[Sosfbay-discuss] One hundred Green letters by May 31!

[Drew Johnson]

Good points Caroline.  Of course conditions vary across the country and
while we in 'Silicon Valley' may not be typical, its true that multiple
approaches are needed.  The national Media Committee has more print people
than other media forms (the multimedia folks have a working group
themselves) so one can understand why there might be a bias in that
direction.  Nevertheless, as traditional as it sounds 'Letters to the
Editor' remain a very powerful tool in getting our word out -- Did you
realize that LttE are picked up by Google News searches and thereby become
part of the 'buzz' for getting media attention? Also as we get our letter
writing campaigns rolling we can certainly follow up with a call-in
campaign and other media outreach efforts.

So who else is working on the '100 Letters by May 31st' Campaign???


Green is Multi!

Drew Johnson
GPCA delegate


On Tue, May 20, 2008 09:12, Caroline Yacoub wrote:
> I have just been rereading the Media Group's challenge. While I think it's
> a good idea, I must confess that I think we will be missing a lot of
> people that way. For example, I don't think that I know anyone under forty
> who reads the Letters to the Editor. And I'm a little surprised that the
> "Media Group" would concentrate on print media. KQED has a call-in program
> at 9:00 am, and there are, or course, many call-in shows on less Green
> friendly stations, for the more adventurous. And then there are chat
> rooms. I don't go to any. but I know they are there. Shouldn't we be going
> where the people are?
>   Caroline
>



---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: [GP-US a/v] One hundred Green letters by May 31!
From:    "Scott McLarty" <scottmclarty at yahoo.com>
Date:    Thu, May 15, 2008 11:27
To:      media-states at lists.gp-us.org
         media-a-v at lists.gp-us.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

One hundred Green letters by May 31!

(Please forward this as widely as possible to
Green Party members & friends)

The Media Committee challenges Greens all over to
put the Green Party and our candidates on the
media map!

Our goal is to see ONE HUNDRED letters to the
editor sent by Greens to newspapers throughout
the US by the end of May.  If enough letters get
sent, a good percentage will get published, and
hundreds of thousands -- maybe millions -- of
voters will read about the Green Party and Green
candidates.

If you'd rather submit an op-ed column or an
article to the newspaper of your choice, that's
fine too!

What should you write about?  It's up to you:

• Your favorite Green candidate for President of
the United States

• Your favorite Green candidate for the US House,
US Senate, state legislature, county
commissioner, city council, mayor, school board,
or any other office

• The upcoming Green National Convention in
Chicago, July 10-13

• The Green Party's demand for immediate
withdrawal of troops from Iraq

• The Green Party's demand for real action on
global warming, rather than ineffective
corporate-friendly half measures

• The Green Party's support for single-payer
national health care

• Another Green Party position that you consider
important

• Anything else you can think of about the Green
Party or Green candidates!


Here are some suggestions:

• Keep your letter concise & focused.  Five or
six sentences is good, but in most larger
newspapers, anything longer is in danger of
getting edited or immediately rejected.  In many
local papers, they'll be happy to print a longer
letter.  Op-eds & articles can be longer, too.
Check the newspaper's guidelines on submissions.

• Use the word GREEN at least once, preferably a
few times, so it's clear that your favorite
candidate is a Green candidate, or the position
you're espousing is a Green position.  Mention
that you're a Green Party member and try to work
in the web site of the national party (gp.org) or
your local or state party.

• If you can, use a personal angle.  For example,
if a family member can't pay a medical bill or is
on the front line in Iraq, it might be worth
mentioning in a letter to the editor about the
Green Party's position on health care or the war.

• Respond to an already published article or
column.  For example, a recent column in The
Progressive by Adolph Reed (May 2008 issue,
http://www.progressive.org/mag_reed0508) on why
he isn't supporting Barack Obama deserves a Green
reply: why doesn't Mr. Reed mention the Green
presidential candidates?

• Read "How to Place an Op-Ed or Letter in the
Top 100 US Newspapers"
http://theopedproject.org/content/view/8/8/

Start writing letters!  If you get published, let
us know -- and post it on Green Party discussion
lists too, so other Greens can read it too.

Scott McLarty
mclarty at greens.org
Media Committee
Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org