Uneasy Rhetoric

A new site is trying to get progressives to remind everyone, especially the media, that many progressive issues are “moral issues.” So much of the post-election hoopla has been arguing that the election was about “values,” that somehow a very narrow concept of Christian “morality” defined the results.

That particular segment of the Right likes to talk about “morality” of homosexuality and abortion. They are strangely silent on other issues that would easily fit into a Christian conception of “morality;” sympathy for the poor springs immediately to mind.

From whatisamoralissue.org:

Post-election news reports cited exit polls claiming “we” [progressives] voted the economy while “they” voted moral issues. But most Kerry voters and Nader voters define themselves as voting on moral issues. Let’s learn from those on the Right. We must be vocal and visible about what moral issues matter to us, now more than ever.

Their method is basically to hit the news media and elected officials with repeated emails that x is a moral value. While this may not be the most efficient way to get the message out (elected officials will want your address in the email – they’re more interested in making sure they are hearing from constituents), anything that seeks to build a grassroots effort, any grassroots effort, to retake the moral high ground from the Christian Conservatives is okay by me.