you to continue to believe in us. Believe that there are Americans -- millions of us -- who never wanted this war in Iraq. Millions of us who want our government to work together with other countries. Millions of Americans who do NOT believe what George Bush believes. Please don't stop believing in us.
I listened to John Kerry's speech today with my colleagues at work, and many of us had tears in our eyes. For the last seven months, I have been working for a small progressive communications/public relations company. We have all spent hours and hours on the phone to reporters across America, trying to win the battle in the media. With thousands of other Americans, we have worked to the point of exhaustion, and yet we did not win.
I feel despair in my heart. But we do not have time for despair: we must prepare to fight against George Bush and his administration for another four years. All that I ask of you is this: no matter what you hear on television or in the newspapers this week, please remember that George Bush does NOT represent all of America. Many Americans did all that we could to stop Bush. I am deeply sorry that our efforts were not enough.
Sending love and a sincere wish for peace,
Jess
P.S. If you want, forward this email to your friends and family, and anyone you know in the press who might be interested in an "average American" point of view. Also, tell me if you would like me to send a translation in French, Spanish, German, Portuguese or any other language and I will try to translate these thoughts or find someone who can.
Sent: Thu, Nov 04, 2004 11:28 pm
Subject: Do Not Despair!
Friends,
Do not despair. Don't be depressed. Get Angry! That's right, let yourself get good and mad.
There is no denying that there are dark days ahead. But it is always darkest before the dawn -- and the good news is, we do not even have to wait passively for dawn to arrive. WE ARE the sun that will rise. The conservative extremists rule by fear; but anger is stronger than fear. The fire of our anger will ignite a new star, a new sun that will rise from the darkness.
1. Do not despair. The people who are on the fence -- the true "undecideds" who are torn between conservative and liberal values, the people who went to the polls and voted for Kerry or voted for Bush but either way didn't really feel good about it -- they sense it when we despair. They can smell it. When we see ourselves as "losers", guess what? We LOOK like losers. And from the perspective of the "undecideds", who wants to play for the losing team?
2. Do not buy into their message. Do not buy into their spin. Now, I'm sure you're thinking, are you crazy? I disagree with everything they say! Why on earth would I buy into their message? But I'm not talking about their policy messages -- I'm talking about something that runs much deeper.
In the wake of the election, the right-wing message machine has gone into overdrive, repeating their interpretation of the results. Their message is that the American people have given George Bush and the Republicans a mandate to govern. Don't buy it just because it's for sale everywhere. THESE ARE NOT PURE FACTS. The right-wing spin doctors are using a particular subset of the facts in order to create a frame of thinking.
You wonder, how can I say this? Perhaps you are thinking, but the facts are all on their side!
NO! The facts are NOT all on their side. They are simply choosing to repeat the facts that tell their version of the story. How about this fact: "A record number of us voted to change course. More Americans voted against George Bush than any sitting president in history."
That is what I'm talking about.
So when someone argues, "it wasn't just the Presidential race; it's also the new seats that the Republicans won in the House and the Senate and even the governor's races", how do you respond?
If your response is, "I know! It's awful! How did this happen? How did this country become so conservative, so right-wing?" then you are reinforcing their frame; you are buying into the mindset that they have created for you. You are ALLOWING THEM to convince you that America agrees with them.
BUT they did NOT win in a landslide. Who the hell started calling 51% a "clear mandate" to govern? We barely lost the presidential race. And, ok, so what about all those other races?
Try this response instead: "You're right, but did you realize that Montana, one of the reddest states, has a new Democratic governor? And first-time candidates for state legislatures from Hawaii to Connecticut beat incumbent Republicans." Maybe things aren't so hopeless after all!
(All facts I've cited here come from the email sent out to Democracy for America's mailing list by Howard Dean on November 3. So you don't have to just take my word for it! Visit www.democracyforamerica.com for the rest of Governor Dean's message.)
3. The good news. The battle is not about whose values are better -- conservative or liberal -- the battle is about messaging. About who can translate their most deeply held human, family values into the political arena most effectively. So far, the right-wing message machine has expressed their political interpretation of values more clearly. But that does not mean that their values are better. It means that we have to make our message clearer. And that is GOOD NEWS because messaging is manageable. Messaging is something we can control. And it is something for which each and every one of us is responsible, every time we speak about politics. We all have a role.
4. Stop attacking each other. Stop the blame. We've fallen into this trap for too long: blaming each other for our collective loss. It's a cop-out, and it plays right into their hands. It helps the right-wing when we spend our energy accusing each other for losing! And it's an abdication of our own responsibility for contributing to a strong progressive message. So stop saying it's Kerry's fault for not being "human" or "emotional" or "charismatic" enough. Stop blaming Bill Clinton for having sex. Stop blaming gays for wanting to have the same right that we do to marry the person we love. For goodness sake, we're all on the same side here! We are only shooting each other in the foot to carry on like this.
It is time for each and every one of us to take responsibility for the message that we represent and the values that we care about.
George Bush is not a great speaker. No! He's not that charismatic - certainly not a Reagan or Clinton. They aren't all voting for Bush the person - they're voting for value-based politics - and right now, the only Party talking about politics through the language of values is the Republican Party. And that's why Republicans are winning, not only in the White House, but across the nation.
But it's not only the job of John Kerry or Mary Beth Cahill or Barack Obama - whoever - to tell our story. Each and every one of us must tell our story each and every day -- every chance we get. We have a lot of catching up to do on the messaging front, which is why every person and every thought counts. Don't wait for the next election to keep fighting.
5. Here's how I am continuing my fight. My battle begins in my own mind. I will not let them control my thinking, my frame of mind. Say it with me this time: I will not let them frame my thinking!
