Need help constructing a letter to my newspaper

[carrowsboy]

In response to a freeper troll who wrote...

"As Thansgiving approaches with Christmas around the corner, I hope strong family unity, moral integrity and American patriotism continue during this holiday season. In today's world of liberal attacks on our American history, Christiuan beliefs, southern heritage, marraige, God and moral family values it is sometimes difficult to maintain strength. Let us all pray this Holiday Season for our conservative beliefs and Christian values and may God Bless America."

Any help/examples would help immensely.

Thanks guys & gals!

[chaska]

1. Madona is a Clarkie.

I can think of a couple of ways to approach this. You could either outline the advances that liberalism has given us. I'm sure there must be a website out there where you could get that info. Or you could outline how conservatism has deviated from Christianity. Sites like Liberals like Christ would be a help here. Jesus was a liberal, no doubt about it. Both of these areas need to be brought to the public discourse.

[Dirty Hippie]

2. Here is a good

commentary from buzzflash on the contributions of liberal thinking.

http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/03/11/con03326.html

[carrowsboy]

3. thanks, this is what I have so far....

I'd like to take the time to respond to Mr. Mark Hopkins and his recent letter praising Colonial Heights for voting conservative this year. If Mr. Hopkins had bothered to research the elections we held, then he would have seen that of the 3 races only one was contested...and in that race the conservative lost out to the independent by a landslide (Stafford vs. Andrews). What I find truely offensive was his following remarks that there are "liberal attacks on our American history, Christian beliefs, southern heritage, marraige, God and moral family values."

[Obamarama]

4. You have your work cut out for you...

Have a busy couple days ahead of me...if I find some time I will try to float some ideas your way..

[Lefty48197]

5. Don't forget to mention that God has commanded us to feed the poor

and that the Republicans basically tell Him to go to hell.

[chaska]

6. Just remember to keep it tight, and, preferably, short.

A long letter won't be as likely to get published. And if it does get published, it certainly won't be read by the people who most need to see it, if it's overlong.

[Lorien]

7. 350 words or less

that's what I've been told by most newspapers (some even limit letters to 250 words).

I'm glad you are taking the time to respond to this Freeper's outrageious comments. Too often we liberals let them stand and thereby streghthen the conservative movement. Only with action do we affect change.

I would point out that Jesus was indeed a true liberal, and that christianity only flourishes in this country because our founders demanded freedom of religion (not because they were Christian; Jefferson himself warned that Christian fundementalism could destroy America. Official state religions were what drove many to escape their Nations of birth and come to these shores).

Liberals are true patriots because they love their country enough to sacrifice for it, and see the wisdom of giving back to the country that gave them so much by "rendering unto Ceasar what is Ceasar's"-conservatives balk at the thought of sharing even a dime of their wealth with their country; they do not wish to give back to the schools which gave them the education with which they made their fortunes, the police and emergency personel(and even military) who protect them, the roads which allow them to travel to their places of worship (the mall), the elderly who came before them to make this country what it is today.By happily giving to these things, and by recognising their value, liberals are the true patriots here!

Liberals fight against the Iraq occupation because it is an anti-American act; we were the defenders of freedom, not the instigators of conflict. The war was based on lies, and sending American soldiers to die for financial gain is traitorous in the extreme.

Conservatives who whine and complain whenever a liberal raises his or her voice are anti American because this country was founded on dissent; free speech is our FIRST amendment right! Nearly every media outlet in America now only speaks for the conservatives, and democracy itself is failing because of it. Our founders warned that without a free press, democracy would not exist. By demanding that theirs are the only voices heard, conservatives are murdering their country.


This isn't what I would write, BTW-just stream of conciousness thoughts on liberalism vs. conservatism in America. Please post your letter when you finish it; I'm interested to hear what your response will be.

[carrowsboy]

9. I have up to 500 words

so far I clock in at 351

[carrowsboy]

8. UPDATE -thanks to KzooDem, too

I'd like to take the time to respond to Mr. Mark Hopkins and his recent letter praising Colonial Heights for voting conservative this year. If Mr. Hopkins had bothered to research the elections we held, then he would have seen that of the three races only one was contested...and in that race the Republican lost out to the Independent by a landslide (Stafford vs. Andrews). What I find truly offensive was his following remarks that there are "liberal attacks on our American history, Christian beliefs, southern heritage, marriage, God and moral family values."

Oh please, such a transparent argument. Who decides what is moral and what is not? Denying equal rights to tax paying citizens is moral? Government enforced religion? Perhaps Mr. Hopkins might be surprised to learn that Jesus was quite the liberal, too.

Before praising the virtues of conservatives as the zenith of moral authority, perhaps Mr. Hopkins should look a little closer at Richmond's conservative elected officials. Such as Rep. Eric Cantor, who has accepted illegal campaign contributions in the past and Delegate William Janis, who accepts a $15,000 annual stipend for a so-called office allowance without actually having a district office.

As for your hope that "American patriotism will continue during this holiday season," then I suppose we are to look no further than the actions of our fearless leader we have in the White House. While you assert that liberals are on the attack, this is what Mr. Bush and his administration has been doing for our troops: proposed cuts totally at least $14.6 billion over the next ten years in benefits paid by the Veteran’s Administration; cuts of $1.5 billion in funding for military family housing, childcare centers, barracks, hangars and office buildings, while House Republicans voted down a proposal by House Democrats to restore $1 billion of those cuts; and a latest tax cut that fails to extend a child tax credit to nearly 200,000 low-income military personnel. Please try and remember that Patriotism is more than slapping a Wal-Mart bumpersticker on the back of your car and turning a blind eye to reality.


Anything else I should add??