Persuasive Letters “If every member of the House and Senate had

received 100 letters from people back home saying we have to do something about Rwanda, when the crisis was first developing, then I think

the response would have been different.” ~The late U.S. Senator Paul Simon, 1994

Introduction

• Introduce yourself• Establish your

credibility (ethos)--discuss the research you’ve studied, the personal attachment to your topic

• Make your claim (thesis statement)

Thesis• Should be the last

sentence in your introduction

• Must be highly specific--avoid: “We must do something.”

• Should address your audience directly

• Is not a fact, but your opinion of what should be done

Example Thesis

We are relying on you to urge members of Congress and the President to support the deployment of UN troops to Darfur.

Body--Your Defense

• Your body paragraphs are your support

• They defend your claim (thesis statement)

• The stronger the body, the stronger your argument

Ducks In a Row• To have a strong body,

show your senator or rep you’ve done your homework (ethos):

• Know what you are talking about--that means do your research

• Know where your elected official stands on YOUR issue (www.votesmart.org)

• Discuss other legislation your senator or rep has passed

Back It Up• In order to back up your

opinions, use evidence (logos)

• One quote per paragraph is a good rule of thumb

• Only use the most important part of the quote

• Make sure your information is up-to-date, and reliable

• CITE where it is from (anything you did not already know)

Example of Citing

• According to the CNN article, “Darfur War Crimes Suspects Named,”

• The California Teachers Association stated last week,

• Mark Doyle, correspondent for the BBC,

Offer a Solution

• Make sure in your body you’re not just talking about what’s wrong

• Reinforce that why you’re writing is to change the current state of this issue

• Show how that solution will work throughout your body

Using Emotional Appeal

• A personal anecdote or a scenario makes facts and figures come to life; it also helps your audience see why action must be taken (pathos)

• Stick to the facts of the story without making it overly dramatic

• Only share what is relevant to your topic• Use this to reinforce why action must be

taken

Ideas for Emotional Appeal

• A story of someone losing Healthy Families medical coverage,

• Students who will lose their CalGrants money,• A woman and her children who escaped to

Chad, • A gay couple who cannot marry, • Animals who may face extinction as a result of

global warming, • A family who faces deportation/students who

could benefit from the DREAM Act

Example of Emotional Appeal

• An example of the power and potential of the DREAM Act can be seen through a student I will call Juan. Juan has been a student of mine for the past two years. Initially, he did not care much for school, and he was failing several of his classes, but something happened second semester of last year. Juan started turning in his assignments, and the quality of his work began to improve; he raised his Cs and Fs to Bs and Cs. But he didn’t stop there—this past semester, he nearly had straight As, a feat I never would have thought possible last year. Juan has an amazing future ahead of him. He is focused on his goals, proud of his artistic abilities, and confident about his academic endeavors. I would gladly write a recommendation for him for the college of his choice, but something stands in the way: his illegal status. After all the sacrifice and hard work, he cannot make his dreams a reality unless he or his parents can pay for the cost of college out of pocket. With the rising cost of college, Juan’s dreams, and the dreams of his parents—the reason they immigrated to the United States—will go unfulfilled, unless the DREAM Act passes.

Counterargument• A counterargument

shows you see all sides to a situation

• Looking at an issue from someone else’s perspective also establishes your credibility (ethos)

• Avoid the “BUT” in this paragraph--leave that for the conclusion

Ideas for a Counterargument

• We’re in a recession--the California budget has to face cuts everywhere

• Allowing gay couples to marry will devalue the institution of marriage

• We have too much to deal with in our own country, and we’re at war while in a recession, so why bother with Darfur?

• Global warming is not as bad as they say• The DREAM Act will only encourage illegal

immigration

Sample Counterargument

It is true that the United States is not without its own problems. There are people, children, in our country who are without food and shelter. Domestic violence and rape occur here regularly. Murders, especially, in urban areas, are common. Therefore, many ask, what right does the United States have to intervene in another country until it can help itself and solve its own problems? No one is more aware of the problems our country faces than people like you. Every day you take on the loaded responsibility of finding solutions for the people of California and the United States. While Sundan is an issue you are examining, being a voice for the 34th District is your priority.

Conclusion

• Now it’s time for your “BUT”

• This is the time to drive your point home

• Your conclusion should be a call to action

• Inspire!

Essay Structure

• Intro w/ thesis• 2-3 body

paragraphs(logos--facts,

examples)• Emotional appeal• Counterargument• Conclusion

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So . . .

Make it happen for you! You have the power, the words, the ability to motivate. So do it!

Never be indifferent.One of my mottos has been that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference.That means the opposite of education is not ignorance, it is indifference.The opposite of beauty is not ugliness, but indifference.The opposite of life is not death, but indifference. Indifference to life and death.So whatever you do in your life, indifference is never an option.Indifference is never the beginning of a process, it is the end of a process.That is not an option.What is an option?Do something with your learning. You can, even for one person. There must be on this planet at least one person who needs you. One person you can help. Don't turn away; help. Because those who suffer, often suffer not because of the person or the group that inflicts the suffering; they seem to suffer because nobody cares.

Elie Wiesel said it best: