Transcript Slide 1
1 WORDS COUNT: SPEAKING WITH ONE VOICE ABOUT SB 1070 AND IMMIGRATION NCLR DECEMBER 2010 INTRODUCTION 2 As leaders within your communities, you are on the front lines of the local immigration debate that is being played out, or is coming, to your state. In the absence of federal immigration legislation, states are stepping in with draconian new laws, such as Arizona’s SB1070 which mandate racial profiling of our community. Sooner or later you will be asked to weigh in publicly on these issues as they affect the communities with whom you are working. NCLR has designed the following module as a foundation to help inform you and to help you develop messages in a way that is consistent with the messages that we and others are delivering around the country. Without using the exact same words, delivering complementary messages at the local and national level can create an echo chamber that will elevate our voices and help us break through the chatter and noise that heated debates like immigration can generate. 3 LAY OF THE LAND: THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT Some Context 4 Public attitudes toward immigration reform have been consistent for decades An overwhelming majority of Americans support comprehensive immigration reform that: Secures the border, Punishes unscrupulous employers and Provides those in the country without documentation the opportunity to earn their citizenship if they meet certain requirements Some Context 5 Public sentiment towards Latinos varies widely. Many believe they are hard workers who came here for a better life for their families. Americans see Hispanics as the racial/ethnic group most often subjected to discrimination Some Context 6 There is a high level of public ambivalence towards immigrants. Many believe undocumented are “illegal” by choice, They believe that there is a “benefit” to being undocumented (They pay no taxes, receive free benefits, etc). They see immigrants as not invested in this country Unfortunately, the lines between “Latino” and “immigrant” are blurring Latino = Immigrant = Undocumented Some Context 7 LSPA Memo, Summer 2010—Talking about SB 1070 and Federal Lawsuits Voters see immigration as a national issue and want federal action, not state by state laws. Lack of federal action puts them in a position of supporting anyone who is taking action to deal with the problem SB 1070 = Action Some Context 8 In the absence of federal action on immigration, laws like SB1070 become popular with mainstream voters Some polls show that 70% of public support the law 22 states are considering similar bills The immigration debate superheats rhetoric Expect charged terms like “illegals,” “anchor babies,” “open borders” and worse The debate goes beyond immigration In addition to racial profiling laws, opponents are attacking the 14th Amendment’s protection of birthright citizenship and ending ethnic heritage programs Some Context 9 PHC Fact Sheet, June 2010—Hispanics and Arizona’s New Immigration Law How do Latinos Feel? 81% of Latino voters in AZ oppose SB1070 Nationally, 2/3 of Hispanics oppose the law Eight-in-ten Hispanics say local police should not be involved in identifying undocumented or illegal immigrants 10 SO HOW DO WE TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES? THE MESSAGES About These Messages 11 These messages have been designed for you to be able to adapt and deliver in your own voice. They represent the messages that we know work based on public opinion research and other methods. As more research becomes available, NCLR will circulate updated talking points and messages regarding these issues. Immigration Reform America’s Voice Messaging Presentation, Dr. Drew Westen, June 4, 2010 12 Our immigration laws ought to reflect both our interests and our values as Americans We need to treat this as a problem to be solved, not as an opportunity for politicians to score political points Let’s secure our borders, crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants, and require those who are here to earn the chance to become taxpaying American citizens Arizona Copycat Bills 13 Our state needs to focus on creating jobs and fixing the economy, this bill does neither Measures like this one go too far, attacking our civil liberties and dividing our country along racial and ethnic lines It undermines law enforcement by prioritizing legal status over criminal behavior The solution lies in Washington, not the state capitol Birthright Citizenship 14 Eliminating birthright citizenship is an extreme approach that does nothing to advance solutions to our broken immigration system The implementation of this proposal would have severe side effects that would affect all Americans Denying birthright citizenship will not reduce undocumented migration 15 PREPARING YOURSELF HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE SPOKESPERSON It’s an Opportunity 16 Interviews are not just something to get through. View them as an opportunity to: Set expectations Provide greater context Deliver your message The 3 C’s 17 Three words to help you prepare: Confidence – Projecting confidence gives the audience confidence in your message Clarity – Speaking clearly and without jargon makes your message easier to understand Commitment – Demonstrating, through your delivery, that you are committed to what you are doing helps the audience view the issue through your eyes 18 PREPARING YOUR MESSAGE HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE SPOKESPERSON Getting Started: The 5 A’s 19 Audience: Who are your trying to reach? What do you want them to do? (Hint: It’s not the interviewer!!!) Assemble: Relevant data, examples Align: All the facts, same direction Apply: How facts tell a story Add Value: Something new/future Make Yourself Easy to Understand 20 Keep it simple Use strong, quotable language Be positive and honest Don’t speak for too long Consider scripting The Power Approach 21 Punch. Strong start One theme. One message Windows. Good examples Ear. Speak conversationally Retention. End strongly 22 IN YOUR INTERVIEW HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE SPOKESPERSON Get Your Point Across 23 Learn to Pivot Don’t Answer the question Do Respond to the question with your messages Don’t Be negative or defensive Do Think before you speak Get Your Point Across 24 Learn to Pivot Use phrases that bridge between their question and your response: “We know that..” “The truth is…” “The thing is…” “What is important here is…” “In reality…” “The facts are this..” Get Your Point Across 25 Some Rules of the Game If you make a mistake – correct it immediately Don’t speak “off the record” You DON’T have a right to see the story before its published You CAN ask to see your quotes Get Your Point Across 26 Potential Pitfalls Don’t Speculate Try to avoid making predictions Don’t repeat a negative Move on to positive material Don’t over-answer When you have answered the question, stop Know your medium 27 Print Most in-depth Will ask questions in different ways to get the answer they want Radio Scripting useful, if you’ve internalized the message You can speak longer Be prepared for audience questions, to fill your time slot Know your medium 28 Television Use sound bites and short messages Repeat, repeat, repeat For Spanish interview, practice before hand Stand straight and tall Dress Avoid pastels and other light colors -- they will appear washed out and betray your complexion. Do not overdo it with accessories such as a busy tie or flashy or noisy jewelry – it distracts the viewer 29 PRACTICE