At the very end of the second edition his book
Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think,
George Lakoff says, "I think the issue to bring progressives together should be this most central of all issues--raising children to become
responsible, empathetic adults." That's right, George Lakoff thinks the most pressing issue for liberals at the beginning
of the 21st century is raising children. Of course the only way I was able to find this out was by actually reading his book,
because if you believed the coverage of Lakoff by the liberal media (and I really do mean the
liberal media here--check
out
Lakoff's response to
an article by Katha Pollitt in
The Nation), you would think Lakoff was all about something call "reframing." Wrong. George Lakoff is all about something called
values, specifically family values.
Personally, I think that Unitarian Universalists need to take more than a cursory look at Lakoff's work, especially now
that
Moral Values for a Pluralistic Society has been voted on as the Study Action Issue 2005-2007. Truth is, I think that
Moral Politics could serve as a sort
of
DSM-IV for our movement, a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Liberal Dysfunction. For example, his description
of Liberal Strict Father Intellectuals sounds exactly like dozens of individuals I've met at UU congregations around the country,
the kind of person who thinks a ministerial search committee for a church isn't all that different than a professorial search
committee for a university (I've actually heard of one search committee that was proposing paying a minister with a doctorate
more than a minister with a masters just because that was the way it's done in academia). And Lakoff's takes on Libertarians
and Classic Theoretical Liberals are equally enlightening.
But by far the most revealing part of
Moral Politics for me was the Afterword Lakoff added to the 2002 edition.
Yes, he does write about reframing there, a concept he fleshes out in
Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate. But he also points out that "liberals pay virtually no attention to the issue of how children are to be raised." "The
issue," he says, "is not even on the liberal radar screen." And why is it so important? Because, according to Lakoff, "conservatives
spend well over 200 million dollars per year directly on programs for raising children--on promoting the Strict Father model
of the family" (the total expenditures of the UUA, by the way, is one tenth of that--20 millions dollars--and that's for
everything;
the budget for the now-defunct Family Matters Task Force at the UUA was about $5000).
According to Lakoff, "most progressives don't even want to talk about raising children." Why? Because we're too busy
worrying about other issues. Important issues, yes, but issues that usually leave out "the most important issue of all--raising
children." Again, see if these types don't sound familiar:
- Socio-economic Progressives: Everything important in society and politics is a matter of economics and class--which is
taken to include race, gender, ethnicity, and sexual preference.
- Identity Politics Progressives: What is most important in redressing the real grievances of oppressed groups.
- Greens: The central issues to be addressed are the ecology and the rights of indigenous peoples.
- Civil Liberties Progressives: Individual rights and civil liberties are most important.
- Anti-Authoritarian Progressives: Fighting authoritarian practices and institutions--say, oppressive aspects of the state
and of large corporations--is the uppermost concern.
Lakoff goes on to say that "Nurturant Parenting is neither a socioeconomic question, nor an issue of identity politics,
nor an ecological concern, nor a question of civil liberties, nor an authoritarian political concern." So whose concern is
it? Well, Lakoff has added another type of progressive to his list since the second edition of Moral Politics came out in
2002. And I'll send a copy of Lakoff's latest book to the first person who tells me what it is--just e-mail your answer to
psdlund@earthlink.net. And don't worry, I'm nowhere near done with this. I'll let you know the answer next week.
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You may or may not know this, but most districts in the UUA have a resource library of religious education materials
and other resources for use by folks within that district (you can check out Prairie Star's library by clicking
here). I've been asked by Karen Kress, the district librarian, to pass along a list of the latest additions to the PSD library,
so here they are:
SENIOR HIGH/ADULT AND JUNIOR HIGH GRADES 7-9
LIVING IN UUVILLE
JEFF LIEBMANN
A 10-session program for youth by youth. While the program can be led or co-led
by adults, each session is specifically designed to be facilitated by a team of youth leaders. The goals include: giving youth
opportunity to explore the full meaning of the Principles in their lives; an environment that encourages individual initiative
and teamwork. The sessions apply the Principles to real life issues and problems including: being placed in the Michael
Servetus Academy, a school for UUs; being placed in UUville, a city in which all citizens are UUs; being placed in UUSA
in which all citizens are UUs; and being placed in a global summit as representatives of an Earth where everyone is UU.
HERESY APPARENT
JEFF LIEBMANN
A 10 session curriculum developed to expose youth to the rich and interesting history
of UUism that is their religious heritage. The purpose is to provide a fun and educational experience for Jr and Sr High youth
either in a church year program, week long summer camp, or weekend youth conference setting. The sessions include the heresy’s
of: anti-trinitarianism, universal salvation, religious questioning, faith in action, reason, resistance, nondiscrimination,
inclusion, challenging assumptions, and the questing mind. Includes cards for famous UUs with pictures and brief biographies.
PARADIGMS LOST AND GAINED
JEFF LIEBMANN
A 10-session curriculum for Jr and Sr High youth that helps teens recognize
elements of their lives that are ‘toxic’ and to move towards using their Sacred Voice to articulate their anxieties. The program
teaches youth basic life skills through an approach of identifying one’s core mission, prioritizing goals, evaluating performance
and keeping balance in one’s lives. This curriculum uses a variety of fun and challenging approaches to help youth explore
themselves and their relationships with others. For the primary game element that runs throughout the program (and can involve
the entire church community), the youth see themselves as a company and earn stock in themselves thrugh their actions.
