“I am only one; but I am still one.
I cannot do everything, but I can still do something.
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”
~Helen Keller

Becoming an Advocate (in 250 words or less)
Did you know that the editorial page is one of the most widely read pages in the newspaper? Did you know that you have the power to touch the minds and hearts of thousands of people — in 250 words or less? By following these tips, you can be an advocate for the poor, the oppressed, a “voice for the voiceless” — you can get your letter to the editor published!

• Always connect your letter to a specific article or editorial in the paper. This is the single most important thing you can do to get your letter published. For example, instead of writing a general letter about your feelings on the war in Iraq, write a letter about a specific editorial promoting a specific view of the war. Make sure that you mention the article and the date of the article in your letter. Newspapers especially like letters that
  respond to their own editorials.
• Send your letter by e-mail, if possible. Use the subject line of the e-mail to list the name and the date of the article you are referencing. The addresses of the major local papers are letters@detnews.com (250 words or less);letters@freepress.com (150 words or less); and letters@macombdaily.com (250 words or less.)
• Write and send your letter as soon as possible after you read the article, preferably within 24 hours. While the Detroit News often prints letters two to three weeks after
  an article appears, the Free Press sometimes prints letters the next day.
• Follow the directions. Each newspaper has information at the bottom of their editorial page listing how to e-mail, fax, or mail a letter; how many words they will accept (use
  the “word count” function under “tools”); and what information they need at the end of the letter (name, address, telephone number.) Although most papers print only your name and city, they still require your full address and phone number for verification purposes. Do not send attachments with your letter.
• Keep your letter short and simple. Pick one major point that you want to make and stick with it. Writing about a number of issues will result in a confusing, long letter that
  will not be published.
• Be nice. You may feel passionate about an issue, but name-calling, in life and in letters to the editor, is not an effective tool. On the other hand, amusing sarcasm can often be something that gets your letter noticed and distinguishes it from others.
• Be prepared for editing. Even if your letter is short, there is a very good chance that it will be even shorter when it is published. Before you send your letter, think about how it will sound with one or more paragraphs deleted, and adjust your letter as necessary. The Free Press does not edit as heavily as the News. Both papers tend to delete anything that is redundant. You may feel the need to state something three different ways for emphasis, but the editors do not.
• Do not expect a lot of feedback after you send your letter. The News does not send any confirmation, so you will just have to keep reading the paper, or checking online. The Free Press does send an automatic e-mail confirmation if they are seriously considering your letter, usually the day they receive it or the next day. If you get this confirmation, you have a 75% chance or better of seeing your letter published. If you do not receive a
  confirmation from the Free Press after a letter submitted by e-mail, your letter will probably not be published.
• Don’t give up! You may not get your first letter published, but if you keep sending letters, you will be successful.

While publication is always the goal in any letter to the editor, writing a letter that is not published is not a waste of time. Someone at the paper will read your letter.

Your voice will help the paper’s editorial staff decide which issues they will tackle, and which point of view they will promote.

We are blessed to live in a country where freedom of speech and freedom of the press are things that we take for granted. Our ability to speak out is the one thing that gives transparency to our government — and the best guarantee we have that we will survive as a democracy. Our faith calls us to action – to speak for those on the margins of society, to point
out all the times that our government ignores “the least of these”. So, be a good citizen AND practice your faith, all in 250 words or less — write a letter to the editor!

NETWORK - A Catholic Social Justice Lobby

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NETWORK, a Catholic Social Justice Lobby, was founded on December 17, 1971 by 47 Catholic sisters from different orders all over the country, with the intent of forming a "network" of sisters who would lobby for legislation and policies promoting social and economic justice.

The NETWORK web site, www.networklobby.org, is a wealth of information on social justice issues and NETWORK's mission of "lobbying, organizing and educating for basic justice for people who are poor."