Affirmation: Gay & Lesbian Mormons

Olin Thomas

Effective Letters to the Editor Can Help Change Hearts and Minds

by Olin Thomas
July 2008

In the last several months, Affirmation has been mentioned in many news articles in publications across the country, and the debate around marriage equality has generated an unprecedented level of interest in the opinions of our organization and membership. I, and other Affirmation leaders and members, have been asked to make statements for the press and to participate in radio and television shows.

We have tried to respond wisely when writing and speaking about all matters of interest to our members, yet we have received comments which range from accusing us of pandering to Church officials to warning us of being so liberal that we would give fuel to conservative opponents of measures we support. Which view is true?

Any view is accurate from where that person is standing, but will not be the view of someone with a different vantage point. In speaking or writing, one must consider one's audience. When Affirmation issues public statements, or our directors give interviews, we are conscious of who is listening or reading our words and what effect we whish them to have. This does not mean we do not support our position and say what we believe, but it means that we have to apply reason more than passion. We are not speaking our personal beliefs, but trying to represent a composite “gay Mormon” view that can be understood by those who are not gay and often not Mormon. But we do this because we want to be heard and understood by those who do not usually hear or understand us. In public statements, we are speaking mostly to the “moveable middle” of the American political spectrum. There are camps on both sides of any issue whose minds are made up and will not easily change. Those people will either love or hate anything you say and will not be swayed. But a small percentage is undecided and will listen and perhaps decide to support one view or the other. These people will not be reached by impassioned speeches, but by insightful reason seasoned with tolerance.

Perhaps you are thinking this does not sound like modern American politics at all! Well, you are probably thinking about those who are speaking to their own bases of support and not addressing those who they wish to persuade. There is value in this as well, because your supporters need to be motivated to turn out to vote, to donate time and money, and otherwise support or oppose various measures as well. The type of appeal that is best suited for this approach is a personal one, not an organizational one. Rush Limbaugh, for example, holds no punches when he speaks his views publicly, but you'll notice that elected officials or heads of national political committees will be more restrained.

Affirmation members and supporters may not have a national radio talk show, but there are ways for individuals to be heard in our society. One of the oldest parts of our freedom of speech tradition is writing a letter to the editor of a news publication. This is a place where you can let your passion be expressed, to galvanize your allies, or you can select a publication that is read by those mainly on the other side of the issue and attempt to touch them with reason or emotion. In a letter to the editor, you don't have to worry about whether you are expressing others views accurately — you express your own as eloquently as you can.

To encourage this type of participation in our democratic process and to remind people of the power of such letters, Affirmation has re-instituted and modified the Affirmation Writing Awards. This year, it is letters to the editor and any other type of persuasive article that is being called for. These are the letters that will change hearts and engage minds, and they are within the ability of each and every one of us to write. Your local newspapers, especially, want to know what you, the local reader thinks!

You can find more information about the Writing Awards at www.affirmation.org/awa and we would be glad to advise any serious writers and even to solicit advise from other organizations if warranted, so don't delay — the pen is mightier than the sword!