resources

• Overcoming historic reluctance to discuss politics and to encourage political action among friends, colleagues and family. You have built-in trust and credibility among those with whom you are close. They will listen to you and they will admire your own activism, even if they disagree with some of your positions. You may have friends who are currently inactive who have tremendous resources, skills, affluence or influence. Reaching out to others with whom you are close can significantly magnify the impact of your activism, as each person you activate may activate others.

• Engaging those with whom you know you disagree. We all have a few friends or family members who have a more conservative view of things; some may have voted for Trump. But as more and more regressive, greedy and hateful policies emerge from Washington, you may find common moral ground with friends who are also offended, who feel things have gone too far. Keep in touch with these people. Retake Our Democracy offers training, video, articles and other resources for learning how to communicate more effectively with those with whom you disagree on issues. Most of this involves listening more, pressing on issues less, and seeking areas where you may agree in terms of your common needs and interests.

• Consider new, bolder forms of activism. Never canvassed before?  Never been arrested for civil disobedience?  Never attended a legislative hearing or city council meeting?  Maybe it is time.

• Retain Your Astonishment at What Is Morally Reprehensible.  It is important to retain your capacity to be offended by the offensive. In the face of daily assaults on all we hold dear, it would be easy to become accustomed to the offensive.  Their strategy is to do so much, so quickly that your ability to react lessons and gradually what was once morally offensive becomes the new normal. This can’t happen. They win if it does.

Reboot Our Democracy’s primary goal is to make it easier for supporters to use their voice effectively, providing you a quick and easy opportunities to raise your voice. But some things simply can’t be that easy. Effectively engaging and educating people who have very different perspectives is something that requires deep thinking and relearning some basic communication strategies. Not easy, but learning those communication skills and coming to a better understanding of the perspectives of those who don’t share our views will only strengthen our movement for the long haul. This page provides insights into the perspective of the conservative American. It also describes how the use of moral language and framing can be used to help bridge a divide between some conservatives and progressives and find a common moral ground.

There are many kinds of conservative voters and some clearly should be feared, exposed, and opposed. But many conservative voters supported Trump because they felt abandoned by both parties for the better part of 40 years and came to the view that government simply doesn’t work. Many of us share this view, while arriving at very different conclusions. As this short article with links to video of Sen. Sanders conducting a Town Hall meeting with Trump supporters demonstrates, many Trump supporters were drawn to the themes of Sen. Sanders campaign but viewed the Clinton campaign as more of the same old approach to government that had ignored their needs for decades.

Many conservatives understand that they are being screwed by the system and that corporations are demanding more of them while providing less in return. They have suffered first-hand from bad trade agreements and the Corporatocracy’s stranglehold on the workforce. Some of these individuals harbor racist views, often informed by misinformation from the media, fundamentalist religious institutions, extremist organizations, family members, and from living in communities that tolerate and even foster the expression of racist, misogynist, and violent views. No matter how much reading we do and training we receive, we will never reach many segments of Trump supporters. But there is great potential for engaging and educating a significant number of them, and in doing so widen the progressive tent and erode the conservative base.

Framing, Metaphorical Thought and Moral Language 

George Lakoff provides a 6o minute lecture on how we think, how we understand and how the use of moral language can frame discussions and actually prevent individuals from even hearing you. Lakoff also describes how to understand how the GOP has framed the debate on so many key policy issues. If you want to become more skilled in persuasion, you need to view this video.  Click here.

Using Morale Language to Frame Arguments. This is a tremendous video on how to frame your argument in moral and ethical terms to achieve the greatest impact.  The video focuses on conversations around climate change, but the principles apply to discussions related to any form of political discussion. Very useful video for people who want to canvass, speak at a City Council meeting, post on Facebook, or write a letter to the editor.  Click here.

Developing the Capacity for Empathy.  A very insightful, 3-minute video on the importance of being able to embrace another’s perspective and point of view. You don’t have to share the view, you need to hear it and appreciate from whence it sprang. Very instructive. Click here.

• Guide for Writing Letters to the Editor; Top 10 Local Newspapers
• Press Releases
• Op-Eds and My Views
• Radio and Television Public Service Announcements
• Written and Audio Press Releases for Radio
• Getting Local TV Coverage
• Media Campaigns