In his in-depth study, Selling Homosexuality to America, marketing expert Paul Rondeau explains, "Among America's culture wars, one of today's most intense controversies rages around the issue alternatively identified, depending on one's point of view, as "normalizing homosexuality" or "accepting gayness." The debate is truly a social-ethical-moral conceptual war that transcends both the scientific and legal, though science and law most often are the weapons of choice. The ammunition for these weapons, however, is persuasion."
This article and interview explores how gay rights activists use rhetoric, psychology, and the media to frame what is discussed in the public arena -- and how it is discussed. "In essence," Rondeau points out, "when it comes to homosexuality, activists want to shape 'what everyone knows' and 'what everyone takes for granted' even if everyone does not really know and even if it should not be taken for granted."
"The first strategy of persuasion," he goes on to say, "is to establish a favorable climate for your message so that the communicator (marketer) can influence the future decision without even appearing to be persuading ... This is at the heart of the homosexual campaign: to get consent via social construct today to determine whose idea of personal freedoms will prevail in our legal codes tomorrow."
Paul Rondeau has been a senior sales and marketing management professional with industry leaders for over 25 years. He holds an M.A. in Management, with a specialty in persuasive communication. Currently, he is a doctoral student in communication studies with a focus in rhetoric and persuasion."
Co to an interview and read the indepth study
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Just be glad that modern advertising methods (and mass media) were not around when issues such as slavery and the Holocaust were discussed. Imagine what our society would look like today if slavery were sold as a "lifestyle choice" (complete with pictures of smiling slaves and hip music). How about a teary-eyed Nazi on 60 Minutes defending his "Constitutional right to choose" to gas Jews and railing at the fundamentalists who stick their noses in his private life? Or the pedophile that wants affirmation of his "lifestyle choice" from the church? Wait - I think that last one may be next in the queue.
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