Wedge strategy
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Wedge strategies in politics generally involve using issues on which people have strong opinions in order to "own" them as part of a political base. In modern-day America, most of these are social issues with religious overtones, such as abortion and homosexuality. Other favorites include gun control, being "tough on crime", and militarism.
They are phrased or argued in such a way that the opposing viewpoint, if there is one, can be easily labeled in a derogatory manner, thus creating a false dilemma. Resulting examples would include being "soft on crime," "weakening America" (or "emboldening our enemies"), "against family values," "coming to take your guns away," etc.
[edit] The wedge strategy and intelligent design
The wedge strategy in terms of the intelligent design (ID) movement, refers to the plan by the Discovery Institute to re-brand creationism in a "scientific" cloak. This plan was outlined in their Wedge Document.
One part of the Discovery Institutes's strategy is the slogan "teach the controversy". It deliberately tries to make opponents look like they are against teaching "all" of science to students. This, of course, only works with people who don't understand the issue. Dr. Barbara Forrest, of the NCSE, has described creationists wedge strategy as a "Trojan horse," likening it to a computer virus. She says "A Trojan horse is a proposal to 'teach the controversy' about evolution that appears to have some useful or benign purpose (e.g., to promote critical thinking), but really masks the plan to teach intelligent design creationism." And "In this case, the Trojan horse and the public school system become the Discovery Institute's entry vehicle for teaching a religious belief in the public school science class."
She continues to add, "Remember the ID creationists' main goal: to disguise their creationism so that users of the system (parents and children) and federal judges do not realize what the ID movement is up to." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL4_x9KRVj8)
The wedge document clearly shows that the Discovery Institute intended ID to further their religious ideals. Some selected excerpts from the wedge document follow:
| We are building on this momentum, broadening the wedge with a positive scientific alternative to materialistic scientific theories, which has come to be called the theory of intelligent design (ID). Design theory promises to reverse the stifling dominance of the materialist worldview, and to replace it with a science consonant with Christian and theistic convictions.
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[edit] The wedge strategy in action
The 2008 film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed is an excellent example of the wedge strategy in action. See our Expelled: Leader's Guide for an analysis of the film's premises.