Letters to the Editor Unplugged

[Emproph]

If you just wanna read the letter, skip to the second link

-Writing a letter to the editor is one of the easiest and most effective ways I’ve found to get your point across. Whatever your persuasion, it can be empowering.
-If you haven’t ‘done it’ yet, it can seem a bit intimidating, but I’ve found that the daily opinion page is more of a glorified chat room than a cunning linguists’ library. Many if not most of those who write in are the same people, in fact I am now one of them.
-You only need to get one printed to forever know you’re qualified, and just because you write in on a subject people don’t necessarily assume you are part of it’s “agenda”. It doesn’t take a lot to sound like you're just a casual observer offering your opinion. Some of the best letters are those that distract with depth.
-Also, they often print one or two liner letters, maybe just a simple observation or fact that stands on its own, or even just a unique way of stating something. Nothing fancy and no skill required. I often read clever things that stick in my mind that I hadn’t thought of. Point being, sometimes even know-it-alls like me are tempted to think twice. And there’s always reward of knowing your two cents worth got thrown in.
-There’s tons of search results for ‘tips on writing letters to the editor.’ Here’s one link to get an idea of what you might find.

- http://www.glad.org/marriage/letters...tor_tips.shtml

-I Recently signed up to get Focus on the Family e-mail updates. The Dobson one on the Alito nomination was too much and was the inspiration for the letter/link below.

-I was urged to contact my senator (D, FL), and goaded to write a letter to the editor, mix and match paragraph templates provided.
-A four paragraph letter was suggested, with 5 suggested examples for each paragraph, resulting in a finished letter of 200 words (My paper accepts 250).

What really bugged me though were the examples given. Examples that democrats are evil. Examples of evil senators. And 3 examples of Ted Kennedy being evil.

Anyway, this was my response- http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/..._ends/?opinion

For the record, this isn't necessarily meant to be an example. I have a propensity for sarcasm which isn't always the best approach.

-But it's way funner.

[Emproph]

My latest, but a spot of fun none the less.

Enjoy (I hope).


http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/...world/?opinion

[Emproph]

This latest letter to the editor was in response to two other letters from the same guy.

After I read that first letter of his I cranked out enough material for about ten separate letters, I didn't know which approach to take.

It was so frustrating. He depicts “homosexuals” as child molesters over and over in every way imaginable and I couldn't nail him on anything outright.

I also didn’t want to take him down on each point because that would have required repeating the words “homosexual” and “young boys” “abuse” etc., over and over, thereby playing into his hand.

Anyway when he wrote the second letter and made two more gratuitous attacks, I HAD to respond!
These are the letters he wrote:
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/...n_church_zone/ Feb 9, 2006
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/..._over_my_edge/ March 5, 2006

After reading the above letters you know this guy is a "devout bigot." Oh yeah and he's Catholic too, so I’m assuming he knew that the Catholic church recently ‘abolished’ the idea of limbo (where unborn/aborted souls go). It’s dripping with sarcasm and I wanted to pack a punch, that’s the set up.

The question is, since my family didn’t get it (it's always exciting for them ), how much of it do you think he and people like him and people like us understood?

This was my letter in response:
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/...etter_shocked/ March 18,2006

Now I know Zerbie wanted a crack at it (and karmically speaking I owe her one ), but anyone else please, feel free to rip me shreds. I only ask that you be brutal.

P.S. My Parents have volunteered to help proofread for clarity in the future. They're so supportive.

[NathanATX]

I think you have a gift...

[keltic63]

Originally Posted by NathanATX

I think you have a gift...

and a ministry!

[Zerbie]

I very much like your style.

As far as clarity for a wide audience, er, maybe not. . .?
I had to read your letter slowly, going back over each sentence repeatedly (in one case, I found what I think was a 3 line fragment and I kept waiting for a formal structure to come finish a thought) in order to understand your reference.

What would you think of writing with some more simplicity when setting up for those arrows you let fly as you go along? Kinda the same thing I said here once before. . . I sometimes (or often) don't understand your posts. I'm willing to work a little to understand Emproph's writings, because I know once I do I'm going to find some golden carrots inside, but a wide audience is probably not bringing along a strong motivation to work hard to read an opinion letter. People are lazy nowadays. To net a wider audience, go with a slightly simpler language style - - maybe? (I don't wanna take away the Emproph-ness of the writing, cuz that's exactly what we all love about it!).

That said: Your position rings clear and you have some real zingers in there. Bravo!

[Emproph]

Originally Posted by NathanATX

I think you have a gift...

Originally Posted by keltic63

and a ministry!

Originally Posted by Zerbie

I very much like your style.
That said: Your position rings clear and you have some real zingers in there. Bravo!

I really appreciate it you guys, that’s encouraging.

Originally Posted by Zerbie

As far as clarity for a wide audience, er, maybe not. . .?
–What would you think of writing with some more simplicity when setting up for those arrows you let fly as you go along?
–To net a wider audience, go with a slightly simpler language style - - maybe? (I don't wanna take away the Emproph-ness of the writing, cuz that's exactly what we all love about it!).

That’s pretty much the feedback I’ve gotten, especially with that last one. And when my parents offered to help they made it clear they didn’t want to change the content or tone, they just wanted to help make it more easily understandable.

I haven’t been able to use them yet (my parents) cuz nobody’s been slandering gays lately! And I think the guy who wrote the letters in my post above went back up north for the summer.

Ho hum, what’s a militant "homosexual" activist to do...?

