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v <br /> , The Humane Society of the United States <br /> 2100 L Street, N.W. <br /> Washington, D.C. 20037 <br /> �vivrrev o <br /> Sample Material for Letters to the Editor <br /> Subject: Animal Trapping <br /> Introduction <br /> A letter to the editor of a newspaper or magazine can be an <br /> effective way to publicize the cruelties associated with <br /> trapping. A published letter places the humane viewpoint before <br /> the general public. It can also be used to rebut the comments of <br /> newsmakers whose opinions are contrary to those of humanitarians, <br /> and attract attention to an aspect of the trapping issue that has <br /> not been adequately addressed by the news media. A letter to the <br /> editor can also alert the public to an impending event, such as a <br /> legislative hearing on a bill to prohibit use of the steel-jaw <br /> trap. <br /> From time to time we all see material in a newspaper or <br /> elsewhere advocating or condoning trapping. We get angry--we <br /> want to respond, but we don't have the particular facts or <br /> material at hand for a good letter to the editor . To help <br /> alleviate this problem, The HSUS has included herewith discrete <br /> points that you might wish to use in letters to the editor. <br /> First, decide which point or points you would like to make. <br /> Second, compose your letter, editing our suggested material in. <br /> ways that reflect local circumstances and your primary <br /> concerns. Finally, be sure to keep in mind the style and format <br /> of the magazine or newspaper to which you are writing. Letters <br /> to the editor should make only one or two discrete points and <br /> should not be longer than 100 to 150 words. <br /> General Guidelines for Letters to the Editor <br /> There are general rules that should be followed in drafting <br /> a letter for publication in the opinion-editorial page of a <br /> newspaper or magazine. A letter to the editor should be brief <br /> and to the point. Writing should be limited to those comments <br /> that are necessary to the reader 's understanding of the trapping <br /> issue. A good rule of thumb is to make it no longer than two to <br /> three paragraphs. The letter should be legible and use correct <br /> grammar and proper punctuation. Information should be accurately <br /> presented and statistics referenced to their source. The writer <br /> should not criticize the motives or sincerity of persons who <br /> favor trapping. A letter to the editor should quickly capture <br /> the attention of the reader , persuasively explain the problem, <br /> offer realistic solutions, and recommend a course of action for <br />