Photo: Giles Clarke/UNOCHA

By Barbara Taft, co-chair, Middle East Committee

The Middle East Committee already suggests that people write or contact their representatives and senators on policy and legislation. We hope you’ll continue to write those letters, but we want to add a new opportunity for us to increase our impact and get more local supporters/members engaged in discussion on relevant issues that are often poorly covered in the press.

We want to have letter-writing parties where people gather to compose letters to the editor or opinion articles linking our issues to local situations and provide each other assistance in writing (while enjoying food and fellowship). At these regular meetings, one or two topics are chosen for letters or articles, and we can make quite an impact.

This can also be undertaken by our at-large (Jane Addams) members, either writing as individuals or in a group with friends, in areas where there isn’t a WILPF branch. These groups could write at the same time that branches meet to write, and could phone in to the writing group at the branch to get ideas, help with wording, etc.  

We will provide additional ideas soon, but this is something which is doable, and would give us additional actions, and additional exposure. Paying attention to what is in the newspapers (or on TV or radio) in your local areas can help. If your local news is getting it wrong, or not providing the whole picture, on our issues, this is an opportunity to fill in the facts, and perhaps turn around public opinion.  If you have sample letters or have received responses to letters that have been written, please submit them to the Middle East Committee and we will post them online.