LTTE re-written? What do you think? good to go in rural TX?

[juliagoolia]

Radical Clerics Invade Washington!
The American Taliban and other Radical Clerics are camped out in Washington DC in front of Senator Frist’s office cashing in chits! These people are as radical as any Taliban or other theocratic terrorists. They don’t want to take over a third world country in some desolate region; they want to take over our county. They want power and lots of it. They bullied the entire administration and the legislature today to force their radical ideology into our laws. I thought they were in the business of changing hearts in church.

Why aren’t these people lined up trying to adopt the unwanted children in foster care? Why aren’t they helping young women learn about birth control so they don’t become pregnant. Why aren’t they helping young women with health care expenses so they can afford birth control? Aren’t these legitimate moral issues?

Do these extremists really want to stem abortion, or do they want to impose their own radical ideology on the majority of us who do not support their agenda. It’s a fact that the majority of people are pro-choice. It’s a fact that these people do not represent the majority of mainstream America. Wake up, women! Wake up, young ladies! Young mothers of girls, Wake up! They do not only want to eliminate choice, they want to eliminate birth control as well. They want to control the government and set us back to a time of Salem and witch trials! Tell your senators to stand up to these extortionists, and that you don’t want Radical Clerics running our courts. .

[pmbryant]

1. Don't know about rural TX

I like the sentiment, but the tone strikes me as a turn off. A bit too aggressive, with too many exclamation marks in the last paragraph. Telling people repeatedly to "Wake up!" probably only causes them to tune you out.

If you really want to reach people, I'd suggest toning it down.

But then again, what do I know?

:shrug:

Good luck with it.

Peter

[juliagoolia]

2. This is what I got back from one of the locals in the dem club

here ..
__________
I am proud of you for "being out there", we need
more of that attitude, however when it comes to the
arrogance of Bush's administration, I cannot think of
a single issue on which "tempering" is needed.
Carl Rove is the hand shoved into the Bush puppet,
and he is not out to win, he is out to destroy the
Democratic party.
Just tonite on Lou Dobbs (CNN), a Republican
advisor ( I didn't catch his name) told the nation
that the Dems were "toast".
Why? Because the Republicans represent the rich and
powerful, and the Dems represent issues of the poor
and working class.
And since the Republicans control both houses and
the Presidency, all legislation passed will favor the
rich and powerful, and 99% of all Americans will
simply not be represented. Like it or lump it.
If anyone feels the need to walk on egg shells and
not offend a Republican.....l'll let you in on a
secret...........WAKE UP.......Kennedy has been shot,
the Beatles are no longer together, and we just got
our collective asses stompted by the Radical Right
because they believed the Bush lie that Democrats are
not CHRISTIANS.
What is next............witch trials?
This is not the time for timidity. If we don't
speak up now, we may not have the opportunity later
_________________________

I thought well hell.. he set me straight. Hope if I do this I wont get bricks!

[pmbryant]

4. Speaking up is critical, but so is the manner in which we do it

This is right, now is not the time for timidity. But we can be biting and vicious and incisive in our critiques without using a tone that turns people off before they even start listening. I think including a positive message alongside the attacks is also important for attracting attention.

Because, after all, the goal is not just to vent, but to persuade. We don't need to persuade very many, fortunately. (So we don't have to worry about the lost-cause, far right loonies.) But we do have to persuade some.

I suspect my feelings on this are colored by my own past experience as a "swing voter", way back in what seems like ancient pre-history, for what that's worth. Even now, tones like this turn me off, even if I agree with the sentiment. I suspect I am not alone.

Again, good luck. Where do you plan to submit the letter?

--Peter

[kaitykaity]

3. The conservative base will revolt if

Bush doesn't feed them a bone or two on some of
these "wedge" issues.

The Bushies don't really care about this crap. All they
care about is $$, but their base has waited long enough
and now they're demanding action.

I'm still in the "you wanted him, you got him" phase.
I don't really give a shit about what happens because
they deserve whatever they get.

But hey, I live in a solid up/down blue state, and our
Democrats are basically telling the feds to go eff
themselves.

[countmyvote4real]

5. And now my 2 cents as a copy editor...

Radical Clerics Invade Washington!

The American Taliban and other Radical Clerics are camped out in Washington DC in front of Senator Frist’s office cashing in chits! These people are as radical as any Taliban or other theocratic terrorists. They don’t want to take over a third world country in some desolate region; they want to take over our county {just checking, did you mean county or country?}. They want power and lots of it. They bullied the entire administration and the legislature today to force their radical ideology into our laws. {Needs more of a transition to reflect your change in tone here such as “And yet" or "Call me crazy" or "Still," etc.} I thought they were in the business of changing hearts in church.

{If they value life as they proclaim then} why aren’t these people lined up trying to adopt the unwanted children in foster care? {And if they can’t afford to do that, then} why aren’t they helping young women learn about birth control so they don’t become pregnant? Why aren’t they helping young women with health care expenses so they can afford birth control? Aren’t these legitimate moral issues?

Do these extremists really want to stem abortion, or do they want to impose their own radical ideology on the majority of us who do not support their agenda? It’s a fact that the majority of people are pro-choice. It’s a fact that these people do not represent the majority of mainstream America. Wake up, women! Wake up, young ladies! Young mothers of girls, Wake up! They do not only want to eliminate choice, they want to eliminate birth control as well. They want to control the government and set us back to a time of Salem and witch trials! Tell your senators to stand up to these extortionists, and that you don’t want Radical Clerics running our courts.

{I love the final sentence in the last paragraph! I appreciate your decision to be specific and focus only on the “pro choice” issues, but I wonder if it’s worth opening up the “pro life” stance and exposing it to the constant death we see in Iraq. So many people claim to be pro-life, but they're only willing to support that as far as a non-taxable fetus. That’s your call, for your community.}

[juliagoolia]

9. Thank you very much

For being specific in your comments and helping me with the details.

I have two papers in this small county and plan to write to both of them. I will put in two letters, and one will focus on this and will have to put one similar that will focus on the fact that the democrats are holding a moral debate on the debt in the halls of congress while the GOP are running around with newly minted credit cards with our address on the bill.

I will stick something in there about why no outrage at the thousands upon thousands of dead and disabled as a result of the war in iraq.

[intheflow]

6. Would you please tell me what LTTE stands for?

In 700-odd posts I have figured out all DU abbreviations but that one. I see it all the time. What's it all about, Alfie?

[Lone_Star_Dem]

7. Letter To The Editor

[intheflow]

8. Thank you!

now I can go to bed unhaunted. :hi: