Please read the following list: immigrant, inheritance tax, low income, expert, collect
Now read a corresponding list: illegal alien, death tax, derelict, elitist, confiscate
How did you feel when you read the first list? How did you feel when you read the second list?
Unless you’ve been conditioned to read the former and automatically translate it into something along the lines of the latter in your head, you probably reacted more negatively to the second list. Keep in mind that we on the political left may respond negatively to the second list in different ways from those on the political right.
Words generate a spectrum of emotional responses from positive to neutral to negative. To complicate things, the emotional response to a word or phrase can differ by context and in both type and intensity from person to person and group to group.
The political and religious right are masters at the art of generating fear, anger, controversy and resentment where none should exist. Deceptive language and images are their weapons of choice in the endless culture wars they wage, and divisiveness is the strategy of the wealthy, powerful forces behind them with the goal of achieving and maintaining power.
We on the left have not been taking their efforts nearly seriously enough. Whereas many individuals and groups have been pushing back hard on some of the language that demeans individuals and generates division, or even leads to violence, we are not working hard enough to change the framing in too many cases. That I believe is beginning to change.
The media is very prone to fall into whatever false framing the right is pushing, and some articles/interviews consist of nothing more than false statements made by rightwing spokespeople, or the issue is framed as a he said, she said battle of differences in political opinions. Or even when reporting the facts, they may use words and phrases that promote the false frame.
Recent case in point, our culture war about public health approaches to prevent illness and death from COVID-19. The carefully crafted false framing was a trap and pretty much all of us fell into it.
THE FRAMING TRAP
Here is how the Republicans and others on the right have framed the issue:
We oppose mask and vaccination mandates in schools because parents have the right to choose what is best for their children. Mandates take away personal freedom and violate personal rights. Governing bodies should not be able to tell parents what to do. That is a form of tyranny. In fact, studies show that masks and vaccines can harm children. [All these statements, not just the last, are patently false.]
You can’t argue within that frame. What do you mean? You think a mandate is a good thing? Don’t you think parents should decide what’s best for their children? Don’t you support personal rights? Do you want to harm our children?
Before making your arguments, you have to re-frame the issue.
RE-FRAMING THE ISSUE
Now, no mater what rational people say, there is little chance we can change the minds of those who constantly make these claims. Don’t call them arguments by the way. The words argument (can) and debate (do) carry the connotation of some kind of factual basis on both sides. They are assertions, claims, or statements that are not only baseless but also provably false. Explicitly say so every chance you get.
But there are probably a lot of people in between who are sitting rather confused on the fence. We want them to metaphorically fall on our side. And whereas most of the press are probably going to stay trapped in the language from the right, perhaps some will notice our righteous re-framing efforts and join in.
GENERAL RULES
Think long and hard about what you want to say and write. Practice speaking about this issue — my husband worries about how much I talk to myself — as practice makes perfect. See if when you make points to people, you get verbal and non-verbal cues that your message is coming across. Pay attention to editing suggestions by those you know are on your side.
Evoke good emotions — like love, empathy, respect for life, feelings of safety, even righteous anger directed toward those who harm others — when talking about public health approaches and their ability to protect us. Evoke negative emotions about the virus — amazing how hard this seems to be for the anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers — and about the efforts to undermine public health efforts to defeat it.
In addition to following the general rules, don’t ever, ever, ever use the word mandate! When they do, paraphrase what they say, don’t quote them verbatim. Some examples of framing and the use of words with emotional content follow.
SOME EXAMPLES [NOTE: HOW WE SPEAK IS DIFFERENT FROM HOW WE WRITE.]
I am a really strong supporter of requiring masks and proof of vaccination in schools. I support them because decades of experience have shown that they are a really effective way to prevent deadly airborne diseases like COVID-19. After all, protecting children is how we show them we love them.
[Note: Don’t use the term masking, as that suggests authorities actively placing masks on children. Also, use the term ‘requiring proof of vaccination’ not ‘requiring vaccination’, as the former leads people to directly and properly infer that a healthcare provider who requires parental permission, not the authorities, delivered the vaccine.]
Opponents of these proven public health tools are working to prevent requiring proof of vaccination, and until all children and teachers are vaccinated and COVID levels are low, universal mask wearing in the schools. Because of these attitudes and the behavior of some of these opponents, many of our schools are becoming dangerous places for teachers and kids.
Studies have shown that requiring masks in schools can greatly reduce the spread of COVID-19 and the resulting threat to the lives and health of teachers and students. Also, requiring proof of vaccination among school age children against a number of preventable diseases has proven to be a very effective way to protect them.
In several cases, including polio and smallpox, worldwide vaccination has completely eradicated these potentially deadly diseases. These past experiences tell us that requiring proof of COVID vaccination where possible among children and teachers and universal mask wearing in the meantime, is the very best way to keep everyone safe.
To repeat. Think long and hard about what you want to say and write. And try to think about how to inspire and activate Democratic voters and get some of those in-between people over to our side. The majority of Americans support mask wearing and proof of vaccination, so let’s work on strengthening that support.
If you are really interested in learning more about framing, books by George Lakoff are an excellent start.
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