Re: [MV] Here's What I sent
James Burrill (jburrill@dttus.com)
01 Mar 1999 10:27:09 -0600
Gordon and List,
We are all preachin' to the choir here.
While I applaud Gordon actually DOING SOMETHING, I would like to put
out a point to think about.
In our world of "sound bytes" we have become conditioned to use
certain words to quickly convey our message. I think this can be to
our disadvantage if we get emmotional in our emails or letters to
public officials. Point being, if we take them to task for "crusin'
for chicks" or "Eroding the Constitution" they feel they have the
flavor of your letter and quit reading it. You loose the chance to
present your valid arguments.
You may think the fellow you are writing to is a right bastard, but I
don't think it really infuences him to our way of thinking if you call
him a bastard to his face (in a letter or email).
I think you get my drift......
There are enough talk shows, papers, pundits, lobbyists and the like
out there that if we start beating up the politicians as soon as
they(or mor likely, their aids) open up our letters, they see it as
simply more of the same from the "Opposition".
Instead, try to come across as an average middle-class Joe who has
suddenly come across the new prohibitions and is taken aback as 'this
can't be right" "this doesn't make any sense'.
Now, In calm words and without getting on a soap box, ask the
politician if he is aware of the new law/policy/directive/etc and
point out that this adversly affects your interests/hobby/business.
Ask him to check into it and see if itis, in fact, true and ask for a
copy of the details of the new law/policy/etc. The Senate and House
reps all have staff that do this all the time anyway.
This accomplishes at least three things:
1 Somebody there will read the whole thing and have to act on your
request for a copy.
2 You (and the list) can share in the real word and not rumor picked
up at the gun show.
3 When the politico asks his/her staff for the "pulse of the
constituants" the aid who has had to act on sending copies will give
them an input of "a bunch of concerned citizens have been asking about
Bill number XXX and expressing negative comments on it".
At least you effect the process rather than having your letter go in
the circular file as "hate mail".
When you think of all the different topics of a political nature out
there, try to put it in the perspective of a busy (yeah, I know!)
congressman, and the odds are, he isn't even aware of the anti-MV
policy. If the first he hears of it is from a letter of the
"hate-mail" type, you can guess what his first reaction will be! And
it won't be good for the MV hobby!
Instead, if we can make our point before he has "formed a position" we
might get something done in our favor.
As I said, we are preachin' to the choir when we talk to each other
about our rights. We know we aren't going to take on the National
Guard with a few Stuarts, Shermans or maybe even a T-72. Drug Lords
and Gangbangers don't cruise Van Nyes Boulavard in Ferrits. We know we
shouldn't have to justify why we feel we should be allowed to own
something.
But these kind of arguments smack of those sound bytes I mentioned and
quickly get stuck into a "catagory".
Better to ask the state reps office to have the politico come to a
meeting of your local MV chapter, or better yet, invite him to ride in
a veterans or 4th of July or some town parade. Then while you got him
cornered <g>, try to show him, for real, that our hobby is not a
threat.
I hate to say it folks, but if you pull this off, try to keep the
members quiet who would start ragging on him as "you worthless F###
politicians are all alike!"
We are trying to favourably influence the politician, not give him
reason to hold a grudge against MV owners.
If he really is a right bastard, then vote for the other guy next
time.
Ok, my 2 cents worth.
Cheers
Jim Burrill
USN Retired
===
To unsubscribe from the mil-veh mailing list, send the single word
UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of a message to <mil-veh-request@skylee.com>.