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This is a thing that happens, and that I wish would not. Someone says "hey, write to your Congress critter about" or "I wrote to my Congress critter about" or "If you are writing to your Congress critter about things, here is a note of ways that make it more effective".
And then someone comes along and says "BUT you should call them to be effective."
This is true. It is a good response to "what is the best way to contact my Congress critter?" or _perhaps_ to "I am going to contact my Congress critter about X". And maybe with a "did you know?" to the first or second above, maybe. To the third it is not germane.
I mostly write my Congress critters. I save calling for the most urgent things because it's damnably inconvenient and takes time for me also. If I only call, then I will contact them about WAY fewer things.
And I'm very VERY TIRED of this to be frank. I have heard it several times. I know. And it comes across as criticism.
Which frankly?
If I didn't actually care as much as I do, and I took the "this is the Best Way to do it and you're wasting your time doing it that other way" message to heart, I might just _stop doing it_.
It is entirely possible that there are people you have told "should" be calling who have decided their writing isn't enough, but who lack the time, spoons, or willingness to call...and who are now thus doing neither.
And then someone comes along and says "BUT you should call them to be effective."
This is true. It is a good response to "what is the best way to contact my Congress critter?" or _perhaps_ to "I am going to contact my Congress critter about X". And maybe with a "did you know?" to the first or second above, maybe. To the third it is not germane.
I mostly write my Congress critters. I save calling for the most urgent things because it's damnably inconvenient and takes time for me also. If I only call, then I will contact them about WAY fewer things.
And I'm very VERY TIRED of this to be frank. I have heard it several times. I know. And it comes across as criticism.
Which frankly?
If I didn't actually care as much as I do, and I took the "this is the Best Way to do it and you're wasting your time doing it that other way" message to heart, I might just _stop doing it_.
It is entirely possible that there are people you have told "should" be calling who have decided their writing isn't enough, but who lack the time, spoons, or willingness to call...and who are now thus doing neither.
