By Daniel Rigney
The 2013 Values Voter Summit is taking down its revival tent in Washington, D.C. today after three days of conservative speeches. I’ve been watching highlights on CSPAN, and I was dubiously blessed to catch a few soundbits from Ted Cruz, Michele Bachmann, Gary Bauer and Rick Santorum.
Looking back on the event, I’m pondering this strange spin-phrase, “values voter.”
Who are these “values voters,” and in contrast to which other voters? Voters who value absolutely nothing? Do you know anyone who doesn't have values of one sort or another, if only those related to their own economic self-interest?
All human beings have values. We need values just to get out of bed in the morning.
Clearly, then, all voters are values voters. This seems so obvious to me that I’m embarrassed to say it publicly. Yet say it we must, to prevent the far right from pretending to own the word "values."
Even so-called liberal media outlets in the United States persist in using the phrase “values voter” to describe a socially conservative voter who is generally on the religious right, defends traditional understandings of the institution of marriage, opposes gay rights and abortion (often even in cases of rape and incest), and thinks happiness is a warm gun.
These voters have values, no doubt. Conservative values. But progressives also have values. Libertarians have values. So do fascists and Stalinists and Druids.
As a progressive, I have a few liberal-democratic values of my own. I value equity and fairness in our political economy. I value generosity and disdain greed. I value standing up to bullies (like Ted Cruz, for instance). I value non-violent conflict resolution whenever possible. I value good stewardship of the environment. I value religious and intellectual freedom. I value civil liberties and civil rights.
Therefore, I am a values voter. And so are you, if you've ever voted. And so is anyone who votes.
My questions are these: Who invented the propaganda phrase “values voter” in the first place? Why does the religious right seem to think it owns the word "values"? And why do smart and well-educated people in the media, both conservative and liberal, continue to use the phrase so mindlessly and uncritically? The counter-argument is clear and compelling:
All voters are human beings. All human beings have values. Therefore, all voters have values.
Ergo, every voter is a “values voter.”
Q.E.D.
Danagram
This is a revised and updated version of a post previously published here in January, 2012
The 2013 Values Voter Summit is taking down its revival tent in Washington, D.C. today after three days of conservative speeches. I’ve been watching highlights on CSPAN, and I was dubiously blessed to catch a few soundbits from Ted Cruz, Michele Bachmann, Gary Bauer and Rick Santorum.
Looking back on the event, I’m pondering this strange spin-phrase, “values voter.”
Who are these “values voters,” and in contrast to which other voters? Voters who value absolutely nothing? Do you know anyone who doesn't have values of one sort or another, if only those related to their own economic self-interest?
All human beings have values. We need values just to get out of bed in the morning.
Clearly, then, all voters are values voters. This seems so obvious to me that I’m embarrassed to say it publicly. Yet say it we must, to prevent the far right from pretending to own the word "values."
Even so-called liberal media outlets in the United States persist in using the phrase “values voter” to describe a socially conservative voter who is generally on the religious right, defends traditional understandings of the institution of marriage, opposes gay rights and abortion (often even in cases of rape and incest), and thinks happiness is a warm gun.
These voters have values, no doubt. Conservative values. But progressives also have values. Libertarians have values. So do fascists and Stalinists and Druids.
As a progressive, I have a few liberal-democratic values of my own. I value equity and fairness in our political economy. I value generosity and disdain greed. I value standing up to bullies (like Ted Cruz, for instance). I value non-violent conflict resolution whenever possible. I value good stewardship of the environment. I value religious and intellectual freedom. I value civil liberties and civil rights.
Therefore, I am a values voter. And so are you, if you've ever voted. And so is anyone who votes.
My questions are these: Who invented the propaganda phrase “values voter” in the first place? Why does the religious right seem to think it owns the word "values"? And why do smart and well-educated people in the media, both conservative and liberal, continue to use the phrase so mindlessly and uncritically? The counter-argument is clear and compelling:
All voters are human beings. All human beings have values. Therefore, all voters have values.
Ergo, every voter is a “values voter.”
Q.E.D.
Danagram
This is a revised and updated version of a post previously published here in January, 2012
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