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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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Demography, Population, and Ecology

2000

Disability

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

A Guide To Writing Letters To Public Officials: Contributing To Important Decisions Affecting You And Others, Tom Seekins Ph.D., Stephen B. Fawcett, University Of Montana Rural Institute Jan 2000

A Guide To Writing Letters To Public Officials: Contributing To Important Decisions Affecting You And Others, Tom Seekins Ph.D., Stephen B. Fawcett, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Independent Living and Community Participation

A well-written personal letter may be the most effective way to communicate with public officials. They want to know how their constituents feel about issues, especially when those issues involve decisions by elected officials. Public officials usually know what lobbying groups are saying about an issue, but often they do not understand how a particular decision affects you. A well-written letter describing your experiences, observations, and opinions may change an official’s mind. The same guidelines are also useful for writing to private officials such as business owners, executives of groups like the chamber of commerce, or presidents of corporate boards …


A Guide To Writing Letters To The Editor: Expressing Your Opinion To The Public Effectively, Tom Seekins Ph.D., Stephen B. Fawcett, University Of Montana Rural Institute Jan 2000

A Guide To Writing Letters To The Editor: Expressing Your Opinion To The Public Effectively, Tom Seekins Ph.D., Stephen B. Fawcett, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Independent Living and Community Participation

One way to express your opinion publicly is through a letter to the editor in your local newspaper. While every letter may not be published, editors pay attention to well-written letters. This is especially true when there are many letters written on the same topic. In turn, elected officials are also influenced by letters newspapers have chosen for publication. This guide will help you prepare an effective letter to the editor that expresses your opinion on an issue. It includes two letters about a controversial issue and specific guidelines on how to prepare a successful letter yourself. After you read …


A Guide For Personal Testimony: The Art Of Using Your Personal Experiences To Influence Policy Decisions, Tom Seekins Ph.D., Stephen B. Fawcett, University Of Montana Rural Institute Jan 2000

A Guide For Personal Testimony: The Art Of Using Your Personal Experiences To Influence Policy Decisions, Tom Seekins Ph.D., Stephen B. Fawcett, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Independent Living and Community Participation

The quality of life in any community is determined to some extent by the laws and policies of governmental units and agencies. One way of changing community conditions is to change the laws and policies. From a group’s perspective, any proposed change may be for the better or the worse. However, for changes in laws, regulations, or policies to occur, a public hearing is often required. During public hearings, people have an equal opportunity speak either for or against proposed changes. Many different types of testimony can be and usually are provided during public hearings. These may range from detailed, …