Lakoff speaks out against theocracy

Hooray! framing guru George Lakoff emerges from the shadows, responds to odious Frist campaign:

The right-wing frame is now complete and Bill Frist has signed on with Tom DeLay: "The filibuster was once abused to protect racial bias, and it is now used against people of faith." This is not just the nuclear option; it is the thermonuclear option. The implicit claim is that every religious person is a right-wing conservative.

Filibustering against horrendous right-wing judges is repudiating all believers in every religion – and being racist to boot. The national campaign is on. Sunday April 24 is booked for national TV at a Kentucky megachurch and called "Justice Sunday." We must respond. We will call April 24 "Social Justice Sunday." We must show that spiritual progressives are alive and well and willing not just to speak out, but to shout out….

While I'm not convinced this is the the most perfect frame for our response - I like "Enlightenment Sunday," myself - I am thrilled to see Dr. Lakoff leaving the academic safety of Rockridge Institute and posting on DailyKos, a partisan site that gets 300,000-400,000 hits per day. Even better, he's aligned with 65 progressive religious organizations who began organizing a matter of hours after the unveiling of Frist's campaign.

I encourage you all to read the full story here and check out all the great links in the comments. My two favorites are Reid's Statement to Frist and the positive response of a small Episcopal church in Ohio to the upset of the November election. (Special bonus link: the hilarious Unitarian Jihad also appears, a must-read if you have not already seen it. Don't miss Brother Flaming Sword of Moderation!)

Heads up to religious leaders: you may be getting some phone calls this weekend....