[Emproph]

For anyone who’s interested I thought these were some excellent tips for writing a rebuttal letter, The funnest and most effective kind in my opinion.

10 Tips for Writing Letters to the Editor
Mary Lou Mendum

[Emproph]

With the Bush campaign and “re-election” as a backdrop to one of the most frustrating years of my life, I realized I had to do something.

Feeling confident with my ability to articulate my thoughts I subscribed to the daily newspaper and this was the first letter that caught my eye to respond to. I think it's my favorite and most effective so far.


{His letter}

If Sheriff Don Hunter were to retire today, his replacement would make no drastic changes in the policy established by his predecessor and other outstanding sheriffs.

The same is true of the new pope. He'll essentially follow procedures established by Pope John Paul II and other popes who successfully held the position during the past 2,000 years. Despite speculations, he can't look upon an evil act and say it's good.

Example: We are presently cursed with the sin of sodomy. Regardless of the vast number of people guilty of this sin, there is no way the pope can say sodomy is all right. He can warn sinners of the risk of losing their immortal souls and welcome them back to the church if they're willing to give up the sin.

This approach is not a new one. Christ generated the concept when He prevented a prostitute from being stoned to death. He saved her life but didn't justify what she was doing. He told her to sin no more.

Sin no more. The idea may be helpful to the promiscuous young, the fornicators who think sex outside marriage is an all right thing to do. It's an evil act and such an evil act can lead to an abortion. Some day all of us will find ourselves in one of two places: heaven or hell. Sin no more is a great concept for all to adopt. The new pope will likely give you the same advice.
-L.R.


{My letter in response}

Re: the letter by L. R., "Still sin no more." He reminds us of the evils of sodomy and the Catholic Church's concurrent, ongoing stance on the issue in light of the new pope.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that true evil is the love of evil and the "chosen behaviors" associated with that "love" and not a consensual act devoid of malicious intent.

Perhaps I'm missing something, but I'm just not seeing the appeal of spending eternity worshiping a god that has nothing better to do than arbitrarily damn human beings for all eternity based on their sexual habits while rewarding those who chose to express bigotry as being representative of his love.

That to me, would surely be hell.

-P.F.

[Zerbie]

Originally Posted by Emproph

I haven’t been able to use them yet (my parents) cuz nobody’s been slandering gays lately! ...?

Gee, what a shame.

Emproph, it's terrific that your parents want to help. Cool beans, dude.

Glad you felt encouraged - you certainly deserve to be. And that latest example you shared - sharp!

Emproph rocks. Yay.

[closetcougar]

Originally Posted by Zerbie

Gee, what a shame.

Emproph, it's terrific that your parents want to help. Cool beans, dude.

Glad you felt encouraged - you certainly deserve to be. And that latest example you shared - sharp!

Emproph rocks. Yay.

I second that!
Anyone interested in responding to this? It is a letter to the editor in the Provo Daily Herald about SF's visit to BYU.

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/175260/

[Zerbie]

Cougar - wow. That letter itself is sad. I felt heavy reading it.

I don't know what others - Emproph, letter-guru? - will say, but I would not respond. It is so negative. So sad. Leave it to wither on its own.

Seems there is no way to respond to that letter without denying every basic assumption the writer clings to as the meaning of life. They said that all people have the divine right to choose, I think we all agree on that point, and this person has the right to choose to believe all that sad stuff about gays. They don't leave open a logical argument, do they?

Happy to proven wrong, oh clever minds!

[Joe Brummer]

I amnot sure it is about an argument, it is about letting them have their truth and we our truth, but in the end finding a new truth we can all live with in the end. The beloved community isn't about everyone agreeing, but it is about everyone respecting each other.

I am going to work on a resonse right now!

[Joe Brummer]

My response, it was hard to do with a 200 word limit.


In response to Millie Cheesman’s April 14th letter about the Soulforce Equality Ride. I can see that she holds her truths about god very close to her heart. I also hold my beliefs about god close to my heart, and I believe god loves gays and lesbians just the way they are.

In her letter, Millie announces her belief that gays and lesbians have some sad existence they we have chosen. I am sorry Millie, but you are grossly misinformed. My existence before coming to grips with my sexuality was very sad. I was depressed and alone. When I finally stopped sulking away and came out as a gay man. Happiness soon followed. I met a great partner, settled down in a nice house with two dogs. It is not sad, but a gift from God.

I can also inform Millie that all of the science is clear about the choice issue. No one chooses to be gay. In fact many of us chose to try and be heterosexual to no avail. We lived depressed, lonely lives pretending to be straight because we didn’t want to be gay. IN the end, the choice was to be honest with ourselves and be who we are, find partners and live a life with love.

J. Brummer

[closetcougar]

Yeah, I like your response much better than the two choice words of advice I was prepared to fire off. I guess with SF just leaving and feeling somewhat brave, it's still just to close to home to be rational about it.

[NathanATX]

http://letters.aclu.org/pickMedia.jsp?letter_KEY=433

Check it out!

[Joe Brummer]

The Daily Herald Called me today to verify I wrote the letter I did to Millie. I am hoping that means they are printing it.

J

[Zerbie]

Can't imagine they'd bother to call if they weren't printing it. Cougar, keep your eyes open for Joe's letter!

[closetcougar]

Thanks Joe,
I just couln't imagine myself writing anything other than "go to hell" at this point. I will keep my eyes peeled and post if it is published.
CC

[closetcougar]

Congrats!
http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/176603/3/