MY DOG AND NEW YEAR'S RESERVATIONS: A LETTER TO THE EDITOR


MY DOG AND NEW YEAR'S RESERVATIONS: A LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor:
As my dog has pointed out, it’s too late for New Year’s resolutions. But a review of recent letters to the newspaper convinces me the subject shouldn't be abandoned. Instead, let’s all agree to have New Year’s Reservations about what we write before sending it to the editor.

Example: “God-given.” This is a great favorite among those writing to newspapers. God-given rights, talents, freedom, etc. But, really, does this make much sense? For believers, God is the creator. He is the source of all life, objects and qualities. Believers need no reminder of this.

 Non-believers believe in a godless universe, and scoff at the idea of God-given anything. This being accepted, telling newspaper readers that God has given them something serves only to announce that the writer is a believer. Why does the writer want others to know this? God alone needs the information, and He has it already. He knows everything that ever happened, not to mention everything that ever will, so there you go.

Hitler, Nazi (or Nazism), European Socialism or socialist, Communist (or communism), liberal, right wing, ultra (fill in the blank), diabolical (fill in the blank), patriot (or patriotism), hero or heroes, etc. These are hugely popular among those who write letters to the editor, especially older men with childhood memories of World War Two and the Cold War. But as with God-given, the use of such terms serves only to align the writer with those who have used them--over and over--in previous letters.

What useful goal is achieved by doing this? Neuroscience tells us repetition works to fix ideas more firmly in the reader’s mind (ask anyone at Fox News). But whatever explains these letters to the editor, most of the writers aren’t crazy. Even so, this year, let’s all get on the composition treadmill. Let’s cut out the blubber before hitting the Send button.
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