Check out this superb list of suggestions which was elevated to the top of kos's blog.
10 Ideas for 2008
by Pericles
Mon Nov 29th, 2004
By the time a campaign starts, it's too late to put a completely new idea into the heads of a majority of the electorate -- especially a broad new theme or a major reframing of an issue voters think they already understand. At that stage, a candidate can do little more than agree or disagree with ideas that the public already knows. President Bush, for example, didn't invent the family-values theme or the strength-makes-you-safe theme or the tax-cuts-create-jobs theme. He just aligned himself with them; that's why his campaign seemed so simple.
So what ideas will liberal candidates be able to campaign on in 2008? The ones we start developing and promoting now. I have ten suggestions.
The ten ideas fall into three groups. The first three ideas are defensive: The Right has been making some dubious claims that we need to start challenging. Ideas 4-6 reclaim major ideological assets that that we have let the Right own without a fight - Christianity, globalization, and capitalism. The final four ideas align the Democratic Party with democracy and the common good...
see the 10 ideas here:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/11/29/221636/33
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Monday, November 29, 2004
article: The Politics of Victimization
Are Democrats acting like abuse victims? and if so, what actions should we take to escape this vicious cycle?
This article by Mel Gilles (which was an e-mail forward) has such clear insights that I am posting it in its entirety.
[Mel Gilles, who has worked for many years as an advocate for victims of domestic abuse, draws some parallels between her work and the reaction of many Democrats to the election.-- Mathew Gross]
The Politics of Victimization
Watch Dan Rather apologize for not getting his facts straight, humiliated before the eyes of America, voluntarily undermining his credibility and career of over thirty years. Observe Donna Brazille squirm as she is ridiculed by Bay Buchanan, and pronounced irrelevant and nearly non-existent. Listen as Donna and Nancy Pelosi and Senator Charles Schumer take to the airwaves saying that they have to go back to the drawing board and learn from their mistakes and try to be better, more likable, more appealing, have a stronger message, speak to morality. Watch them awkwardly quote the bible, trying to speak the new language of America. Surf the blogs, and read the comments of dismayed, discombobulated, confused individuals trying to figure out what they did wrong. Hear the cacophony of voices, crying out, "Why did they beat me?"
And then ask anyone who has ever worked in a domestic violence shelter if they have heard this before.
They will tell you, every single day.
The answer is quite simple. They beat us because they are abusers. We can call it hate. We can call it fear. We can say it is unfair. But we are looped into the cycle of violence, and we need to start calling the dominating side what they are: abusive. And we need to recognize that we are the victims of verbal, mental, and even, in the case of Iraq, physical violence.
As victims we can't stop asking ourselves what we did wrong. We can't seem to grasp that they will keep hitting us and beating us as long as we keep sticking around and asking ourselves what we are doing to deserve the beating.
Listen to George Bush say that the will of God excuses his behavior. Listen, as he refuses to take responsibility, or express remorse, or even once, admit a mistake. Watch him strut, and tell us that he will only work with those who agree with him, and that each of us is only allowed one question (soon, it will be none at all; abusers hit hard when questioned; the press corps can tell you that). See him surround himself with only those who pledge oaths of allegiance. Hear him tell us that if we will only listen and do as he says and agree with his every utterance, all will go well for us (it won't; we will never be worthy).
And watch the Democratic Party leadership walk on eggshells, try to meet him, please him, wash the windows better, get out that spot, distance themselves from gays and civil rights. See them cry for the attention and affection and approval of the President and his followers. Watch us squirm. Watch us descend into a world of crazy-making, where logic does not work and the other side tells us we are nuts when we rely on facts. A world where, worst of all, we begin to believe we are crazy.
How to break free? Again, the answer is quite simple.
First, you must admit you are a victim. Then, you must declare the state of affairs unacceptable. Next, you must promise to protect yourself and everyone around you that is being victimized. You don't do this by responding to their demands, or becoming more like them, or engaging in logical conversation, or trying to persuade them that you are right. You also don't do this by going catatonic and resigned, by closing up your ears and eyes and covering your head and submitting to the blows, figuring its over faster and hurts less is you don't resist and fight back. Instead, you walk away. You find other folks like yourself, 56 million of them, who are hurting, broken, and beating themselves up. You tell them what you've learned, and that you aren't going to take it anymore. You stand tall, with 56 million people at your side and behind you, and you look right into the eyes of the abuser and you tell him to go to hell. Then you walk out the door, taking the kids and gays and minorities with you, and you start a new life. The new life is hard. But it's better than the abuse.
