Concerned Philosophers for Peace 2007 conference Manchester College Tom H. Hastings PeaceVoice

04/22/2304/22/23 Public peace intellectuals: Tom H. Hastings, [email protected], Public peace intellectuals: Tom H. Hastings, [email protected], http://www.peacevoice.info/http://www.peacevoice.info/

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Public peace intellectualsPublic peace intellectualsWhere are they?Where are they?

Who are they?Who are they?Why didn’t they keep us out of war?Why didn’t they keep us out of war?

Can they do better?Can they do better?

Concerned Philosophers for Peace 2007 conferenceConcerned Philosophers for Peace 2007 conference

Manchester CollegeManchester College

Tom H. HastingsTom H. Hastings

PeaceVoicePeaceVoice

A project of the Oregon Peace InstituteA project of the Oregon Peace Institute

04/22/2304/22/23 Public peace intellectuals: Tom H. Hastings, [email protected], http://www.peacevoice.info/Public peace intellectuals: Tom H. Hastings, [email protected], http://www.peacevoice.info/ 22 of 33 of 33

Public intellectualsPublic intellectualsBy a public intellectual, I mean someone who uses general ideas drawn from history, philosophy, political science, economics, law, literature, ideas that are part of the cultural intellectual tradition of the world, to address contemporary events, usually of a political or ideological flavor, and does so in the popular media, whether in the form of Op Ed pieces, television appearances, signing full-page advertisements, or writing magazine articles or books addressed to a general audience.—Richard A. Posner


Public philosophy?Public philosophy?

American politics American politics lacks an animating lacks an animating vision of the good vision of the good society, and of the society, and of the shared obligations shared obligations of citizenship.of citizenship.

——Michael SandelMichael Sandel


Peace philosophyPeace philosophySchools of philosophy call Schools of philosophy call for the Sandelist for the Sandelist communitarian view, the communitarian view, the Rawlsian individual rights Rawlsian individual rights liberalism, with principled liberalism, with principled arguments over fairness, arguments over fairness, economic justice, human economic justice, human rights, the person and the rights, the person and the society and so forth and so society and so forth and so on—where is the argument on—where is the argument for nonviolent conflict for nonviolent conflict management? Who is management? Who is making the argument that making the argument that peace is a human right? peace is a human right? Why isn’t this even on the Why isn’t this even on the scoreboard?scoreboard?


Where are peace intellectuals?Where are peace intellectuals?•Peace and Justice Studies AssociationPeace and Justice Studies Association

•Concerned Philosophers for PeaceConcerned Philosophers for Peace

•Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict StudiesWisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies

•Peace and Conflict Studies ConsortiumPeace and Conflict Studies Consortium

•International Peace Research AssociationInternational Peace Research Association

•various other academic peace sections in various other academic peace sections in disciplinesdisciplines

•peace and justice institutespeace and justice institutes

•nongovernmental organizationsnongovernmental organizations

•independent peace scholars independent peace scholars


Why didn’t they keep us out of Why didn’t they keep us out of war?war?

Silent enim leges inter armaSilent enim leges inter arma—In war, the law —In war, the law is silent, said Cicero in 52 B.C. So, it would is silent, said Cicero in 52 B.C. So, it would seem, were the peace scholars as the Bush seem, were the peace scholars as the Bush administration sold the invasion of Iraq to administration sold the invasion of Iraq to the American electorate. Were peace the American electorate. Were peace professors afraid? Discouraged? professors afraid? Discouraged? Disempowered? Doing something else more Disempowered? Doing something else more important? Were we simply overwhelmed important? Were we simply overwhelmed and not competent enough to stand and not competent enough to stand effectively against lies, faulty thinking, effectively against lies, faulty thinking, ahistorical claims and shrill fearmongering? ahistorical claims and shrill fearmongering? Or is there a vast media conspiracy that Or is there a vast media conspiracy that rejects our writing, our thinking, our peace rejects our writing, our thinking, our peace analysis and our right to explain it publicly?analysis and our right to explain it publicly?


What good is your voice?What good is your voice?There is little evidence that public There is little evidence that public intellectuals are highly influential. If intellectuals are highly influential. If this is right, there is little payoff to the this is right, there is little payoff to the public as a whole in becoming well public as a whole in becoming well informed about the limitations of informed about the limitations of academic expertise and even less to an academic expertise and even less to an individual member of the public; a individual member of the public; a single individual’s opinion on an issue single individual’s opinion on an issue of public moment is unlikely to be of public moment is unlikely to be influential—which is why voters tend to influential—which is why voters tend to be poorly informed about such issues.be poorly informed about such issues.

