STOP Using THEIR Frame: The "Culture of Life" !!!

[freeandbrave]

There are few places on the net that are more welcoming to progressive politicos than DU. That's why I am so concerned with the constant shrift given by DUers to the Republicans' frame regarding the sorrowful circumstances of Terri Schiavo.

The "Culture of Life" is alive and well at DU. Sadly, the constant promotion of that frame quite undeservedly rewards the Republicans.

In fact, the frame is so effective and the Democrats so pathetic, that one "Anonymous Democrat" even admitted:

"The party didn't want to be on the wrong side of "the culture of life,"

That's why I was so grateful for the following article:

(I Highly recommend that you read the entire post to get the full flavor and rationale. I necessarily had to leave out vast swaths of some of the best parts. Otherwise, I would have had to repost the entire piece. So I will just post the introduction and you can take it from there.)

STOP Using THEIR Frame: "Culture of Life"

By Tom Ball

03/30/05

http://www.politicalstrategy.org/archives/001308.php#1308

Have we learned nothing?

Prior to the era of all-Schiavo all the time, the hottest topic on the Progressive Web was framing -- how critical it is that we embolden ourselves and begin re-framing the issues to suit our agenda. Over and over again, we recited the rules: Know your values. Choose your frames based on your values, etc, etc,  and whatever you do, for God sake DO NOT USE THEIR LANGUAGE.

Bam! Along comes Terri Schiavo and all mentions of framing are replaced with the "Culture of Life". Everywhere I look on the Progressive web, it's blinding, "Culture of Life", "Culture of Life", "Culture of Life", "Culture of Life".

Whose frame do you think that is? Ours? It's their frame. THEIR FRAME.

This is how they want the world to see them -- as "Compassionate Conservatives" whose highest purpose is to celebrate a "culture of life". They don't want you thinking about their sacrificial lambs in Iraq that they so eagerly sent to slaughter. They don't want you to think about the record level of executions following dubious convictions in Texas. No! These are the people who celebrate and live the "Culture of Life". It's Bullshit! But we've bent over and grabbed our ankles to help promote their cause.

I have an idea. Why don't we just say what they really want to say? You know... If theirs is the "Culture of Life", then exactly who do you think that implies celebrates the "Culture of Death", Huh? Perhaps... the "baby killers"? -- the ones who want everyone to have an abortion? "Pro-choice" just means you have the right to kill the unborn child. Right?

This is what they want people to believe. Of course it's garbage. Of course they're despicable for promoting such lies.

So why are we helping them?...Read the entire article.

Hopefully, this will put an end to our hapless promotion of the Republicans' position.

[etherealtruth]

1. Excellent point, excellent article ...

This is why I come to the DU... intelligent info...

[freeandbrave]

9. You might also like this...

The "Political Strategy Framing Project" Still brand new but growing.

[etherealtruth]

17. Thank you n/t

[Freedom_from_Chains]

2. Someone suggested a few days ago on DU

That it would more accuratly frame the Republicans position by calling it the "Cult of Life"

[sundancekid]

11. Good one. More like: Cult of self-serving, selective life.

Under the bushevik repukes' agenda, It feels like we're living in a Bordello of Carpetbagger Moralism. Where's the equal outrage for Baby Sun in Texas??? Oh, never mind, the "rule of law" happened to apply in that little whorehouse?

[Freedom_from_Chains]

13. Silly boy, don't you know

Rule of Law only applies when we like the outcome, if not, it's activist judges.

[Nikki Stone 1]

3. Excellent article. Thanks for posting it.

nt

[ewulf]

4. The Cult of the Vegitative

or the culture of the permanent vegatative state

[DesEtoiles]

5. Cult of Life -- Culture of Lies

[emanymton]

6. Rule Of Law!

Stand tall and say, "Rule Of Law" whenever the bumper sticker "Culter Of Life" is muttered. When it comes down to sound bites, "Rule Of Law" rocks.

Again, pick _your_ position. Do not try to follow _their_ position.


Keep your position simple. State it clearly. Maintain your dignity. You win.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

7. I would like to expand "Culture of Life" to

"Culture of Lifelong Torture and Slavery at the Hands of Multinational Corporations"

[zipplewrath]

8. I understand the point

I really do. And it is not necessarily altogether wrong, as a strategy. But I kinda hope we aren't just going to move towards a playing field where Orwellian skills are the primary method of engaging the voter. It is necessary to have a language with which to communicate, but in the end this would mostly seem to be playing their game. This kind of Orwellian debate would seem to favor the liar. Perfectly willing to write: Slavery = Freedom, War = Peace over and over again. If we are going to play that game, we will lose who we are. It is again, I hate to harp on this, a variation of the "republican lite". Play their game, only more skillfully. You don't win every hand, you "know when to hold 'em". Our core belief is that you don't meddle in these things. You don't interfere in family squabbles. We have deliberative courts and that is where this belongs. Let them politicize it. They've over played their hand. Don't try to stretch two pair into a full house. All they've got
is a 3/4 of a flush with an ace kicker.

Our only message on this subject should have been that the sad part was that these tough decisions are made everyday by people who don't have national organizations behind them. They are made everyday by people who have no health insurance, and for whom Medicaid won't pay to keep them alive. People risk everyday trying to keep their daughters alive and going bankrupt. And the way things are going they'll no longer have the protection of bankruptcy law, nor will they have a malpractice payoff with which to tend to their loved ones. This was a sad situation made worse by the realization that it is only one of many. But at least in this case the courts were able to fully consider all the issues and render a thoughtful, and well reviewed judgement.

[housewolf]

10. "Culture of Unreason"

New ways of referring to repubs

"Culture of emotion over reason"
"Culture of disregarding law"
"Culture of imposing our beliefs"
"Culture of anti-science"
"Culture of faith-based ignorance"
"Culture of illogic"
"Culture of anti-nature"

Saw this one on another thread - "Culture of Talibornagain" (edited to add)

What are your ideas?

[Fleshdancer]

12. They are the Culture of Hypocrisy...

They are the Culture of Christploitation (would "X-ploitation" work better?) They are the Culture of Fear, the Culture of Intrusion, and sadly enough, the Culture of Hate.

[El Fuego]

14. We let them get away with framing everything.

I want Democrats to hijack the phrase and turn it into "Culture of Death."

Examples:

When refering to Iraq war, "it's part of the 'culture of death' in this country to benefit corporate interests."

Abu Ghraib and Gitmo torture, "a part of the 'culture of death' being dealt out to our youth."

Cuts to medicaid, lack of health insurance issues, "all contributing to the GOP's 'Culture of Death'!"

[Malva Zebrina]

15. their frame is repeated often

here and nothing can stop some from repeating it even though they claim to be Democrats. Indeed, it does appear they have gone "over" or have been turned.

"Culture of Life" posted on Du as part of a Catholic position posted here.

"Pro-life" as part of the right wing nuts like Randall Terry and the fanatics in Florida and adopted by some here on DU , while simultaneosly claiming to be for a woman's right to choose.

"Support the Troops"--adopted by Democrats not wanting to be accused of "anti-Americanism" and those DU people who refused to use it, were accused of the same anti Americanism or of hard heartedness when it comes to supporting troops blindly without thought.

People just go with it. A search will reveal what religious outlook encourages the use of right wing memes such as "culture of life"

What next that will bring Democrats over to the dark side with the internalizing and the utilizing of right wing memes, such as "
"culture of life" I wonder.

[roguevalley]

16. they are the culture of some life. not life. Some life.