We have a mandate to be as radical and liberal and steadfast as we need to be. The progressive beliefs and social justice we stand for, our core, must not be altered. We are 56 million strong. We are building from the bottom up. We are meeting, on the net, in church basements, at work, in small groups, and right now, we are crying, because we are trying to break free and we don't know how.
Any battered woman in America, any oppressed person around the globe who has defied her oppressor will tell you this: There is nothing wrong with you. You are in good company. You are safe. You are not alone. You are strong. You must change only one thing: stop responding to the abuser. Don't let him dictate the terms or frame the debate (he'll win, not because he's right, but because force works). Sure, we can build a better grassroots campaign, cultivate and raise up better leaders, reform the election system to make it failproof, stick to our message, learn from the strategy of the other side. But we absolutely must dispense with the notion that we are weak, godless, cowardly, disorganized, crazy, too liberal, naive, amoral, "loose", irrelevant, outmoded, stupid and soon to be extinct. We have the mandate of the world to back us, and the legacy of oppressed people throughout history.
Even if you do everything right, they'll hit you anyway. Look at the poor souls who voted for this nonsense. They are working for six dollars an hour if they are working at all, their children are dying overseas and suffering from lack of health care and a depleted environment and a shoddy education. And they don't even know they are being hit.
Mel Gilles at 07:31 PM on November 07, 2004
This article by Mel Gilles (which was an e-mail forward) has such clear insights that I am posting it in its entirety.
[Mel Gilles, who has worked for many years as an advocate for victims of domestic abuse, draws some parallels between her work and the reaction of many Democrats to the election.-- Mathew Gross]
The Politics of Victimization
Watch Dan Rather apologize for not getting his facts straight, humiliated before the eyes of America, voluntarily undermining his credibility and career of over thirty years. Observe Donna Brazille squirm as she is ridiculed by Bay Buchanan, and pronounced irrelevant and nearly non-existent. Listen as Donna and Nancy Pelosi and Senator Charles Schumer take to the airwaves saying that they have to go back to the drawing board and learn from their mistakes and try to be better, more likable, more appealing, have a stronger message, speak to morality. Watch them awkwardly quote the bible, trying to speak the new language of America. Surf the blogs, and read the comments of dismayed, discombobulated, confused individuals trying to figure out what they did wrong. Hear the cacophony of voices, crying out, "Why did they beat me?"
And then ask anyone who has ever worked in a domestic violence shelter if they have heard this before.
They will tell you, every single day.
The answer is quite simple. They beat us because they are abusers. We can call it hate. We can call it fear. We can say it is unfair. But we are looped into the cycle of violence, and we need to start calling the dominating side what they are: abusive. And we need to recognize that we are the victims of verbal, mental, and even, in the case of Iraq, physical violence.
As victims we can't stop asking ourselves what we did wrong. We can't seem to grasp that they will keep hitting us and beating us as long as we keep sticking around and asking ourselves what we are doing to deserve the beating.
Listen to George Bush say that the will of God excuses his behavior. Listen, as he refuses to take responsibility, or express remorse, or even once, admit a mistake. Watch him strut, and tell us that he will only work with those who agree with him, and that each of us is only allowed one question (soon, it will be none at all; abusers hit hard when questioned; the press corps can tell you that). See him surround himself with only those who pledge oaths of allegiance. Hear him tell us that if we will only listen and do as he says and agree with his every utterance, all will go well for us (it won't; we will never be worthy).
And watch the Democratic Party leadership walk on eggshells, try to meet him, please him, wash the windows better, get out that spot, distance themselves from gays and civil rights. See them cry for the attention and affection and approval of the President and his followers. Watch us squirm. Watch us descend into a world of crazy-making, where logic does not work and the other side tells us we are nuts when we rely on facts. A world where, worst of all, we begin to believe we are crazy.
How to break free? Again, the answer is quite simple.
First, you must admit you are a victim. Then, you must declare the state of affairs unacceptable. Next, you must promise to protect yourself and everyone around you that is being victimized. You don't do this by responding to their demands, or becoming more like them, or engaging in logical conversation, or trying to persuade them that you are right. You also don't do this by going catatonic and resigned, by closing up your ears and eyes and covering your head and submitting to the blows, figuring its over faster and hurts less is you don't resist and fight back. Instead, you walk away. You find other folks like yourself, 56 million of them, who are hurting, broken, and beating themselves up. You tell them what you've learned, and that you aren't going to take it anymore. You stand tall, with 56 million people at your side and behind you, and you look right into the eyes of the abuser and you tell him to go to hell. Then you walk out the door, taking the kids and gays and minorities with you, and you start a new life. The new life is hard. But it's better than the abuse.
