Like, it seems, everyone else under the sun who was disappointed after November 2, I've been giving a lot of thought to the future of liberalism lately.
I've thought of the same sort of organization...but I'm not at all involved in any of the groups that I'd like to see come together (if that's possible). There's a lot of subjects that they all agree on, but have splintered into teeny little factions of hair-splitting petulance. I hate the concept that votes can be 'taken away' by any third, fourth, or umpteenth party, and that it causes argument between parties that should be getting along better. This is a very disjointed post.
It frustrates me that "liberal" has become a bad word.
Me too!
And it's so difficult to know how to fight it, to know how to remind people that Evangelical Christianity is not the same thing as morality or decency. If you have a solution, and I mean something other than chanting, carrying signs, and blocking traffic with other liberals, than count me in. I've been searching for a way to fight for two weeks (for four years, actually, but more intently now), but I am still at a loss.
Hey, if you want to do something meaningful, I'd help. I believe that it is possible for people to change the way the government works, and that it is possible to bring people together, it just takes time and energy and effort. Every message that we hear these days says "No, it's not possible to really make a difference", but I don't believe that for a second. Choices made by people have brought us to where we are today, and choices made by people will either make it worse or make it better
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I'm in, too. And you're right that it's all about how conservatives always manage to frame the debate in their terms. George Lakoff makes the same point in his new book, _Don't Think of an Elephant!_(though I'm not sure if it's any good or not) -- it's supposed to be a handbook for progressive political action. have you read it, perchance?
I know of other folk in the community who want to take on the problem from their own angles, too -- my fiance's brother (the one who set up the Brady Smith website) wants to help energize a Religious Left to counter the Religious Right. Your nonprofit idea would be a great way for him to link up with other folks in the community, so that we all could stay aware of each other's efforts and figure out how to coordinate them.
Tim (my fiance) seems to like it, but he's not made it through the first chapter yet. I'll see if I can snag it from him over the weekend and give it a read-through. It's not very long.
Your brother-in-law-to-be isn't the only one I've heard of who is inspired by that.
My concern is that, if such projects are successful, they'll simply become another splinter faction in the liberal non-alliance. (Consider that the Religious Right has, historically, often been at odds with the mainstream Republican Party). I think the trick isn't so much to create a Religious Left as a distinct entity, but to open up non-religious liberals to the idea that it is okay to work with religious groups, to the idea that you can support separation of church and state without being anti-church, and to convince religious liberals that they can be in an organization with others regardless of their faith or lack thereof.
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Basically, I'm in.
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Me too!
And it's so difficult to know how to fight it, to know how to remind people that Evangelical Christianity is not the same thing as morality or decency. If you have a solution, and I mean something other than chanting, carrying signs, and blocking traffic with other liberals, than count me in. I've been searching for a way to fight for two weeks (for four years, actually, but more intently now), but I am still at a loss.
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I know of other folk in the community who want to take on the problem from their own angles, too -- my fiance's brother (the one who set up the Brady Smith website) wants to help energize a Religious Left to counter the Religious Right. Your nonprofit idea would be a great way for him to link up with other folks in the community, so that we all could stay aware of each other's efforts and figure out how to coordinate them.
Keep me posted.
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My concern is that, if such projects are successful, they'll simply become another splinter faction in the liberal non-alliance. (Consider that the Religious Right has, historically, often been at odds with the mainstream Republican Party). I think the trick isn't so much to create a Religious Left as a distinct entity, but to open up non-religious liberals to the idea that it is okay to work with religious groups, to the idea that you can support separation of church and state without being anti-church, and to convince religious liberals that they can be in an organization with others regardless of their faith or lack thereof.
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