Action Alert – Supreme Court 10 Commandments Decision
On Monday, June 27, 2005 the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to deliver its verdict on the two controversial Ten Commandments cases. It is up to each of us to make the secular viewpoint heard. Many people will chime in on this decision and the vast majority of them will not be sympathetic to our cause. Please take a moment on Monday to express your views. Write a letter to the editor of you local newspaper or call in to your local talk radio show. There are many other ways to get the word out – be creative!
Case Info
The two cases being heard are Van Orden v. Perry, regarding the granite Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of the Texas state capitol, and McCreary County v. ACLU, regarding the posting of the Ten Commandments in the McCreary County courthouse building.
Tips
Here are a few pointers that might help ensure your letter to the editor gets printed!
- Keep it short – There will likely be a lot of people pitching in their two cents. The opinions that say more with fewer words are most likely to get in. Focus on two or three points.
- Stick to the facts – Avoid personal attacks, hyperbole, sarcasm, invective, nastiness, etc. Keep your comments to the objective arguments.
- Be prepared – Have a letter ready to send for either a favorable, unfavorable or no verdict so you can have it printed as soon as possible.
- Know the rules – Every publication is a bit different on how many words they will accept, what format they prefer (generally try to fax or email it though so it gets there right away) and required information before they will print (name, address, etc.) Check with your local publication for details.
Talking Points
Know what few specific points you want to get across and craft your letter accordingly. Check in with these sites for some pointers on talking points and submission suggestions:
- Institute for Humanists Studies – PR Pointers: Ten Commandments ruling
- atheism.about.com – Ten Commandments: News, Resources, and Background Information
If you need pointers just let us know and we would be happy to help you word your letter. If you do send a letter to the editor or communicate with the press in some other way, let us know. This will help us track how well our viewpoints are being represented!