We have a mandate to be as radical and liberal and steadfast as we need to be. The progressive beliefs and social justice we stand for, our core, must not be altered. We are 56 million strong. We are building from the bottom up. We are meeting, on the net, in church basements, at work, in small groups, and right now, we are crying, because we are trying to break free and we don't know how.
Any battered woman in America, any oppressed person around the globe who has defied her oppressor will tell you this: There is nothing wrong with you. You are in good company. You are safe. You are not alone. You are strong. You must change only one thing: stop responding to the abuser. Don't let him dictate the terms or frame the debate (he'll win, not because he's right, but because force works). Sure, we can build a better grassroots campaign, cultivate and raise up better leaders, reform the election system to make it failproof, stick to our message, learn from the strategy of the other side. But we absolutely must dispense with the notion that we are weak, godless, cowardly, disorganized, crazy, too liberal, naive, amoral, "loose", irrelevant, outmoded, stupid and soon to be extinct. We have the mandate of the world to back us, and the legacy of oppressed people throughout history.
Even if you do everything right, they'll hit you anyway. Look at the poor souls who voted for this nonsense. They are working for six dollars an hour if they are working at all, their children are dying overseas and suffering from lack of health care and a depleted environment and a shoddy education. And they don't even know they are being hit.
Mel Gilles at 07:31 PM on November 07, 2004
Saturday, November 27, 2004
article: THE URBAN ARCHIPELAGO
Complete article at
http://www.thestranger.com/2004-11-11/feature.html
If you are interested in gaining support for Democrats by examining and promoting urban issues, please read this article and then COMMENT on it for us, please! It makes a very good case that the future of our party depends on city voters...we need to acknowlege that and appeal to them. The author does rant about stupid rednecks, suggesting we don't bother to appeal to rural voters at all, but the analysis of where Progresssive Values intersect with Urban Values seems very important for us to explore.
http://www.thestranger.com/2004-11-11/feature.html
If you are interested in gaining support for Democrats by examining and promoting urban issues, please read this article and then COMMENT on it for us, please! It makes a very good case that the future of our party depends on city voters...we need to acknowlege that and appeal to them. The author does rant about stupid rednecks, suggesting we don't bother to appeal to rural voters at all, but the analysis of where Progresssive Values intersect with Urban Values seems very important for us to explore.
article: "The Covert Kingdom"
This is a scary article by Joe Bageant, which Mig suggested we read. It is about the Christian Right: how they think, and how strong their network is. He says they command 40% of the voters. I hope that's too high an estimate. Lakoff suggests there are a lot of more moderate Christian swing voters, who might come back to Dems if we frame our values better. Complete article is at http://www.counterpunch.org/bageant05252004.html
excerpts: "just because millions of Christians appear to be dangerously
nuts, does not mean they are marginal."
"There now stretches a network of dozens of campuses across the nation, each with its strange cultish atmosphere of smiling Christian pod people, most of them clones of Jerry Fallwell's Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. But how many outsiders know the depth and specificity of political indoctrination in these schools? For example, Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Virginia, a college
exclusively for Christian home-schoolers, offers programs in strategic government intelligence, legal training and foreign policy, all with a strict, Bible based "Christian worldview." Patrick Henry is so heavily funded by the Christian right it can offer classes below cost.
In the Bush administration, seven percent of all internships are handed out to Patrick Henry students, along with many others distributed among similar religious rightist colleges. The Bush administration also recruits from the faculties of these schools, i.e. the appointments of right-wing Christian activist Kay Coles James, former dean of the Pat Robertson School of government, as director of the U.S. office of personnel. What better position than the personnel office from which to recruit more fundamentalists? "...
excerpts: "just because millions of Christians appear to be dangerously
nuts, does not mean they are marginal."
"There now stretches a network of dozens of campuses across the nation, each with its strange cultish atmosphere of smiling Christian pod people, most of them clones of Jerry Fallwell's Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. But how many outsiders know the depth and specificity of political indoctrination in these schools? For example, Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Virginia, a college
exclusively for Christian home-schoolers, offers programs in strategic government intelligence, legal training and foreign policy, all with a strict, Bible based "Christian worldview." Patrick Henry is so heavily funded by the Christian right it can offer classes below cost.