——Richard A. PosnerRichard A. Posner


The uniformed electorateThe uniformed electorate

Is Posner correct? Is the lack of influence by one Is Posner correct? Is the lack of influence by one public intellectual the reason voters are ill-public intellectual the reason voters are ill-informed? Or could it be that voters are informed? Or could it be that voters are overwhelmed with the incessant drum of the Big overwhelmed with the incessant drum of the Big Lie and the endless drone of the master narrative Lie and the endless drone of the master narrative of the war system? of the war system?

Careful, careful danger near!Careful, careful danger near!

We will tell you whom to fear.We will tell you whom to fear.

Whom to loathe and whom to hateWhom to loathe and whom to hate

and when we must retaliate!and when we must retaliate!

love, The War System Medialove, The War System Media



Who reads your opinion?Who reads your opinion?

Op-eds serve as an inexpensive Op-eds serve as an inexpensive way to get your message out to way to get your message out to the public, and are quite often the public, and are quite often read by decision makers and read by decision makers and opinion leaders.opinion leaders.

——The Communications NetworkThe Communications Network


ProblemsProblems

•hostile mediahostile media

•incompetent incompetent writingwriting

•discouraged discouraged writerswriters

•time issuestime issues


Hostile mediaHostile media


Boring writingBoring writingPublic-intellectual goods Public-intellectual goods are entertainment goods are entertainment goods and solidarity goods as well and solidarity goods as well as information goods.as information goods.

——Richard PosnerRichard Posner


Size mattersSize mattersIn the op-ed world, In the op-ed world, like the spy game, like the spy game, smaller is better. smaller is better. Actually, precision is Actually, precision is best. If you write a best. If you write a piece 500 words piece 500 words long and send it to a long and send it to a paper that wants paper that wants 700 words, you 700 words, you won’t get it placed. won’t get it placed. Most papers seem to Most papers seem to prefer 500-700 prefer 500-700 words, but it varies words, but it varies widely.widely. Don’t make the editor cut it.Don’t make the editor cut it.


Time issuesTime issues

Good morning! Time to Good morning! Time to finish grading papers for finish grading papers for your 2 p.m. class so you your 2 p.m. class so you can make your 8 a.m. can make your 8 a.m. meeting with the Chair, meeting with the Chair, the 9 a.m. Retention the 9 a.m. Retention committee meeting, the committee meeting, the 10 a.m.-noon advising 10 a.m.-noon advising sessions, the working sessions, the working lunch with the lunch with the conference committee, conference committee, the 1 p.m. faculty the 1 p.m. faculty meeting...meeting...


And now, how?And now, how?•establish expertiseestablish expertise

•bootstrap from your credentials into various bootstrap from your credentials into various mediamedia

•be persistentbe persistent

•be freshbe fresh

•be timelybe timely

•be focusedbe focused

•target markets with a market-specific hooktarget markets with a market-specific hook

•take a positiontake a position

•stress exclusivitystress exclusivity

•think over the horizonthink over the horizon

•write tight, argue activelywrite tight, argue actively


Establish and use your Establish and use your expertiseexpertise

A timely, well-written and A timely, well-written and provocative piece can establish provocative piece can establish the writer as an expert on a the writer as an expert on a particular topic.particular topic.

——DePaul University Media DePaul University Media RelationsRelations


Leverage and be dependableLeverage and be dependableUse your credentials to assist Use your credentials to assist your marketability into print your marketability into print pages, which can sometimes in pages, which can sometimes in turn result in other media turn result in other media interest. “Newspaper editors and interest. “Newspaper editors and broadcasting producers regularly broadcasting producers regularly read the Op-Ed pages of national read the Op-Ed pages of national newspapers when seeking newspapers when seeking experts on particular subjects. experts on particular subjects. Op-Ed editors also solicit pieces Op-Ed editors also solicit pieces from writers with whom they from writers with whom they have established a relationship or have established a relationship or people with expertise on topics in people with expertise on topics in the news.”the news.”



Be persistentBe persistentIf your Op-Ed is rejected at one If your Op-Ed is rejected at one publication, don’t be discouraged.publication, don’t be discouraged.



Discouraged writersDiscouraged writersWhen being interviewed by a When being interviewed by a young writer, Pearl Buck young writer, Pearl Buck mentioned some rejection and mentioned some rejection and the young woman said, “But the young woman said, “But you don’t get rejected. You’re you don’t get rejected. You’re Pearl Buck.” Pearl Buck.”

Pearl Buck replied, Pearl Buck replied, “Young woman, I am a writer. I “Young woman, I am a writer. I get rejections.”get rejections.”


The Good EarthThe Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck was returned by Pearl S. Buck was returned fourteen times, but it went on to win a Pulitzer fourteen times, but it went on to win a Pulitzer Prize.Prize.

Norman Mailer’s Norman Mailer’s The Naked and the DeadThe Naked and the Dead was was rejected twelve times.rejected twelve times.

