Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric
DON’T TAKE THE BAIT
We’ve been seeing upticks in anti-immigrant rhetoric across the country- most notably, the horrendous lies being spread by JD Vance about the Haitian community in Ohio. And Wisconsin is not immune from these attacks either.
Perhaps you also noticed the widespread response to those attacks, which was to repeat them by mocking memes and making fun. And we understand that impulse - it does seem like making sure everyone knows how awful and ridiculous they were should move voters away from them.
But as we already know… that’s not how it works. If showing voters who Trump is worked, it would’ve worked already (remember “grab ‘em by the…?”). Repeating harmful and dangerous stereotypes of immigrant communities, even to refute and make fun, is still reinforcing those stereotypes and is dangerous for people. So this month, we are showing you how to respond effectively to future rhetoric with guidance from the Freedom over Fascism toolkit.
As always, if our messages don’t spread, they don’t work. Our shared challenge is to break through the noise by pulling together a narrative that inspires our communities to chime in and join us.
Guidelines
Understand that they are not making gaffes: they are saying vile things on purpose, with harmful intentions. They know full well that their policies (abortion bans, Project 2025, etc) are extremely unpopular, so they use a clear playbook of spreading vile and debunked conspiracy theories to distract and activate fear. Here is a good thread about this strategy.
Focus on the agenda they want to enact: people already know who Trump is and more focus on his character isn’t going to move the needle. What they don’t yet have a clear picture of is how his Project 2025 agenda will hurt them.
Make clear we face a choice between two competing futures: one where our leaders implement real solutions or one where MAGA Republicans control our lives and unleash more violence and fear into our political process and our communities.
Seize the moral high ground. Present popular solutions to violence, including common sense gun reform as well as de-escalating anti-democratic rhetoric, and demand unity not as platitude but as concrete action. By contrast, saying “we must all join together” without action attached leaves voters hopeless about change and wastes an opportunity to present a different vision for the future.
Do not amplify right-wing hatred. Cataloging examples or repeating the lies of MAGA Republicans’ violent rhetoric spreads their statements. While we understand the urge to point out their hypocrisy or make jokes about their outlandish racist falsehoods, it only serves to give them more airtime and, by extension, more credibility. Instead, it’s far better to present outcomes based arguments – making clear how current events and desired solutions will impact real people’s lives.
Take care not to feed hunger for a “strongman.” While it is critical to name the need to address the violence in our country, focusing too much on “danger,” especially without indicating we have solutions for it, risks tacitly feeding desire for an authoritarian “strongman.” When people operate from fear, they are more susceptible to promises that someone can come and provide “law and order.”
Narratives
No matter our race, origin or background, most of us would do whatever it takes to make a better life for our families. We work, sacrifice, pack up everything and move to put food on the table, provide for our loved ones, or send our kids to good schools. But MAGA Republicans are trying to distract us by spreading hateful lies about immigrants so they can pass laws blocking what our families need. We’re onto them. By joining together as voters, we can elect leaders who protect our freedoms, create a fair immigration process that respects our families, and provide a better future for our communities.
We want to move through our communities knowing we’re safe, whether we’re customers at the store, visitors at City Hall, or voters at the polls. But over and again, MAGA Republicans are stoking fear and exploiting division, spreading lies about immigrants and spurring their supporters to violence. We have seen where this leads: the January 6th attack, mass shootings, and bomb scares like the one in Springfield, Ohio. We must make this a country where no one fears for our lives or our loved ones. A place where the people who represent us respect our freedoms - to live without fear of violence, to cast our votes and have them counted, and to decide for ourselves what our futures will hold.
TAKE ACTION
Support the work of our friends at Voces de la Frontera Action Wisconsin’s most expansive statewide Latine, immigrant, and BIPOC youth political engagement network.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Ohio progressives have a great campaign going to fight back against the racist MAGA attacks called #OHNoYouDont. Read, retweet, and share it!
EVERGREEN GUIDANCE
LEAD with shared values — such as community, safety, prosperity, equity, justice, or fairness — in a way that names race and class while bringing people together.
FOCUS on the creation of good — delivering jobs and healthcare, funding schools and communities, creating a process where every Wisconsinite can safely and freely cast our ballot, etc. — tangible positive outcomes, rather than the amelioration of harm (e.g., “provide for every child so they can achieve their dreams” instead of “fix our broken system”)
CAST ‘we the people,’ everyday Wisconsinites, as protagonists: Only by acting together can we move Wisconsin forward — in contrast to how our opposition is trying to hold us back. We turned out in record numbers to elect leaders to care for us and act in our interests. We pulled together throughout this pandemic to deliver meals, support neighborhood businesses, support our kids and care for loved ones. That’s why it’s so important that we bring our neighbors and communities into the story as its main actors and as active agents who can and will change the outcome.
CHARACTERIZE the opposition: Who is violating our values? How are they doing it? What is their motivation? What role does race play? These are all questions we need to answer clearly (without jargon!) in our messaging.
DEFINE + DELIVER: define this moment as a pivotal crossroads and deliver a positive, inspirational vision for the future we will create together for a Wisconsin where we all can thrive. We believe that we will win.
AVOID the opposition frame (e.g. CRT, parental control) and PIVOT to our frames of freedom, safety, community, etc.
DO NOT REPEAT accusations, even to refute them. (e.g. do not say “critical race theory is not....”)
AVOID THE ‘RECIPE’: as always, say the brownie, not the recipe. The freedom to vote, rather than the abstraction of democracy. The ability to see a doctor when we need it, rather than simply saying expand healthcare.
