I don’t know about you, but when I read the blasphemous accusations the antis make against us, calling us criminals and liabilities to societies safety I feel personally insulted.
A few days ago our local newspaper published a reader’s opinion letter of an animal rights activist, mocking a car sticker that read "Kids who hunt or fish don't rob old ladies", in the most derogatory way with the usual ranting and rhetoric common to all animal rights activists.
Over the course of the week the newspaper published more letters of animal rights activists. This in turn led to many angry and outraged comments made by hunters on a hunting forum, not to the newspaper in question. Finally I couldn’t stand it any longer and just had to ask the complaining forum members: “and what are YOU going to do about it?”
Only a handful of the responses to my comment said that they are going to write a letter to the newspaper to set the record straight. The vast majority of the responses consisted of the usual “I don’t have time” and “it’s a waste of time” to the worst response of all “I don’t care what this bunch of lunatics says about us.”
Here is what one forum poster said about the hunters that could not be bothered for one or another reason to reply to the slanderous attacks by animal rights:
“We can all just bitch and say whatever, another granola cruncher etc... but if all the crunchers put the effort to write in and we don't, well we fall on silent ears and their way will be etched into peoples minds.”Very true words!
There are many good organizations at the national, state/provincial and local level in America and Canada that defend our rights and actively lobby the governments and authorities on our behalf. Many of these fine organizations struggle because hunters are reluctant to support them in the numbers needed to make a real impact.
We live in a time where we can no longer blithely sit back and enjoy our outdoor pursuits with no regard for the future of it – we can’t just take it for granted any more. Our outdoor heritage faces huge challenges and if it is to survive into the future we all have to do our bit to protect it. To rephrase a famous quote attributed to John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your hunting organizations can do for you; ask what you can do for them.”
Standing up for our rights to hunt, fish and own firearms takes time, effort and money. In order to give the many fine hunting organizations the clout they require to fulfill their purpose they need volunteers, members, and money. Getting active goes much further than just joining an organization and then letting them worry about your rights. The thing you can do that will go a long way towards educating the general public and persuading politicians about hunting and fishing is writing letters to the editors of newspapers and local government representatives.
Writing letters works, why do you think that the animal rights activists get so much exposure? Because animal rights activists tirelessly write letters to editors and local political representatives. They write responses to every article where animals, meat, rodeo, circuses, hunting and fishing are mentioned. They let no opportunity pass by to make sure the public hears, sees and reads their opinions. I don’t know about you, but when I read the blasphemous accusations the antis make against us, calling us criminals and liabilities to societies safety I feel personally insulted.
Unless hunters and fishers stand up and make their side known the public never will hear the truth and the antis will therefore gain more influence. In order to help you to write letters I leave you with a few simple tips that will make sure your letters will be read, published and make the desired impression.
Writing an Advocacy Letter
Negative Issues
You should write to your Member of Parliament or your political representative whenever you feel that your governments have infringed your rights to hunt, fish, shoot, or trap on.
Positive Issues
It is important that you write to politicians and let them know that they have your support when they have done good things. If your politician has opposed the efforts by anti-hunters, write them a letter and let them know you appreciate the stand they have taken and that they have your continued support.
Letters to Newspapers
Remember that the letters-to-the-editor section is, after the first page, one of the most widely read sections of any newspaper. Bear in mind as well that roughly speaking 10% of the population are pro-hunting, fishing, and trapping and a little less than 10% are opposed. That leaves an astounding 80% with no pre-defined opinion one way or another on our issues. So your letter-to-the-editor does matter! There are a lot of people out there ready to hear what you have to say. The outdoors community must reach that 80%. They are out there waiting to be convinced.
To stay in power politicians must listen to their constituents. Letters-to-the-editor regularly find their way onto the desks of your political representatives. Your representative will know if your letter-to-the-editor has been read and believed by their electors. Their political future depends on knowing.
When to write letters to the Editor?
Negative Issues
Any article which contains negative, slanderous or inaccurate information on hunting, fishing and trapping, demands an immediate flood of letters-to-the editor by the outdoors community. More specifically, any time the slander, deliberately confused facts, "junk biology" and "junk" consumer polling employed by animal rights activists appears in a newspaper.
Positive Issues
When a positive article is published it warrants a congratulatory letter-to-the-editor. Editors tire of constantly being bombarded with bad news. A positive response to a positive piece of journalism is certain to get publicity.
How to write letters to the Editor?
Pay close attention to how you address the letter. Articles should always be addressed to:
"Letters to the Editor" / name of newspaper
Street Address
City, Province or State
Postal or Zip code
Always start your letter with:
1.) Exact headline name of article you are writing about and the name of the writer
2.) Date that the article appeared in the paper.
If you do not follow this format your article will not be considered. Always check the editorial section of the newspaper you are submitting your letter to; there may be slight variations in the format outlined above.
With letters-to-the-editor timing is of the essence. For your letter to be current you must submit it to the newspaper’s editor within a day or two of the appearance of the article upon which you are commenting. So it really should be faxed or emailed.
When writing your letter-to-the-editor it is imperative to remain cool-headed and factual. Making threatening statements will guarantee that your letter will not be printed. Reflecting anger is fine but sounding hysterical is not. Positive and constructive criticism will gain you the respect of the editor and ensure your letter is run.
Disputing a fact is OK. Say what the right fact(s) about a case are. Then draw a conclusion and in the process state your views. Don’t try to give them pages upon pages of facts. Remember that a letter-to-the-editor is more than anything else about your views. The editor wants opinions on the op-ed page.
And letters-to-the-editor should be short. Keep it under 100 words. Any longer than that and it will not pass muster.
So there you have it and now please spend ten to fifteen minutes to write a letter to your political representative and/or the newspapers. The more of us that take the time to write the more we will be heard and that might very well be what it takes to save the future of our hunting and fishing heritage for future generations.
Visit Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
If you wish to have me write outdoor columns for your publication please email me.
