Links: Ignorance, Faith, Fear of Emasculation

I have no time and energy for a long and thougthfull (sic!) post, so here are a few links to articles that tie into some themes I wrote about before. Put them together instead of thinking of them separately.

On language and framing:

A Few Good Words
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/20306/

Don't Talk Like a Twit
http://www.alternet.org/story/17361/


On the PIPA report:

Clueless People Love Bush
http://www.alternet.org/columnists/story/20303/


Bush Backers Can't Help It: They Can't See Real World
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1024-27.htm

On religion:

Faith Abuse: When God Becomes a Campaign Ploy
http://www.alternet.org/columnists/story/20318/


No Longer a Christian
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1025-25.htm

On fear tactics and other GOP tactics:

Fear Factor
http://www.alternet.org/election04/20290/


The GOP Stampede
http://www.alternet.org/election04/20295/

On femiphobia:

The Bribe of Masculinity, or Why We Will Need to Hold Kerry's Feet to the Fire
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1026-26.htm

This last one, I believe, is getting it absolutely backwards. After reading Lakoff, Ducat and around the blogosphere, as well as looking for myself, it is obvious that facts do not win elections, policy details alienate voters, and Gut-Feeling trumps the Truth.

Kerry has done everything in his power to look as masculine as possible: tall, erect, strong, aggressive, decisive, even angry - pure testosterone. He's done it so much he is already alienating the progresives (just look around the blogs), yet it seems not to be enough.

Apart from presenting himself as masculine, Kerry also has to work on the other side of the equation: portray BushCo as sissies, wusses, cowards, girlie-men, using overt machism to cover up deep insecurities about becoming old, frail and impotent. All this posturing must be a compensation for something. Conservatives are so afraid to be seen as feminine or effeminate, they presents themselves as bags of testosterone. They need to be deflated. They present themselves as erect falluses - we need to show they are just flaccid dicks, afraid of vaginas with teeth.

Sadly, this race is about whose is bigger. We have to persuade people that on this matter Kerry wins (see tons on this on Wonkette.com).

Even people who do not study cognitive linguistics get it: we project our family onto our country:

Sharon Stone: Voting for Kerry should be basic instinct
http://www.dailycardinal.com/news/779502.html?mkey=576874

"We have to remember that when we vote for our president, a commander in chief, we're voting for the father of our nation."

Interesting imagery of using animals to dehumanize the enemy:

"Wolves"--The History
http://www.isthatlegal.org/archives/2004_10_01_isthatlegal_archive.html#109862905192676005

Finally, Legal Fiction is the first blog I check in the morning and last before going to sleep. That is also the only blog that I have read through the archives. I recommend you do the same. For his latest post, I have a simple response - read "Moral Politics":

THE END OF REALITY
http://lawandpolitics.blogspot.com/2004_10_01_lawandpolitics_archive.html#109893637935217438