>From:    Marissa Bonasia <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: My letter to WNEW
>This is my letter to WNEW...surprisingly enough, I have had no reply to
>this message from them...
 
>Dear ignoramus,<
 
It doesn't surprise me that you haven't received an answer -- with an
opening like that the rest of the letter was either ignored, or dismissed
as the rantings of a crank.  Even when outraged, it is important to open
your letter as polietly as possible.  Being insulting only hurts the cause
you wish to support.  Open the letter as if you are writing to a friend or
someone whom you respect.
 
>. . . ferrets have been domesticated since ancient egyptians used them to
>"ferret" out rodents from the pyramids.
 
Actually, you need to do your homework a little better.  Ferrets were not
domesticated in Ancient Egypt, and they were not used to "ferret" rodents
from the pyramids.  Passing along misinformation like that makes you seem
like a liar in the eyes of the reader.  They then assume that any other
facts you present are false or at least suspect as well.  Additionally, you
hurt the cause of all ferret supporters by branding all of them as cranks.
 
>I am glad that I listen to Z100 in the morning and not your show.  Your
>comments definitely show that your morning show is not worth my effort of
>turning the knob to WNEW.  Thomas Jefferson said "If ignorance is bliss,
>why then aren't more people happy?"  The individuals responsible for the
>negative comments concerning ferrets must be extremely happy people...<
 
Ask yourself this -- if you aren't a regular listener to Z100, and announce
that fact to them, what have they lost?  Absolutely nothing.  You just told
them that your rantings don't even carry the weight of their losing a
regular listener.  As a fan of a rival station, they really could care
less what you think, and you gave them another excuse to ignore you.
 
When writing a letter of complaint, remember that you want to sell the
reader on your point of view and win him/her over to your way of looking at
things.  In other words, you want to make a new friend.  I really doubt you
would want to be friends with someone who sent you a letter like that.
 
Scott
[Posted in FML issue 2729]