Messaging Guide

Civil rights and liberties

Begin in agreement, for example: What makes America special is our commitment to fundamental rights and freedoms for all.
Use values, for example: Freedom, liberty, fundamental rights, fundamental fairness, basic rights, constitutional rights, personal privacy, equal opportunity, equal protection, fairness, stopping discrimination and government intrusion.
Show how they benefit, for example: If other Americans lose their rights, you may be next. The only way to guarantee your own rights and freedoms is to protect everyone’s.

Americans are losing their fundamental freedoms. MAGA is banning books, for heaven’s sake! They are blocking teachers from talking about sexism, racism, and even slavery. They’ve enacted state and local laws to criminalize peaceful protests. They’re using government power to discriminate against people of color and the LGBTQ+ community. They’re banning abortion and curtailing both birth control and in vitro fertilization. And, of course, they’re trying to overturn lawful elections and destroy democracy itself.

Freedom is our strongest argument, if only we would argue it. Here is how you might talk about it generally:

Say… What makes America special is our commitment to protect fundamental rights and freedoms. Our country was founded on freedom. Americans fought and died to preserve our freedoms. In a democracy, the only way for you to protect your own freedom is to protect everyone’s. If someone else’s favorite book can be banned, so can yours. If someone else’s peaceful protest can be shut down, so can yours. That’s why we must [explain your issue]…