Writing a letter to the editor is easier than you think. In addition to writing letters to your members of Congress, sending letters to the editor are important advocacy goals because they:
- reach a large audience
- are often monitored by elected officials
- can bring up information not addressed in a news article
- create an impression of widespread support for or opposition to an issue
Tips on Writing Letters to the Editor:
Keep it short and address only one subject. Many newspapers have strict limits on the length of letters and have limited space to publish them. Keeping your letter brief will help assure that your important points are not cut out by the newspaper.
Make it legible. Use a typewriter or computer if your handwriting is difficult to read. Send letters to weekly community newspapers also. The smaller the newspaper's circulation, the easier it is to get your letter printed.
Be sure to include your contact information. Many newspapers will only print a letter to the editor after calling the author to verify his or her identity and address. Newspapers will not give out that information, and will usually only print your name and city should your letter be published.
Make references to previous articles in the newspaper. While some papers print general commentary, many will only print letters that refer to a specific article.
Here are some examples of easy ways to refer to articles in your opening sentence:
I was disappointed to see the the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s September 17 editorial “Burning the flag goes beyond the limits of free speech” omitted some of the key facts in the debate.
I strongly disagree with William Boettcher’s characterization of all veterans as holding the flag in higher regard than the freedom for which it stands. ("Vets demand flag amendment," September 20)
I am deeply saddened to read that Senator Hatch is working to amend the Constitution to ban flag burning. ("”The Balance of Power,” September 17)
Sample Letter to the Editor
Re: Freedom to burn, Sept. 12.
Thanks for your editorial opposing the effort to amend the Constitution to authorize Congress to punish desecration of the American flag.
The flag is a powerful symbol. As a retired officer, I served 30 years under that flag. You cannot serve our country as a soldier without a sense of patriotism, without being moved by our important symbols.
However, I never lost sight of the fact that the flag is venerated because it is a symbol of the liberties our Founders guaranteed in the Bill of Rights, liberties that justify the sacrifice of countless service men and women who fought an died to protect them. It is our liberties that make the United States unique among nations. We are a country where every issue can be debated, where citizens who disagree with the policies formulated by a current but transient majority can even burn our flag in protest.
The flag does not need this amendment to "protect" it. It needs Americans who understand the importance of preserving our liberties to contact our senators and tell them to preserve the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech by voting against this amendment.
Mike Pheneger, colonel, U.S. Army (retired),Tampa