Also included is an Adult Supplement – Paradigms Regained. This supplement is intended to run concurrently with the youth
program. Optimally, churches will offer both programs as youth and adult religious education at the same time.
LISTENING BETWEEN THE LINES – A MUSICAL RESPONSE TO POP CULTURE
TIM MURPHY
100 songs in a curriculum designed to
used to supplement other curricula to enliven and keep youth interested. Each lesson takes an individual song and encourages
discussion around the lyrics and the message they present. Questions and/or suggestions for particular ideas that can be addressed
are listed to facilitate discussion.
VIDEO TAPES/AUDIO VISUAL MATERIALS AND ADULT
KILOWATT OUTS DVD
JEFF BARRIE
Kilowatt Outs reveals the often unreported consequences of our predominantly coal
and nuclear powered economy. The film opens with Vice President Dick Cheney’s energy policy speech in which he makes the claim
that America needs nearly 1900 new power plants in the next 20 years. From here, Jeff Barrie takes viewers on a journey from
the coal mines of West Virginia to the solar panel fields of Florida as he discovers solutions to America’s energy related
problems. Excellent tool to be used in discussions of Global Warming.
OUR AMERICAN ROOTS VHS AND DVD
ALL SOULS UNITARIAN CHURCH, TULSA
Includes Study Guide. A 10-session video series
drawn from historic footage. Present an overview of some of the most significant issues, people and moments in UU history
in the early days of our country. This series may be used in small groups and adult RE, newcomers’ and coming of age
classes to educate viewers and spark discussion and reflection. These videos help educate and support UUs in claiming
the role our religious forebears played in forming our United States and carrying forward the cause of liberty and justice.
The guide offers additional information and resources to support and enrich the videos including: background story; documentary
history, discussion questions, interactive elements, and resources for further exploration.
BUILDING YOUR OWN THEOLOGY I – INTRODUCTION (REVISED)
RICHARD S. GILBERT
Completely revised text – fundamental
structure remaining intact. How do UUs ‘do theology’? This 10-session program begins the process of individual
defining of theology. Each session includes a statement of purpose, materials and leader preparation needed with activities
and closing ceremony. Each participant will write their own ‘credo’ based on a religious model.
BUILDING YOUR OWN THEOLOGY II – EXPLORING (REVISED 2005)
RICHARD GILBERT
A continuation of the credo development
process from BYOT Intro with the introduction of other theological issues crucial for formulating a faith. Beginning
with the often neglected Sources in the UUA Bylaws that inform our theological endeavors and represent our religious pluralism.
Each session includes an essay to read before the meeting. Further development of the Credo begun in BYOT occurs.
INTERMEDIATE GRADES 3-6 AND JUNIOR HIGH GRADES 7-9
THE QUESTING YEAR
TIRRELL H. AND RICHARD S. KIMBALL
Written for 6th graders; suitable for individual grades 6-8
and for combined groups with 5th graders and up. This curriculum engages participants in four quests designed to help
them seek and develop their own answers to deep life questions about human faith and web of all existence. Connected through
social action and spiritual search, the Mystery Quest, the Inner Quest, the Action Quest and the UU Quest are all challenging
and fun. The class uses music and meditation to experience religious mystery, creates personal aliens and mirror boards for
exploring self, runs a social action project to help others outside the church, and explores the lives of outstanding Uus
through a reproducible booklet included in the basic text. Twenty four sessions.
INTERMEDIATE GRADES 3-6
BIBLEODEON
TIRRELL H. AND RICHARD S. KIMBALL
Written for 5th graders; suitable for individual grades 5 and 6 and
for combined groups with 4th, 5th and 6th graders. This curriculum introduces Hebrew and Christian scriptures by presenting
the best known Hebrew and Christian stories with such props as the Bibleodeon microphone and such interactive challenges as
investigating the Cain Abel crime scene. Participants act in 11 amusing playlets with characters like the Fatted Calf, illustrate
a time line, keep doodle books, give awards to outstanding biblical women and more. They explore connections between biblical
events and UU principles, between biblical ideas and their own lives. They experience the Bible as one of many wonderful UU
sources. Twenty sessions.
PRESCHOOL AND PRIMARY AGES 3-8
FREE TO BELIEVE
TIRRELL H. AND RICHARD S. KIMBALL
Written for 2nd graders; suitable for individual grades 2 and
3 and for combined groups of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders. This curriculum explores UU principles and sources while nurturing
the emotional, social, and spiritual life of children. Its first sessions focus on UU principles. Values, and beliefs through
hands on activities, stories, games, songs and discussions. Children address the conflicts they often face, and crate
an accepting classroom community. Later sessions focus on life’s big questions (God, death, creation of life) through the
lens of UU sources. Twenty four sessions.
A DISCOVERING YEAR
TIRRELL H. AND RICHARD S. KIMBALL
Written for kindergarten, suitable for individual grades K
and 1 and for combined groups of 4,5,and 6 year olds. This curriculum nurtures children’s spiritual and religious growth
through connections to their ever widening environment. They explore selves, friendships, families, church, nature, and religious
and cultural days. Through ritual, sharing times, quiet times, crafts, activities, singing and music, games and movement,
stories and talks, they learn to appreciate the worth of each person, to work and play cooperatively, to express feelings,
to celebrate human diversity, and to feel part of their UU community. Twenty five sessions.
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