What You Can Do » Speak Out

Special Thanks

Paul Dickerson is the Riverside DA who has worked extremely hard on making sure that Weinhart is fully prosecuted. He has invested a tremendous amount of time into this case and his hard work paid off on during the July 11 pre-trial hearing, where it was ruled that Weinhart would be tried for all 63 counts, 17 of which are felonies. Anyone wishing to thank Mr. Dickerson for all of the effort he has put into this prosecution, and congratulate him on the July 11 pre-trial victory can reach him at the contact information below.

Paul Dickerson
Superior Court of California, County of Riverside
4100 Main Street
Riverside, CA 92501
fpdickerson@co.riverside.ca.us

Sandra Stokley (sstokley@pe.com) is a reporter with the Press Enterprise newspaper and she has been following this case every step of the way. Her coverage has helped keep the public aware of this situation, and her accurate and fair media coverage has been beautifully handled.

Please take just a moment to e-mail Paul Dickerson and Sandra Stokley and thank them for all their hard work.

Media Sources

Additionally, you can contact local newspapers and television stations to express your feelings on this situation. When you write letters to the editors of local newspapers instead of writing to just one person, you reach thousands! And it's easier than you might think. The more they hear from you, the more the topic stays in the news and the more attention it gets from a national (and even international) audience.

A partial list of Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernadino and Colton media agencies is available here, with a more complete listing available at Media-News.Com.

Writing Compelling Letters

A well-thought out and polite letter will carry much more weight than an hastily written, angry letter. When writing letters to the media or court offices, here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

• Be brief! Sometimes one short, pithy paragraph is enough — try to stay under 300 words (about one typed page). Editors are less likely to print long letters.
• Type, if possible. Otherwise, print legibly. Be sure to use correct grammar and spelling, and remember to have it proofread.
• Make sure you include your name, address, and telephone number in your letter. Some newspapers verify authorship before printing letters.
• Look for opportunities to write op-ed pieces for local papers. These are longer articles of about 500 - 800 words that summarize an issue, develop an argument, and propose a solution. Send the article to the Editorial Page editor.
• Keep personal grudges and name-calling out of letters; they'll hurt your credibility.
• Avoid self-righteous language and exaggeration. Readers may dismiss arguments if they feel preached to or if the author sounds hysterical.
• Don't assume your audience knows the issues.
• Stick to the facts. One inaccurate statement, accusation, or innuendo can invalidate an otherwise excellent letter.
• Use positive suggestions rather than negative commands.
• Personalize your writing with anecdotes and visual images.

For examples and more tips, see the Guide to Letter-Writing published by PETA and the tips offered by the Fund for Animals.