Atheism Stack Exchange Archive

How important is writing letters to the editor of your local newspaper in regard to an atheist viewpoint?

It’s important that your community realizes that atheists are among them with contributing ideas and voices. Shouldn’t atheists write the counterpoint to stories, opinions and letters that are religion-biased or that attempt state/church involvement? To those who have had letters/opinions published, was there any community flack?

Answer 1434

The value of contributing to “Letter to the Editor” sections in newspapers could also be phrased as “the value of being “out” as an atheist.”

  1. Visibility – To believers, let them know that their outbursts aren’t tolerated, nor are they targeted at empty straw-men, but real people in the community.
  2. Visibility – To non-believers who think they are alone. Sometimes the trigger that allows a person to come “out” is awareness that he/she will not be alone.
  3. Ease the fear: Being visible about living “out,” demonstrating there are no negative repercussions, helps to undercut the fear that coming out will be devestating and dangerous. It might be for some, but the fear is a self-imposed, over-estimated hindrance.
  4. Plant the Meme – Our “positions” on issues of the day need to get into circulation beyond Atheist echo-chambers. If you have a really good point, get it published so that minds will change. It’s the only way to win the war of ideas… that is, put your ideas out on the battlefield.
  5. Create dissonance – By putting a name and a face to an idea, some people will be able to say, “Hey, I know that person, and he/she is a great community member, father, teacher, volunteer, etc.” Providing counter-examples to stereotypes is a critical function of coming out.

Come on out. Band together against the negative fallout. Share in the benefits!

Answer 1383

I always thought the opinion pages of newspapers were unlikely to rouse any interests, and very likely to waste your time. Seriously, what good is an opinion page without a topic – it’s like the inverse of StackOverflow: totally subjective and unfocused. Newspapers often don’t source opinions on one topic, people write in for all kinds of stuff.. I’m not even sure it looks good to have a well written atheist’s viewpoint next to advice about growing the biggest daises and the effect of Miley Cyrus on underage kids.

Of course, the fans of these argue you can expose people to the ideas who wouldn’t normally entertain the topic: I simply don’t find that to be the case. Take a routine newspaper reader, ask them the last time they changed their world view from an opinion piece, or the last time the opinion piece started a snowballing effect to that end.

Need more proof of the utility of opinion pages – most of these aren’t about community events, find me one opinion piece submitted to a regional paper that has gotten national coverage online.

Serious thoughts need a more serious platform. If you want to provoke your community, and it’s a great idea to attempt it, I’ve got a more effective method (having done both of these):

I guarantee, they’ll talk to you, or talk about you. Be well read, and ready to combat theatrics. I live in quite possibly the most religious and affluent part of Texas. It’s a form of therapy at some point.

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