In the Bush administration, seven percent of all internships are handed out to Patrick Henry students, along with many others distributed among similar religious rightist colleges. The Bush administration also recruits from the faculties of these schools, i.e. the appointments of right-wing Christian activist Kay Coles James, former dean of the Pat Robertson School of government, as director of the U.S. office of personnel. What better position than the personnel office from which to recruit more fundamentalists? "...
Monday, November 22, 2004
MoveOn Party & more think tanks
The MoveOn Party at Oola Latte last Sunday was attended by about 100 people! It was well organized by Lanya and quite a few group leaders. Several folks from our group were there. First we watched the Lakoff video and practiced applying progressive values to issues we are concerned about. Next we did a role play of a Cross-Fire show, with 3 conservatives vs 3 liberals. The audience easily noticed that the people playing conservatives had an easier time spouting their philosophy than the bona fide liberals did. I stuck my neck out as one of the liberals, and have come up with some more wording for arguing about the Iraq war after a night's rest. (the old "I wish I had said such and such" dilemma). I put those ideas in another post.
We had a conference call with MoveOn staff member, Eli, at a party in NY. Everyone at all the parties voted on which issues we think MoveOn should tackle next. The big winners were to develop a clear progressive message, and some type of voter reform/ voter verification. I'm sure you will get more details from MoveOn.
I mentioned our Living-room Think Tank, and recommended that others form similar groups. It is my hope that we can share topics and tips with other groups. With practice I'm sure we can improve our ability to communicate the sense behind our positions, and give each other the encouragement we desperately need to continue working for positive change.
We had a conference call with MoveOn staff member, Eli, at a party in NY. Everyone at all the parties voted on which issues we think MoveOn should tackle next. The big winners were to develop a clear progressive message, and some type of voter reform/ voter verification. I'm sure you will get more details from MoveOn.
I mentioned our Living-room Think Tank, and recommended that others form similar groups. It is my hope that we can share topics and tips with other groups. With practice I'm sure we can improve our ability to communicate the sense behind our positions, and give each other the encouragement we desperately need to continue working for positive change.
Arguing our position: the war in Iraq
fairness, responsibility, justice, freedom, strength, compassion
War in Iraq:
America must set a good example for the rest of the world.
We must walk our talk.
A responsible nation does not attack another without just cause.
First strike attacks will not lead to a safer world.
Invading another country to forcibly topple their government and then replace it with the system of the invader's choice is not fair.
Freedom cannot be installed and maintained by force. That negates the very definition of freedom.
Remember the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
This principle is understood by people throughout the world and stated in all major religions, including Islam. For most of our nation's history, we have had a military policy of defense and supporting other countries when they were defending themselves from outside attack.
Now we have set an example that pre-emptive war can be justified, with the dubious example of our attack in Iraq. We set another example by using nuclear bunker-buster missiles, breaking the long planetwide moritorium on use of nuclear weapons.
Wouldn't we be outraged if another country dealt us a pre-emtive strike, because they had a poorly confirmed suspicion that we were planning to harm them? What if they wanted to impose their form of government on us by force, to make them feel safer? Would we accept it if they told us it was for our own good? What if they claimed they were following our example?
We know Saddam was a terrible dictator. We knew that when he gassed the Kurds and we did nothing to help the Kurds defend themselves because at that time Saddam seemed useful to us. Where was our compassion for the Iraqi people then?
The United Nations sanctions and inspections successfully prevented Saddam from building weapons of mass destruction. We know that now, but President Bush refused to believe it because it didn't support his mission of "nation building". So he instructed the CIA to dig deeper and find intelligence to support his suspicion. He needed a rationale to take down Saddam, a key part of the long term Wolfowitz plan.
The U.N. had also monitored and contained the hazardous materials which were stolen after our invasion. We only protected the Ministry of Oil and left the rest of the country's infrastructure unprotected. So much damage was done that now Halliburton has a really big contract to repair it all. But the missing hazardous materials are probably in the hands of terrorists.
Our country's actions have not made the world a safer place.
In fact it has made Americans more of a target now than before the war.
War in Iraq:
America must set a good example for the rest of the world.
We must walk our talk.
A responsible nation does not attack another without just cause.
First strike attacks will not lead to a safer world.
