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How Americans Can Reclaim Their Rightful Heritage
Conservatives and the Republican party in particular have accomplished a remarkable feat in a relatively short amount of time. They have done so in an overt manner. Their dominance over the political, social and religious realms in America should come as no surprise as their tactics have been both vocal and visible. Liberals can learn valuable lessons from conservative behavior over the last twelve to twenty years if they want to salvage the liberal heritage of our founding fathers.
The first step is to reclaim dominance over our language. I have encountered far too many liberals who whisper the word when they describe themselves. The Bush campaign lobbed an effective verbal grenade early in the race when they accused John Kerry of being the most liberal senator in Congress. The democrats responded by wincing and crunching numbers to prove that he was not. The liberal label is not an insult and democrats need to reclaim the descriptor as a compliment. Liberals must embrace and communicate that they gladly share this political perspective with the men who secured our freedoms and created this country. The word liberal should evoke feelings of enlightenment, humanitarianism, innovation, patriotism and plenty.
Liberals must proudly and forcefully differentiate themselves as the antithesis to the conservative perspective, but they must not drop the matter there. Democrats can have no reluctance in responding with the accusation that conservative is a label one should no longer display proudly. Conservatives are the ones who should wince at this word which has come to represent oppression, inflexibility, bitterness and crass materialism. Contemporary conservatives do not remotely embody the classical definition of the term as their political decisions affect negative change rather than conserving a perceived status quo.
Conservatives have been telling Americans for long enough that they hold exclusive rights to concepts such as family values, high morals, and strong ethics when their actions have demonstrated the opposite. The second conservative tactic which must be turned on its head is the way in which perspective becomes truth. An appalling number of Americans want to be told how to think, a concept which is anathema to liberalism. Liberalism encourages individuals to do their own exploration and make decisions based on their reasoning ability. Valuing intellectual freedom places liberals at a distinct disadvantage when appealing to a complacent electorate.
• Liberal politicians must abandon the assumption that the facts will speak for themselves or that the truth will come out. We have seen ample evidence that facts do not speak and truth is relative. Liberal politicians must appeal to baser instincts in order to convince the electorate of their desirability.
• Liberal clergy must abandon the fear of addressing politics in their sermons. Expounding upon socio-political topics in a place of worship is not unseemly. We must give voice to a different perspective lest the reactionary theologies of evangelicals become the sole voice ringing from American pulpits.
• Liberal citizens must abandon their reluctance to discuss political topics with their friends, families and neighbors. They must educate themselves to become vocal advocates for the liberal perspective. They must not remain silent at the dinner table or their silence may be construed as agreement.
The tactic of saying something often enough until it becomes reality is a potent one indeed. Ideas and ideals are contagious. Many people may have latent beliefs that can only become realized if they experience the comfort of knowing others feel as they do. The human drive for inclusion through conformity has been exploited quite effectively by conservatives.
Republicans control all three branches of the United States government yet they have successfully cast themselves in the roll of the underdog. Are you familiar with a scene from Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp” in which a pair of Siamese cats destroy a living room only to flip over on their backs when the human enters the room in order to convey the impression that the dog was responsible for the mayhem? I am ever mindful of that scene when I see a republican representative publicly moan about the evils perpetrated by the democrats. This approach to public relations is so effective that many people blame President Clinton for any ill that befalls them and he has not held office in four years. The focus of accountability must be shifted immediately.
Appropriate and well-placed accountability can only be accomplished with vigilance and consistent communication. Every word spoken and action taken by our Republican leaders must be put under as powerful a microscope as the one they employ. When decisions are reached which disagree with liberal principles a very public dissenting opinion must be disseminated as quickly and widely as possible. This dissension will be far more effective coming from the combined effort of our liberal officials, liberal clergy and a disproportionately vocal liberal electorate. Republicans should not be permitted to proceed unchecked simply because they have demonstrated an amazing ability to spin any positive or negative event to their advantage. Democrats must get better at shining a light on the irony and hypocrisy so rife within modern conservatism by consistently challenging such behavior. The success of Comedy Central’s Daily Show with Jon Stewart leads me to believe humor may well be an effective tool. Perhaps liberals should regularly utilize this tactic without devolving it into the contemptuous mockery displayed by republicans.
Liberals should not lose hope after the appalling results of the 2004 elections. We must recognize the outcome for the opportunity it presents. Many prominent races, including the presidential race, were tantalizingly close with extremely encouraging voter turnout. Liberals should take heart that millions of their fellow Americans were not deceived by conservative political strategists. Their faith and trust in the Democratic party should not go unacknowledged, ignored or abandoned. I recommend the following resolutions to accomplish the objective of restoring liberalism to its rightful place in American society.
The Democratic Party should resolve to:
• Identify strong candidates for the 2006 mid-term elections no later than March 1, 2005 and begin preparing them for a heated campaign.
• Publicly challenge conservative decisions as affecting negative change.
• Use strong positive language when referring to liberal issues and even stronger negative language when referring to the reactionary conservative agenda.
• Purchase prominent issue advertising in non-campaign years.
The Democratic leaders should resolve to:
• Minimize internal party strife and focus their attention on Republican activity.
• Publicly challenge conservative decisions as affecting negative change.
• Use strong positive language when referring to liberal issues and even stronger negative language when referring to the reactionary conservative agenda.
• Democratic congressional candidates who lost their races should remain visible and function as the representative voice of dissent for the supporters in their districts.
Liberal clergy should resolve to:
• Include socio-political themes within their sermons at least once a quarter.
• Encourage correspondence with elected officials as a unified voice by sending at least four letters a year on behalf of the congregation.
• Sponsor forums in which liberal and conservative theologies can share their perspectives in a safe and open environment.
Liberal constituents should resolve to:
• Write a letter to their local newspaper at least six times a year.
• Write one email a month to their congressmen and senators.
• Call their congressmen and senators at least twice a year.
• Attend Democratic Executive Committee meetings once a month.
• Participate in the activities of liberal groups such as MoveOn and ACT.
• Financially support the Democratic party during non-campaign years in order to fund prominent issue advertising.
• Research three issues and be prepared to discuss their perspective if questioned by a conservative.
If you are unable to make such resolutions, at the very least have a handy response when someone derisively asks, “What, are you some kind of liberal?” Respond. “Of course I am. I love my fellow human beings and want to see us progress ethically, morally and socially. Aren’t you?”
Rev. Ann Fuller
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In no way should this be construed as defeatism with respect to the 2004 election. I just had to unburden myself this morning and thought I would share it with you.
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