Writing an effective letter to the editor requires observing some rules, writing positively about a single theme, using your own personal story, and knowing where to send the letter.

Rules:

1. Letter should be less than 200 words, although News Journal now says they’ll take 250. If you are wordy, they will cut it.
2. Letters should try to make one clear point about one clear issue. A second point will be cut.
3. Stay positive, say what you are for, and don’t argue with critics of Occupy Delaware or you will spread their lies.
   Refrain from personal attacks.
4. Back up your assertions with reliable and widely accepted sources.
5. Don’t copy another letter. Speak from your own experience and knowledge.
6. Never use irony. They won’t get it.

Themes:

These are some suggested themes for talking positively about Occupy Delaware. Feel free to add your own:

• Folks support the Occupy Movement because it speaks for the ninety-nine percent of Americans who suffer economically because of the dominance of our country’s agenda by the wealthiest one percent.
• Occupy demands accountability by the financial institutions who have wrecked the world economy.
• It demands that politicians get the money out of politics so our government can be responsive to the ninety-nine percent.
• Occupy unites Americans of every political persuasion, religious belief, nationality, color, gender, and sexual orientation and even the wealthy who support our goals.
• Occupy is independent of any established political force.
• Occupy is a model of democracy that operates without an entrenched leadership, respects a diversity of views, and makes its decisions democratically by consensus.
• Occupy Delaware has balanced its inalienable right to protest with reasonable accommodations with the city to maintain a clean and safe occupation.
• Occupy is a cross-section of America, hardworking folks who either have suffered economic hardship because of policies favoring the wealthiest one percent or because they care about their neighbors.

Personal stories:

• You are outraged by the profits and bonuses given to financial institutions who wrecked the economy and received bailouts. Occupy has brought financial accountability back into the national conversation. “Banks got bailed out; we got sold out!”
• You are tired of being voiceless in the political process. You support Occupy Delaware because you are free to express your opinions in General Assemblies, you have a role in decision making, and because it aims to open the national conversation to the voices of the ninety-nine percent.
• You or someone close to you may have suffered an economic setback because of inadequate health care. You want the money out of politics so politicians will implement a sensible health care system . You support Occupy because they want the money out of politics, too.
• You are tired of Americans being pitted against each other in a political system dominated by money. You support Occupy because they unite everyone, and they want to get the money out of politics.
• You are tired of your credit card bank trying to get you to make poor economic choices so they can get rich while ruining your credit. You support Occupy because it demands regulation of the financial industry.
• Your previously comfortable middle-class community now has foreclosed homes on every block, dragging down property values and blighting the neighborhood. You support Occupy because Occupy understands how speculation in toxic assets wrecked the economy and it advocates the separation of commercial from investment banking.
• You are concerned about homelessness and you support Occupy because it both supports an economic agenda that benefits the ninety-nine percent and it has become a new voice for the homeless.

Where to send letters:

• News Journal: Go to their online letters page. On the right side there is a menu item “Submit Letter to Editor.” Click it and fill in the fields.
• Delaware State News: newsroom@newszap.com
• The Review (Newspaper at the University of Delaware): letters@udreview.com
• El Tiempo Hispano (Bi-weekly and bi-lingual): editor@eltiempohispano.com

- by Phillip Bannowsky