There’s this fun little phenomenon taking over the Internet and college campuses. You’ve probably seen a dozen this semester, and maybe authored one yourself. It’s called an “open letter.” It takes the form of a letter, harmless enough, but it is something else entirely. The majority of open letters are written in response to something that has outraged/upset/hurt/offended the writer of said letter. Then, this open letter is published for the entire world to see. Problem solved, right?
Wrong.
Open letters aren’t fixing the problems we are facing in the world. What amounts to a blog-post with a widespread audience is not going to make someone change their mind, their opinion, or disregard their beliefs.
I would love to see a study on how many people/organizations actually read the “open letter” addressed to them.
As far as I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a lot of open letters, they are usually forms for people to express their grievances and call for action, but that action is rarely ever seen to fruition. The cathartic act of writing an open letter is not enough.
If you are outraged, speak up. If you are offended, do something about it. An open letter may be a great place to start, but don’t let it be the end. If someone hurts you, confront them. Voice your concerns to their face, instead of to the faceless Internet. Confront someone about how they have been offensive, if you are truly so offended.
I’ve received a lot of hateful mail in my life, including what I would term an “Open Letter” written by a publication on campus. Did it change my mind? No. You know why? It was demeaning, it was trivializing of my own experiences, and it was written in an anonymous form that allowed the author to hide behind their “offense” which turned into offensive statements made against me.
If you have a problem with someone, put your big boy pants on and tell them to their face. Don’t hide online, or behind some letter. Have a civil, adult conversation about the issue at hand. It’s called a “dialogue,” my friends, and yes, that means TWO people should be talking, not just one lecturing the other.
If you are so concerned that you must write an “Open Letter”, go beyond that open letter. Stage a sit-in. Pass a law. Rally support and protest. Do something.
Getting people to sign your letter is great. You know what is even better? Inspiring them to get off their butts, off the Internet, and make something happen.
Don’t just type up your little letter, hit send, and expect the Internet to do the work for you. The world, in some aspects, needs change, and only action can bring about change. The age-old adage may be that the pen is mightier than the sword, but your action is mightier than your open letter.
