Talk Like the Terrorists

Right after this year's elections, the Acton Institute hosted an "open mic" night for conservatives at Chicago's University Club. The mood was somber, bordering on funereal. Much was made of the various voting blocs Republicans had lost badly: Hispanics, Catholics, Hispanic Catholics, and a panelist probably threw in Unicorns for good measure. Acton President Father Robert Sirico insisted Republicans had really lost the largest piece of the electorate: dumb people. Despite being extraordinarily qualified for the job, Mitt Romney could not connect with the average, stupid voter.

In a post-election Corner post, Sirico similarly argued that conservatives must recognize the "failure on our part to make persuasive, compelling, and authentic the message and identity we bear." Ultimately, without having formed "a clear, vibrant, winsome, and effective 'world view,'" conservatives lost a war of communication. The Paulist priest suggested conservatives ought to communicate more like Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln had. "We need to speak in parables again," Sirico pleaded. Steven Spielberg then showed us exactly how Lincoln had used stories, jokes, and folktales make complex ideas seem simple.

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