reducerenewrecycle

Eleven days ago, 16 letters were postmarked to 14 elected officials – from my representative to the President – and two local advocates to change the phrase ‘mental defectives’ in US law.

Today, the post office delivered the first two responses.

Representative W said in essence, ‘Dear fill-in-the-blank, thanks for your letter.  Since you’re not in my district, you’re not my problem. But here’s your representative’s address. Have a nice day.‘

The first of the two advocates, Former Representative R, replied on a more personal level (but probably only because he knows who I am via TB, my brother-in-law, and a friend of mine.) ‘I wholeheartedly agree with you, but since I’m not in Congress anymore, I suggest you contact your current congresspeople.‘

Erg. I knew I should have included a list of those I copied to avoid the inevitable ‘you should talk to so-and-so’ responses.

In sixth grade, I wrote to the first President Bush with a recycling initiative. Six months later, with generic response in hand, I learned that only the loud and unrelenting are heard.  I was small and meek at 12 years old.  Some things have changed in the twenty years between receiving a form letter from the White House and today. While still small, meek was a skin I shed in high school.

Fourteen responses to go.  All I need is one bite.