Handbook for Protests, Speaking Points |
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have to chuckle while I tell you how much I admire Newt Gingrich. Not because of his
politics, but because of his mastery of spin, marketing, packaging and propaganda.
These are excellent skills to draw upon in politics, where perception, familiarity and
image are everything. He empowered the entire Republican Partry with a product called "The Contract With America". He made being a conservative popular (a description the Republican Party is now trying to downplay in order to seem more populist). Few people knew what it meant, few knew that it would be implemented in such a barbaric fashion, but it had every buzz word and wrapper you could possibly associate with a product that would quickly become the "best on the market" of its kind... taxes, marriage, reform, conservative...Marketing, pure and simple. Republicans were given pages of questions and answers in order to give the appearance of unity and to collectively deliver the same message to the American people. Republicans settle their differences behind closed doors so as to appear unified. And it works. There's already a product called Democracy... but, people have sort of lost interest in it because they've had it burned into their brains with so many interpretations, that it has no meaning. Like the phrase team player. It's just what you say, it's not a real philosophy. So if you say you're a team player, people wonder if you're trying to fake being nice or hide something. When you say Democracy, the same kind of cynicism will cause people to discount your sincerity, and they might tell you to get a life, or inform you "Nobody said life is fair". So, what we're selling is the all new and improved Democracy called Democratic Fundamentalism... just like they used to make it in the good old days, only better. It does everything the old one stopped doing long ago, and more! Here's why: 1) It acknowledges that what are now problems, used to be solutions, and that new solutions are needed as a matter of fact, not blame. But, that fixing old problems will only create more problems. So, we want to create new systems that allow themselves to evolve and respond as necessary. We offer, as an example, the United States Constitution. 2) It honors the Constitution by returning Constitutional Powers to the branches of Government, requiring transparency of process, freedom of information and accountability for service to the people. 3) It does not look the other way when corrupt leaders corrupt our government, break our laws, violate the Constitution and deprive it's citizens of its rights for financial gain. Enough of that for now. When critics read this, they will say "they even treat what they're doing like a product to be sold".. to which I will say something like... "It's true. When trying to communicate new ideas, or re-introduce ideas into a public discussion, there's no reason not to take advantage of research that give us more effective methods of providing information to the public. Just like in your business." "The difference with our organization is that we're not trying to fool anyone or get them to look in another direction while we pick their pockets. The United States Constitution is fairly straightforward. When you really understand it, you begin to realize just how little Democracy is really left in America." "If our leaders do not live by, rule by, lead by and honor the Constitution, the rules of the game, then they're not playing Democracy anymore. And they're not playing Democracy anymore." That's an example of a speaking point as a response. It expresses a difference from the status quo so as to differentiate itself, it informs people that there is something more to understand than what lies on the surface (which will actually validate them by confirming their suspicions) and it tells them other people are thinking things like them... they are not alone... you are someone with whom they can identify. It has a complaint and a demand. And finally, you take the high ground, by claiming your honesty. Then, when they ask "Are you accusing these other people of lying", your answer would be "No, I'm just saying that we're telling the truth. We'll let other people decide if they're lying or not". I apologize that my own cynicism would have me say "That's how the game is played". But it is. Just try not to jump into the mud. The good news is, the truth really is on our side, there's a copy of this document I keep talking about (the Constitution) on file somewhere... so there is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. Just informed, interested, vigilant and relentless. More on speaking points later.
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