Every time I hear someone speak about this election from a place of frustration, disgust, despair, I remind myself that they are unconsciously voicing the stories of conservative dominance that the right-wing WANTS us to believe. I fight back by sharing facts and values and feelings that frame the story that WE want to tell. A story that resonates not only with truth, with facts, but also with hope and a deep belief in the values of fairness... equality... freedom to live our lives according to our own choices... cooperation... support for those less fortunate so that they may have opportunities for success and happiness and fulfillment.
The right-wing extremists have a big head start, decades spent crafting their message and repeating it over and over and over again. It's no wonder we could not turn things around in the few short months of a political campaign. Change does not happen over night. It will happens gradually, by hammering away at our message, reminding each other of OUR values, day after day. And that's why we have no time to lose. There is no day to begin but today.
Peace and love,
jess
P.S. I began by writing the following email to send to everyone I know in other countries. Part of my personal efforts toward an international PR campaign to counteract the representations of the mainstream media. Please feel free to use it, borrow from it, or forward it on.
Also, If you are interested in these thoughts, I HIGHLY recommend the very brief and readable book just published by cognitive scientist, linguist, and master of messaging and framing, George Lakoff. Title of the book is "Don't Think of an Elephant!", an allusion to the old psychology game about the power of the images that are evoked by a single word. The book is a summary of the principles he has discussed in his more "academic" books -- but this time, written specifically for the popular audience. It is a must read.
From: Jessica Nusbaum
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 7:54 PM
Subject: Has America gone mad?
Hello friends,
It is with a sad heart that I write to you all today. For many, many of us here, it is a dark day to be an American.
By now, I'm sure you have heard the results of the election here: that George W. Bush has won the presidency for another four years -- and he has apparently won it fairly, both in our electoral college system (which counts the votes by state) and in the national popular vote (which simply counts the total number of votes won by each candidate).
I am writing today because I want to tell you the story of the fight against George Bush. I don't know how the election is being explained by the media where you live, so I want you to hear it from me. I want you to know that millions of Americans DID fight as hard as we could to defeat Bush. That we tried every way we knew how.
People took days, weeks, or even months off from their jobs -- using personal vacation time, or even unpaid leave -- in order to volunteer with John Kerry's campaign. Other people flew home from distant states -- even other countries -- in order to vote in "swing states" like Florida and Ohio. We donated money, volunteered our time, sent letters and made phone calls to friends and family and strangers in states where the vote was expected to be close. In my family, cousins who have always voted for Republicans decided to vote for Kerry this time. Those cousins live in Ohio -- the state which, in the end, decided the election. People who have never voted before in their lives came out to vote in this election.
I do not want you to believe that all Americans agree with George Bush. Today, for the first time in my life, I saw people cry because of the results of a political election.
I remember conversations with many of you when I visited you, traveled with you in Europe, Australia and South America, over the last few years. You said that you understood the difference between the American government and the American people. You understood that George Bush was not elected fairly in 2000. Sadly, this time is different. We cannot argue with the election results this time. But I ask you to continue to believe in us. Believe that there are Americans -- millions of us -- who never wanted this war in Iraq. Millions of us who want our government to work together with other countries. Millions of Americans who do NOT believe what George Bush believes. Please don't stop believing in us.
I listened to John Kerry's speech today with my colleagues at work, and many of us had tears in our eyes. For the last seven months, I have been working for a small progressive communications/public relations company. We have all spent hours and hours on the phone to reporters across America, trying to win the battle in the media. With thousands of other Americans, we have worked to the point of exhaustion, and yet we did not win.
I feel despair in my heart. But we do not have time for despair: we must prepare to fight against George Bush and his administration for another four years. All that I ask of you is this: no matter what you hear on television or in the newspapers this week, please remember that George Bush does NOT represent all of America. Many Americans did all that we could to stop Bush. I am deeply sorry that our efforts were not enough.
Sending love and a sincere wish for peace,
Jess
P.S. If you want, forward this email to your friends and family, and anyone you know in the press who might be interested in an "average American" point of view. Also, tell me if you would like me to send a translation in French, Spanish, German, Portuguese or any other language and I will try to translate these thoughts or find someone who can.
Labels: politics
1 Comments:
Jessica,
Its really good to hear from you, even if it is as a result of bad news.
I really enjoyed your e-mail. With your permission, I'd like to paste it, as is, on my website - www.treylizardo.com. I wanted to say something about the election, but as a Canadian I didn't really feel it was any of my business.
It is really easy to dislike Americans in Canada. It is probably one of the more anti-American countries in the world (but the list is ever-increasing). Its mostly because American teams always win the Stanley Cup. But its probably justified to dislike Bush and his administration's policies (I can only hope that one day him and his cronies are remembered as the war criminals that they are), but to dislike all Americans is kind of stupid. All you heard here was 'I can't beleive those f$*#ing idiot Americans voted for that moron again'. I think a lot of places around the world had the same sentiment. But its an unfair thing to say.
What's amazing to me, from reading your e-mail, is how anti-Bush some Americans, nearly half I suppose, are. I suspected that at least half of the country was still brainwashed by the controlled media, and terrorist 'threat', and it was not that suprising to me that Bush won. But having Americans declare that they're moving to Canada because Bush won (this was on the news here), now that's serious. Although I don't envy your situation, it is good to know that perhaps the people who are most devastated by the election results are in fact Americans. If Bush won in a landslide, it would be a very bad sign.
I can't really imagine what it would be like to be ashamed of your citizenship, like some Americans are. We met Americans last year, who would almost apologetically declare that they were American. That's bad.
Anyway, I'm kind of babbling.
At least its only 4 more years, and hopefully things aren't too messed up by then. Then again, maybe Cheney will be your next president. Things can always be worse.
Send some news - what have you been doing the last year and a half?
Sean
Alberta, Canada
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