Invading another country to forcibly topple their government and then replace it with the system of the invader's choice is not fair.
Freedom cannot be installed and maintained by force. That negates the very definition of freedom.
Remember the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
This principle is understood by people throughout the world and stated in all major religions, including Islam. For most of our nation's history, we have had a military policy of defense and supporting other countries when they were defending themselves from outside attack.
Now we have set an example that pre-emptive war can be justified, with the dubious example of our attack in Iraq. We set another example by using nuclear bunker-buster missiles, breaking the long planetwide moritorium on use of nuclear weapons.
Wouldn't we be outraged if another country dealt us a pre-emtive strike, because they had a poorly confirmed suspicion that we were planning to harm them? What if they wanted to impose their form of government on us by force, to make them feel safer? Would we accept it if they told us it was for our own good? What if they claimed they were following our example?
We know Saddam was a terrible dictator. We knew that when he gassed the Kurds and we did nothing to help the Kurds defend themselves because at that time Saddam seemed useful to us. Where was our compassion for the Iraqi people then?
The United Nations sanctions and inspections successfully prevented Saddam from building weapons of mass destruction. We know that now, but President Bush refused to believe it because it didn't support his mission of "nation building". So he instructed the CIA to dig deeper and find intelligence to support his suspicion. He needed a rationale to take down Saddam, a key part of the long term Wolfowitz plan.
The U.N. had also monitored and contained the hazardous materials which were stolen after our invasion. We only protected the Ministry of Oil and left the rest of the country's infrastructure unprotected. So much damage was done that now Halliburton has a really big contract to repair it all. But the missing hazardous materials are probably in the hands of terrorists.
Our country's actions have not made the world a safer place.
In fact it has made Americans more of a target now than before the war.
Friday, November 19, 2004
Comments Invited on Living Room Think Tanks
There are MoveOn sponsored brainstorming parties happening this Sunday, Nov 21. I'm attending the one at Ooh-La-Latte, where they will show the same George Lakoff DVD we saw. I plan to suggest that other people start monthly meeting groups like we did. If you plan to attend one of these meetings, please take notes of any good ideas to share with our group on Dec 3. You need to sign up before attending @ http://action.moveonpac.org/future/
Please share your thoughts on how this local think tank group can be most effective. Has it given you any new or helpful perspective? Do you have suggestions for topics we can discuss, view, or do?
I think I have successfully changed the setting on this blog so anyone can post comments. If you want your name to appear, then you need to sign up at blogger.com. Click on "comments" to see what others have said.
Please share your thoughts on how this local think tank group can be most effective. Has it given you any new or helpful perspective? Do you have suggestions for topics we can discuss, view, or do?
I think I have successfully changed the setting on this blog so anyone can post comments. If you want your name to appear, then you need to sign up at blogger.com. Click on "comments" to see what others have said.
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
notes from our 11/12/04 Think Tank discussion
Here are the notes made on the flip chart from our 11/12/04 Think Tank discussion.
Followed by some morning after brainstorming by Susan and Vance.
Everyone should be able to vote in a reasonable amount of time and verify that their vote was counted.
What has worked in the past to bring about change? The Vietnam photo of child running, burning.
Reframe Bush as a weak leader.
Next meeting, suggested viewing "Bringing Down the Dictator" (film)
Our Values
basic goodness
honesty
community
fairness
security ( or protection )
diversity
equal opportunity
equality
responsibility
compassion
openness
prolife ( military? )
pro "the troops" life ( show pictures of our maimed troops )
for life
value life
Ideas for large photo posters
America in Iraq
baby killer = You know who
Iraqi babies
This is what collateral damage looks like ( photo )
The Liberation of Iraq
This is a surgical strike
This is an insurgent ( hurt child )
Iraqi infrastructure decimated
How censored is your News?
"computerized voting" sounds less reliable than "electronic voting"
"Voting doesn't matter - what matters is who counts the vote" - Joseph Stalin
Democracy Now (recommended satellite dish channel)
Amy Goodman
Free Speech TV
Vance and Susan brainstorming Saturday morning after 1st meeting
S Study the right - how can we expect conservatives to understand our POV if we aren't willing to try to understand theirs?
What changes minds?
V Every time we think of some issue or program we care about, try to identify its underlying value.
Why is this so important to me? Can I boil it down to one word or a phrase?
S Make a website - left-wingthinktank.org ?
or yahoo group to manage e-mail, or set up a discussion at a free blog site.
