President Bush, in his second inaugural address, used ``freedom," ``free," and ``liberty" 49 times in 20 minutes. ``Liberty" has become the watchword of the radical right. The right has taken over the use of these words as part of its appropriation of patriotism.
Progressives must reclaim not merely the words ``freedom" and ``liberty," but the ideas that made this a free country. To lose freedom is awful; to lose the idea of freedom would be worse.
George Lakoff is the author of an excellent book titled Don't Think of An Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate.
My final Fourth of July gift to you. I hope it makes up for Liberace's hairy legs.
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