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A college professor suggested the books "Don't Think Like An Elephant" and "Metaphors We Live By"--both by the linguist George Lakoff-- to me in 2016, after Donald Trump won the election. The suggestion came out of a deeper discussion we had about why progressives were always losing the battle in selling their ideas. It's incredibly frustrating to feel like the Democratic party has better policies for working class America but can't frame the debate successfully enough to beat a con man like Donald Trump or even establishment Democrats. It turns out, these aforementioned books had been written on exactly the subject, and according to Lakoff, conservatives have been winning the battle on framing issues since Reagan. Lakoff suggests that the Republican party more actively tries to win over the constituency on their ideas and as a result are more attentive to how their ideas are presented: (think: "Clean Skies Act" which contributes to pollution or the "Patriot Act": terribly invasive and yet is evocative of 1776 and national duty). Progressives however, allow 'off the cuff' slogans to stick and define their policy. "Defund the Police" is a perfect example. 'Defund' immediately carries a negative connotation. It focuses on the singular negative action of taking money away. There's not a sense of redirection from the statement. It just all around seems like society will be worse off. For the same reason it's a cathartic release, which is undoubtedly why it stuck and gained momentum among protestors. But meanwhile it ignores the positive impacts of infusing money into different parts of the community which is the greatest selling point of such a change. That, and maybe to some fiscal conservatives, saving a few pennies.  

I understand the anger and pain that gave headway to the slogan's popularity. But unfortunately, politics and proper government should be about getting things done. And although it feels good to give the other side and the police a huge middle finger, dramatically restructuring local budgets across the nation is going to require reaching across the aisle and convincing people you don't agree with that your ideas are not only sound but are for the best. 

P.S-- nothing sums up the ineffectiveness of this slogan moreso than the viral explanations circulating on facebook, trying to explain that the movement is about redirecting funds and is more positive than it leads on. Just like a joke isn't funny if you have to explain it, a political slogan is ineffective if you have to explain it. 

This movement is incredibly important and it's frustrating to feel like a few words could derail real change in our communities.