Good afternoon friends,
You’ve likely heard about the deadly shooting last Saturday in Ardmore over a ghost gun purchase in Ardmore. Many of our teens knew the kids/young adults involved because they attended or graduated from Lower Merion High School. Here are two ways we can begin to respond to this tragedy:
1. There is a Community Vigil scheduled for this coming Sunday, July 18th, 3:00pm – 4:00pm at Vernon Young Park/Playground on Ardmore Ave. This will be an opportunity for community sharing and dialogue. If it feels appropriate to you and your teen (or young adult) please share this info on social media. Also please share this info with your “parent” network.
2. If you or your teen wants to write a letter to the editor please see below for info on ghost guns and how to write an effective LTE. If you’d like to write a letter but need help, or even a final reader, the folks from CeaseFirePA are happy to help.
Here is the article.
Here is a link to learn more about ghost guns. In Pennsylvania, Representative Mike Zabel introduced HB 414 to ban the manufacturing, sale and possession of untraceable firearms.
How To Write a Letter to the Editor
Be Concise: A letter should be fewer than 200 words and is more likely to be printed if even shorter.
Focus on one clear point: For the letter, pick one fact, aspect of the issue, or story. Choosing as your letter subject one of the bills detailed below is a good example.
Make it personal: Letters are more compelling and unique, rather than just something anyone can write. It is appropriate to convey your outrage, but avoid exaggeration. With LTEs, it is fine to express feelings of support, anger, or frustration, but you should avoid overstatement.
Reference/Respond to a recent article/letter/event: Newspapers are more likely to print letters that show relevance and timeliness to issues the paper is already covering, such as COVID-19, recent protests, or protest-related violence like Kenosha.
Follow-up: After you’ve sent your letter, call the editor and ask when they’re going to print it. They get hundreds or thousands of letters a week and this ensures that they read yours.
Sign your letter with your name, address, and phone number so they can confirm before running it.
In this situation, it is best to cover only one of these topics per letter, but feel free to send letters about all three to whomever you’d like.
Sample Outline:
– Use a catchy lead (personal, clever);
– State the problem/topic (why you are concerned and make it real for the reader);
– State the solution – name names if appropriate (i.e. ask Senator Smith to do X);- Wrap it up with the final why – the more personal the better.
