share your VALUES ---- code words for bigots

[grasswire]

Make no mistake.

When George Bush says to the red states the words "I share your values" he's talking racism, bigotry, and discrimination.

He's assuring those who hate people for the color of their skin or their sexual orientation that he hates them, too, and will help keep the hated folks in their place.

Reject this language. Reject this strategy.

[sam sarrha]

"family values".. = no F'n gays..

[sam sarrha]

1. no chid left behind... = we will brainwash and religionize every last one

[Insider]

2. The American People

can't help thinking something stinks whenever he says that. is press people use it, rice uses it, cheney uses it rumsfeld uses it. "i think the american people understand what the president is trying to do."

[Chili]

4. I have always believed...

...that the real, unshakable base of the Republican party - particularly those on the far right - are fueled and sustained by bigotry. There are 4 kinds of bigotry that unite this segment of the party: racism, homophobia, delusional religious self-righteousness (sometimes also partnered with racism), and, the smallest segment of this population, the very rich whose purpose it is to keep down the very poor. That's it. There are no "Republican values" - or any other kinds of values - that these people hold. This doesn't include those fair-minded Repuplicans who honestly believe that smaller government is the best way to govern (although, let's face it, "states rights" is codeword and we all know what for), or small businessmen who are thinking of the mighty dollar, but not always at the exclusion of the common man... No, I'm talking about about the Unturnables. They are steeped in bigotry, are hopelessly lost to reason, and will never change. Worse, they procreate and perpetuate the hatred. Unfortunately, as long as there is racism, that population will never dwindle.

[bossfish]

6. Have you read "The Hunting of the President"?

By Joe Conason and Gene Lyons.

It chronicles the endless smear campaign against Clinton. While reading it, I kept asking myself what motivates these haters? I finally came down to these are your old school racists who in the main hated Clinton because he was a "(n-word)- lover".

[TXlib]

9. I think a lot of the hate against Clinton

came because the Repubs felt that the election was 'stolen' -- Perot spoiled it for them, in their opinion.

I think a lot of the dislike for Bush of the left is similar -- there was both Nader, and the highly contentious way the election was finally decided. That's not to say he wouldn't still be unpopular today if Dems felt Gore had lost fair'n'square; just that there wouldn't be quite the same level of gut-level mistrust.

[redqueen]

10. Hi Chili

Welcome to DU!

:hi:

Love your sig animation!! Great job!! :thumbsup:

[bryant69]

3. That puts us in an uncomfortable position

Of being against values. I'm not sure your strategy is the best one; it's essentially ceding the ground. I understand the frustration, but a better technique is to redefine values to our own liking.

Fair Play used to be an American value. Honesty, even for big corporations, used to be an American Value. Charity used to be an American value. Patriotism and support for one's country used to be American Values. And yet President Bush does everything he can to help big Corporations ignore these basic values.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[TXlib]

5. Not sure I agree 100%

Aside from proposed anti-gay legislation such as FMA (which is likely a red herring... there just isn't the support to make such a thing an amendment), I don't think it's justified to make the racism claim.

I think you can build the case against Bush without hyperbole and distortion, and you will be far more credible and convincing for it.

[OSheaman]

7. Really?

Then what's with all the anti-gay rhetoric? And why is it that the missing votes not counted by Katherine Harris were disproportionately cast by blacks? Why is it that the Republicans have consistently made legislative and legal decisions to take the right to choose away from women and put it in the hands of the rich white males who hold power? And why is it that we hear nothing but hatred coming from Republicans, instead of, say, ideas to make life better?

The current party is nothing but a hate-filled bile machine. If they had their way, we would all be puritans back in the 1600s, except even the Puritans were better than this crowd since they didn't treat blacks like shit.

[TXlib]

8. How well do you think your points will sell with undecided America?

That's the problem with spewing venom -- even if you're right. You've got to pick points and ways of getting your message across that won't turn off the ~55% of voters who don't side unflaggingly with either party.

[OSheaman]

15. You're right . . .

. . . after all, that's what the Republicans do, and we wouldn't want to sink to their level.

Everyone should try and read Stan Greenberg's book, The Two Americas. It has the best strategy for defeating Bush that Kerry is ever going to hear.

[grasswire]

11. welcome to DU, oshea

what took you so long to get here?

[redqueen]

12. WE have family values - WE have real American values!

They're trying to hijack language and I'm not going to accept their way of thinking. Furthermore, I think we should take those words back and make them mean something real again!

Family Values means not cutting taxes on the rich and then cutting funding for CHIP programs (like we did here in TX).

Spiritual Values means not writing memos to justify torture!

American Values means we don't send our troops off to fight and die unless it's ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY! We don't send our troops out without the equipment they need so that we can fund MORE tax cuts for the rich! We don't ship our jobs offshore and allow companies to escape paying their share of the upkeep of the commons!

I'm sure you all could add lots and lots more...

[vetwife]

13. Sent an email on this to CNN but it didn't get read !

Surprise Surprise ! Plus someone shot my Kerry sign !

[redqueen]

16. Oh yes, I'm shocked... shocked!

I hope you've filed a report on that vandalism... considering your activism & locale I wouldn't take any chances!

[Killarney]

14. I agree with you

Many conservatives (not all, but many) are just plain bigots. They are anti-gay and they are racist. They use words like "shared values," "Christian values," and "states rights" and we all know what they really mean. The whole "welfare queen" story that Reagan pushed and the conservatives lapped up really pandered to the racists and brought more racists into the party.

[ellie]

17. Yes,

For me, repuke is a code word for racist.