I've heard back from some Minneapolis residents and political figures confirming my conclusion that right-wing groups use left-wing terms to deceive the public into believing that their radical right agenda is the feel-good policy perspective that they know most people respond to when it is precisely the opposite, and for this they should never be forgiven.
Here is an example of yet another distorting and misleading label taken on to advance agendas that destroy, not enhance lives in these United States. This from a New York Times article showing how counterproductive it is to deny Constitutional rights to former felons: Roger Clegg, of the Center for Equal Opportunity, a conservative research organization in Virginia, said there was no evidence that the disenfranchisement laws are racially discriminatory. "We don't let everyone vote," Mr. Clegg said. "We don't let children or noncitizens vote. There are basic requirements of loyalty and trustworthiness that we have for letting people vote. People who have committed serious crimes don't meet that minimum threshold. Keep an eye out for more local examples of this manipulation of the language to deceive us. Andy ------ > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Andy Driscoll" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Linda Higgins" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Sunday, December 29, 2002 1:15 PM > Subject: Re: [Mpls] Re: Labor Endorsement > > >> Organizations have been deceiving the public in this fashion for nearly a >> century, perhaps more. The most egregious violators of the language trust >> have been "independent" advertisers seeking to give the public the >> impression they're all squishy and wonderful interest groups protecting > the >> rights of all: >> >> The names are fleeting these days because most are ad hoc groups formed to >> get a policy initiative passed or blocked or a candidate elected or a >> candidate defeated. >> >> *The drug companies trying to put a spin on prescription drugs for anyone, >> especially seniors, by coalescing around the words, "choice" and "quality" >> drugs (vs. cheaper and as effective generics) and reduced profits that >> undermine research and development of new pharmaceuticals. >> >> *Selling stadia as economic development tools when everywhere they've been >> financed by public money, the surrounding economy has tubed. >> >> *Selling self-serving development policies by calling oneself a sensible >> land use coalition and attempting to co-opt the private and public sector >> watchdogs over rampant and irresponsible sprawl. >> >> These all involve Minneapolis and St. Paul firms, all with fancy names for >> marketing use or persuasion objectives but deceiving the public by > inferring >> the very opposite of what they really are. >> >> The goal of Minneapolis Republicans would be to stifle the traditional > role >> of labor in electing Democrats and Greens, so why not form an organization >> dedicated to "labor" when unions are anathema to Republicans. >> >> It's phony baloney. But it confuses people enough to create the very > public >> distrust they seek to create. Confusion naturally leads to resentment, > often >> in the wrong direction, but there nevertheless. >> >> Andy Driscoll >> Saint Paul >> -------- >> I (cannot) submit the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any > party >> of men (and women) whatever in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in >> anything else where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an > addiction >> is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. >> --- Thomas Jefferson (updated) >> >>> From: "Linda Higgins" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >>> So who is this group made up of? Seems as if they've co-opted a term > and >>> are using it to misdirect voters. >>> >>> >>> linda higgins >>> old highland >> > > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
