letter to the editor project
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Letter to the Editor Project. Hadley Stecker Dr. Michelle Trim’s English 110. To the Editor: Re “Abortion Foes Tell of Their Journey to the Streets” by Damien Cave (Article, Oct. 10, 2009):. About Me Writing Process The Assignment What I Learned The Article Project Synopsis - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Letter to the Editor ProjectTo the Editor:
Re “Abortion Foes Tell of Their Journey to the Streets”
by Damien Cave (Article, Oct. 10, 2009):
Hadley SteckerDr. Michelle Trim’s English 110
About MeWriting Process
The AssignmentWhat I Learned
The Article Project SynopsisEnglish 110 ObjectiveFinal Project
About MeBeverly Farms, MassachusettsStrategic Communications Major
Business Minor
Hobbies include scuba-diving, horseback riding, and traveling
About MeWriting Process
The AssignmentWhat I Learned
The Article Project Synopsis
English 110 ObjectiveFinal Project
The AssignmentWrite a letter to the editor of a newspaper or
magazine that responds to a recently covered issue/topicDemonstrate awareness of the relationship between
purpose and audienceUse carefully crafted reasons and examplesWrite effectively to produce a clear, easily
understandable piece
Write a revised letter to the editor with a maximum of 500 words
About MeWriting Process
The AssignmentWhat I Learned
The Article Project Synopsis
English 110 ObjectiveFinal Project
The Article“Abortion Foes Tell of Their Journey to the Streets”
by Damien Cave (Article, Oct. 10, 2009)Gives examples of violent anti-abortion protestorsExplains various protesting techniquesDiscusses why and how pro-life activists protest
abortion
New York Times Online
About MeWriting Process
The AssignmentWhat I Learned
The Article Project Synopsis
English 110 ObjectiveFinal Project
English 110 ObjectiveA more sophistic understanding of the relationship
of purpose, audience, and voice, and an awareness that writing expectations and conventions vary within the academy and in professional and public discourse.
The key component to this project was to target a certain audience and ensure that they see the point I am makingHad to use appropriate languageStill maintain respect for the other side of the
argumentAbout MeWriting Process
The AssignmentWhat I Learned
The Article Project Synopsis
English 110 ObjectiveFinal Project
Writing ProcessSearched for articles that caught
my attentionOutlined a counter argumentResearched the topicWrote a rough draft for peer
review I had difficulties holding back from
writing too aggressively about a topic that I am passionate about
About MeWriting Process
The AssignmentWhat I Learned
The Article Project Synopsis
English 110 ObjectiveFinal Project
http://it.pinellas.k12.fl.us/Teachers7/GageS/images/8ECD9F8FDDF54BACAC5B41B15F18FBF3.jpg
Writing Process ContinuedEdited draft utilizing the constructive criticism I
received from my peers and Dr. TrimCut irrelevant portions
It was challenging for me to cut out portions that I thought were strong points, even though I knew they weren’t necessary
Lowered the word count to under 500 words
About MeWriting Process
The AssignmentWhat I Learned
The Article Project Synopsis
English 110 ObjectiveFinal Project
I Learned… About the subject of abortion and
protesting Different view points are not necessarily
right or wrong Decisions can be made for different
reasons People often protest for self-fulfillment
How to improve my writing To produce concise writing To use ethos, pathos, and logos to target
an audience To integrate quotes in a meaningful wayAbout Me
Writing ProcessThe Assignment
What I LearnedThe Article
Project SynopsisEnglish 110 Objective
Final Project
New York Times Online
Project SynopsisSelf-respecting communities should not tolerate the immature
behavior of the protestorsProtestors are drastically interfering with people’s personal
lives only to benefit themselves Longing to feel thrill of “camaraderie and conflict”
The main voices heard in the article are male, while abortion applies exclusively to the female body
Individuals should decide whether or not abortion is right for them Should not be influenced by people who have not faced the same
decisionAbout Me
Writing ProcessThe Assignment
What I LearnedThe Article
Project SynopsisEnglish 110 Objective
Final Project
Final ProjectTo the Editor: Re “Abortion Foes Tell of Their Journey to the Streets” by Damien Cave (Article, Oct. 10, 2009):
In his article published in the New York Times, “Abortion Foes Tell of Their Journey to the Streets,” Damien Cave attempts to explain the questionable motives of pro-life activists and grant the participating Christians recognition for their actions. It is not only the reasoning of the protestors that is suspicious, but also their persistence to change the minds of pregnant women by force and coercion. Self-respecting communities should not settle for such immature behavior. It is baffling to think that protestors are interfering drastically with strangers’ personal lives solely for the thrill of experiencing “camaraderie and conflict.” People often become protestors not out of concern for others, but because they want to improve their own well-being. According to Ziad Munson, the author of “The Making of Pro-Life Activists,” the social aspect of a protest is an attractive element for people looking to make “social connections.” Dan Brewer is just one example of someone who joined because he wanted to be part of “something rebellious,” not because he felt that protesting abortion would benefit the greater good. He thought that protesting abortion was an activity that would “lead to conversations.” Another Christian joined the protest against pro-choice because he “could not resist… the passion of so many Christians.” One protestor believes that abortion “can end… if Christians just went out there for seven days in a row to tell the truth peacefully.” Physically linking together to prevent women from entering abortion clinics and showing gruesome images to children is not what I call “peaceful.” One of the weaknesses of this article is the constant use of male opinions and voices. There are eight males and merely two females present in the article. Of the females, one is the president of Naral Pro-Choice America, and one is an adult who was born to a mother who seriously considered abortion, but ended up placing her daughter up for adoption to an abusive family. The female view is highly underrepresented, especially for an article focused on an issue only applicable to a female body. I wonder what the abortion debate would entail had it be men with the ability to become pregnant. Would all these men still be fighting against the right of choice?Individuals should decide whether or not abortion is right for them. I trust that no decision, either way, will be made lightheartedly and without serious consideration of both options. Such monumental decisions should not be impacted by a group of people protesting against a situation that they themselves don’t even understand. Women facing the possibility of abortion should not make their decisions based on a 16-year-old boy holding a poster of a dead baby in protest, simply because he thought it was a “cool” thing to do. Any upstanding community would not tolerate the actions of “attention hogs who prefer to attract outrage rather than inspiring compassion.”
Hadley D. SteckerBeverly Farms, M.A., February 10, 2010Original article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/us/10abortion.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
About MeWriting Process
The AssignmentWhat I Learned
The Article Project Synopsis
English 110 ObjectiveFinal Project