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 Put it in Writing Letter writing is one of the easiest and most effective ways of campaigning. It shows the person receiving the letter that you have taken the trouble to sit down and think about the issue. And, it gives you the opportunity to put across your point of view clearly, without interruption. Political leaders -- like your members of the US Congress, members of your Parliament, your President or Prime Minister -- calculate that every hand-written letter they receive represents 100 people who support the cause and 1000 who rate it as very important. Just 3-5 letters to a Representativeís office will force their staff to address an issue and craft a response Try to set yourself a target of one letter or card a month. If you find it hard to motivate yourself, why not set up a letter writing group with a few like-minded friends? Take turns summarizing the key points, then take ten minutes to write them in your own words. Serve some refreshments and make it a letter-writing party! The key for letters is to make sure people write them during the meeting. Even when well-intentioned people promise to write the letter at home, they are not likely to end up doing it. Here are a few tips: 1. Be personal. A mailed handwritten letter receives much greater attention than a preprinted card or letter. In whatever form, include your postal address. One or two paragraphs should be enough -- be sure to keep the letter to one page. 2. State the reason for writing in the first paragraph of the letter. Express clearly and briefly what action you would like. If there is a specific measure pending in Congress mention that -- check the ACTION section of this website. But if there is no specific bill pending don't wait! Write and send your letter anyway! 3. Tell why this is important. Put the situation in concrete terms. Sample letter: Dear ______: I am writing to express my concern about global AIDS, especially in impoverished countries. Global AIDS is a true emergency. If the international community does not respond adequately, the number of children left orphaned by AIDS will reach 44 million by 2010 -- that's about the same number of children in public schools in the United States east of the Mississippi. We can and must stop this crisis. Please act to fully fund the response NOW, ensure access to treatment globally, and support debt cancellation. Sincerely, ______ >> Back to Get Local page |
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