Did you ever stand on a soap box in the village square to
opine and educate a hoard of strangers who will hear your every word? If
you have ever written a "letter to the editor" you have done just that! It
is always a thrill to see your name in print and hear the comments from
friends and co-workers who see your letter and congratulate you for having
written it.
Every day we get e-mails from the big organizations
reminding us to use the Letters to the Editor pages as our soapbox and
urging us to write letters on every conceivable topic. If the animals
could express themselves in writing, they would, but they can't so we
must. Here are some ideas and tips to remember for your letters to the
editor:
Peruse the paper every day for possible openings for you
to educate the public but never write a letter to the editor unless there
is a relevant story in the paper. In other words, don't just decide to
write a letter about factory farming unless there is an article in the
paper that somehow relates to factory farming. Letters to the editor must
reflect the day to day coverage of the paper so watch for opportunities.
For example, the Palm Beach Post this week had an article about a horse
rescue organization that rescues Premarin foals and finds them homes. This
was a golden opportunity for me to write about the tragedy that is the
lives of Premarin mares. I fired off a letter within minutes of reading
the article.
Use the internet to find sources of information and facts.
I always turn to Peta and the HSUS because their factsheets are concise,
up to date and cross-referenced. I cut and paste their text into a word
document and then change the sentence structure and use of words and
phrases and make it my own. Peta does not copyright anything so it is not
plagiarism to copy their text verbatim, but I like to make it unique
nonetheless. There is also a very real chance, as happened to me recently,
that someone will challenge a fact that you present in your letter and ask
for you to cite your source. The Peta and HSUS factsheets provide
references so you can easily accommodate such a request. Do not include
the reference in your letter to the editor, but be able to find it should
you need it.
Keep your letter to 250 words or less and remember that
the editor has every right to edit it for space. Make reference to the
relevant article. State your points quickly and succinctly, this is not
the time for embellishment and prose, it is the time for making your
argument. You must also provide your name, address and phone numbers
because anonymous letters will not be considered. Also, most major
metropolitan newspapers won't print your letters more than once every
thirty days. Have a few friends ready to allow you to write in their names
in that case. For example, if you had a letter about puppy mills published
and the next day there is an animal cruelty case you want to write about,
have a few friends on deck who will let you write the letter for them to
send. Getting the glory of writing the letter is not nearly as important
as jumping on an opportunity to educate.
Keep copies of your letters in your computer so that when
you get the Dawnwatch e-mails or are on the Peta writers list you will
always have a ready supply of well-written letters on any topic to send
out in a moment's notice. Share your letters with others as well. Just
because a letter is printed in the St. Petersburg Times does not mean it
cannot be published in the Miami Herald or the San Francisco Tribune too.
Keep writing, keep educating and keep advocating!
Go on to Legal To Hunt
Feral Cats?
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