V ( based on one of Paramahansa Yogananda's suggestions for encouraging world peace )
Learn about and emphasize the best qualities of each country ( of each culture, of each religion )
and seek to rid ourselves of the worst qualities of each.
What would our country ( or a person ) look like if we cultivated the best qualities of each ( liberals and conservatives ),
and eliminated the negative qualities.
Value Education - "The Value Tales"
a series of children's books that teach values ( many of the same that most religions teach ) based on heroes and heroines
in history. For example, one Value Tale is of Abraham Lincoln and the value of honesty.
This type of value education, free from religious jargon could be used in public schools, and hopefully gain support from both conservatives
and progressives. ( a compromise to the wish of the Christian Right to have religious principles taught in school, and to the
desire of progressives to maintain separation of church and state )
Envision a future where good values are taught while freedom of religion is maintained.
PROMOTION OF OUR VIEWS
Express our views with effective framing, without resorting to denigrating the people to whom we are appealing.
S Research and Study
book discussion group - have a suggested book each month, or a subgroup of readers who present a topic to the larger group.
Action Groups
For those who can't stand waiting to do a project - engage in projects that promote progressive values, using means that express
those values ( for example, avoid name-calling, demonizing or dehumanizing your opponents ).
In fact, seek to think outside of the US / THEM box. Find a way to present a poster or radio or TV ad or web ad that will appeal
to both progressives and middle(moderate) conservatives.
Speak to one audience the human race.
Appeal to their decency, and the best of their values.
Followed by some morning after brainstorming by Susan and Vance.
Everyone should be able to vote in a reasonable amount of time and verify that their vote was counted.
What has worked in the past to bring about change? The Vietnam photo of child running, burning.
Reframe Bush as a weak leader.
Next meeting, suggested viewing "Bringing Down the Dictator" (film)
Our Values
basic goodness
honesty
community
fairness
security ( or protection )
diversity
equal opportunity
equality
responsibility
compassion
openness
prolife ( military? )
pro "the troops" life ( show pictures of our maimed troops )
for life
value life
Ideas for large photo posters
America in Iraq
baby killer = You know who
Iraqi babies
This is what collateral damage looks like ( photo )
The Liberation of Iraq
This is a surgical strike
This is an insurgent ( hurt child )
Iraqi infrastructure decimated
How censored is your News?
"computerized voting" sounds less reliable than "electronic voting"
"Voting doesn't matter - what matters is who counts the vote" - Joseph Stalin
Democracy Now (recommended satellite dish channel)
Amy Goodman
Free Speech TV
Vance and Susan brainstorming Saturday morning after 1st meeting
S Study the right - how can we expect conservatives to understand our POV if we aren't willing to try to understand theirs?
What changes minds?
V Every time we think of some issue or program we care about, try to identify its underlying value.
Why is this so important to me? Can I boil it down to one word or a phrase?
S Make a website - left-wingthinktank.org ?
or yahoo group to manage e-mail, or set up a discussion at a free blog site.
V ( based on one of Paramahansa Yogananda's suggestions for encouraging world peace )
Learn about and emphasize the best qualities of each country ( of each culture, of each religion )
and seek to rid ourselves of the worst qualities of each.
What would our country ( or a person ) look like if we cultivated the best qualities of each ( liberals and conservatives ),
and eliminated the negative qualities.
Value Education - "The Value Tales"
a series of children's books that teach values ( many of the same that most religions teach ) based on heroes and heroines
in history. For example, one Value Tale is of Abraham Lincoln and the value of honesty.
This type of value education, free from religious jargon could be used in public schools, and hopefully gain support from both conservatives
and progressives. ( a compromise to the wish of the Christian Right to have religious principles taught in school, and to the
desire of progressives to maintain separation of church and state )
Envision a future where good values are taught while freedom of religion is maintained.
PROMOTION OF OUR VIEWS
Express our views with effective framing, without resorting to denigrating the people to whom we are appealing.
S Research and Study
book discussion group - have a suggested book each month, or a subgroup of readers who present a topic to the larger group.
Action Groups
For those who can't stand waiting to do a project - engage in projects that promote progressive values, using means that express
those values ( for example, avoid name-calling, demonizing or dehumanizing your opponents ).
In fact, seek to think outside of the US / THEM box. Find a way to present a poster or radio or TV ad or web ad that will appeal
to both progressives and middle(moderate) conservatives.
Speak to one audience the human race.
Appeal to their decency, and the best of their values.
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