I like this guy. His sense of humor is weird enough for this blog, and makes me chuckle every time I check to see what he is up to. If you enjoy this post, read all his letters at: jackassletters.com

does this letter writing stuff really work? Seems to me it wouldn’t be very effective. If I were a despot or part of a malicious illegitimate regime, and I was torturing people and denying them basic human rights, then the last thing I’d really care about was opening my mail! I’d probably just force other people to do that for me! (As an evil dictator why should I risk paper cuts?)

I’m not sure if I get the point of the whole letter writing thing. If I write someone bad should I expect my letter will be considered and wait for a reply? Are the letters ever answered?

Sincerely,

Reply Received:

Thanks for your letter of inquery about the effectiveness of Amnesty International’s campaigning. Sometimes we get the results we want, sometimes not, but we believe that government officials do care about their image and may respond to organized pressure. I’m sending you a bunch of print-outs from our website, in case you don’t have a computer. You can see some of the many ways, big and small, that we can protect people’s human rights.

Sometimes people get answers to their letters, but mostly not. Our objective is showing authorities that concerned men and women from countries all over the world are watching their actions, and urging them to abide by their own laws and uphold the basic rights of their citizens.

[signed Beth Ross?]

Author’s Commentary:

Inquery? For a second I was doubting my editor, but that’s really what was written.

I feel bad about this one. Some innocent guy is probably languishing in some dank hellhole of a prison cell because I distracted Betsy Ross from actually making a difference. Or perhaps he’s still in prison because I didn’t use my letter writing powers for good. Either way, some guy is still a prisoner because of me!

I’ve thought about writing world dictators to see how many would reply, but if I’m not already on a government watch list this would do it for sure. Besides, what am I going to do with AIG CEO Ed Liddy’s autograph?

Beth? Besty? was kind enough to print and send me all 30 pages of Amnesty International’s successes.

Official Website: Amnesty International USA.

Check out jackassletters.com to see how the other half lives!

Christopher L. Jorgensen

Note from me: If you don’t go to that site right now and waste the rest of your day amusing yourself at the expense of others, you aren’t the person I though you were, and I am going to begin to wonder whether I ever really knew you at all!