Today’s flap about “zero tolerance” came just as I got a note from Kossak Susan Strong, creator of the Metaphor Project.
I had noticed a few of her posts and comments. I checked her profile and she has been blogging here since 2009, just after Obama first took office!
Her “most recommended” post came in 2012, just before Obama’s second victory. I think it is worth a re-run, here’s some quotes:
… While we on the Left are getting better at generating political pressure through social networking, we also need to get a whole lot better at counter-framing. What is counter-framing? It’s the technique of countering a Right wing sound bite with a better one of our own. There are three main methods for doing this.
An example of the first method:
“Say ‘rules,’ not regulation.”
That one has been fairly widely adopted.
The second method is
... counter-framing a Right wing slogan by tweaking it ...
The counter to “stay the course” is “change course.”
The third method is
… creating a dramatic new sound bite of your own ...
and the example is “frankenfood”.
Although there is no necessary connection, I note some back-and-forth today suggests that Republicans have “weaponized” accusations of sexual misconduct. It seems to start with comment by ThePhlebob and responses from tin41 and Bobs Telecaster, leading to recs and a pie fight.
I’m inclined to use “sexual behavior” or “sexual activity” instead of the prejudicial terms “sexual harassment” or “abuse.”
I’m looking to word-crafters like Susan Strong to to help us get beyond reacting to provocations, “shooting ourselves in the foot.”