Twenty publishers felt that Richard Bach’s Twenty publishers felt that Richard Bach’s Jonathan Livingston SeagullJonathan Livingston Seagull was for the birds. was for the birds.

Before he wrote Before he wrote RootsRoots, Alex Haley had , Alex Haley had received 200 rejections.received 200 rejections.

Robert Persig's classic, Robert Persig's classic, Zen and the Art of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle MaintenanceMotorcycle Maintenance, couldn’t get started at , couldn’t get started at 121 houses.121 houses.

Keep it in perspectiveKeep it in perspective


Be fresh, original, and Be fresh, original, and contrariancontrarian

An original point of view…will also An original point of view…will also make your piece stand out.…A make your piece stand out.…A point of view contrary to point of view contrary to prevailing public opinion or the prevailing public opinion or the newspaper’s editorial position will newspaper’s editorial position will also greatly improve your also greatly improve your placement chances.placement chances.

——DePaul University Media DePaul University Media RelationsRelations Be timely, controversial, but not Be timely, controversial, but not

outrageous. Be the voice of reason.outrageous. Be the voice of reason.

——John McLain, McLain John McLain, McLain CommunicationsCommunications


FocusFocusThe single most The single most important piece of important piece of advice I can offer is to advice I can offer is to make your column about make your column about one thing. Only one one thing. Only one thing.…Try to say what thing.…Try to say what you want to say in a you want to say in a headline. If you can’t headline. If you can’t phrase your main point phrase your main point in six or eight words, in six or eight words, you probably need to do you probably need to do more thinking.more thinking.

——Glenn Kranzley, Editor, Glenn Kranzley, Editor, The Morning Call The Morning Call Comment PagesComment Pages


Target and hookTarget and hookIf you want your piece If you want your piece published in a specific published in a specific market, target it. Do you wish market, target it. Do you wish to write to the to write to the decisionmakers in Eugene, decisionmakers in Eugene, Oregon? Mention something Oregon? Mention something or someone that connects or someone that connects obviously to Eugene. Read obviously to Eugene. Read the Register-Guard. Do they the Register-Guard. Do they like 700 words? Write like 700 words? Write between 690-710. Show them between 690-710. Show them something that none of them something that none of them could have written. Work on could have written. Work on the peg, the hook, the angle. the peg, the hook, the angle. Think globally, write locally.Think globally, write locally.


Take a positionTake a positionAn op-ed is not an essay, something An op-ed is not an essay, something that slowly unrolls like a carpet, that slowly unrolls like a carpet, building momentum to some point or building momentum to some point or conclusion. It’s just the opposite. In conclusion. It’s just the opposite. In an op-ed, you essentially state your an op-ed, you essentially state your conclusion first. You make your conclusion first. You make your strongest point up front, then spend strongest point up front, then spend the rest of the op-ed making your the rest of the op-ed making your case, or back-filling with the facts. case, or back-filling with the facts. Don’t equivocate. Educate your Don’t equivocate. Educate your readers without being preachy.readers without being preachy.



Stress exclusivityStress exclusivityEditors want to be the first to Editors want to be the first to publish any piece. The more publish any piece. The more content of their paper that is content of their paper that is original to them, the better. This original to them, the better. This is becoming a different world now is becoming a different world now that we have blogs. If you really that we have blogs. If you really want to convince an editor that want to convince an editor that your piece is original and your piece is original and exclusive, stress that you are exclusive, stress that you are holding back from publishing holding back from publishing electronically until you have a electronically until you have a decision from that editor. decision from that editor. Otherwise, be honest about Otherwise, be honest about blogging your piece and never blogging your piece and never ever offer an already printed piece ever offer an already printed piece as exclusive; always be forthright as exclusive; always be forthright will all editors.will all editors.


Think over the horizonThink over the horizon

Anticipate anniversaries, Anticipate anniversaries, seasonal news, pending seasonal news, pending legislation and threatening legislation and threatening wars. Be accurate in your wars. Be accurate in your facts and assertions. facts and assertions. Speculate conservatively Speculate conservatively but backed by the facts and but backed by the facts and precedent. Have a nose for precedent. Have a nose for what is going to be news what is going to be news and show editors you can and show editors you can get something to her or him get something to her or him first.first.


Write tight and argue activelyWrite tight and argue actively

Find, sort, examine, try out, polish, Find, sort, examine, try out, polish, and use active verbs (like this and use active verbs (like this sentence). sentence).

Skip the boring, hyperbolic, leading, Skip the boring, hyperbolic, leading, substitute-for-facts-and-research substitute-for-facts-and-research adjectives and adverbs (unlike this adjectives and adverbs (unlike this sentence).sentence).

““Near the end, clearly re-state your Near the end, clearly re-state your position and issue a call to action.”position and issue a call to action.”



PeaceVoicePeaceVoice

You are still in the bind of You are still in the bind of time. It takes time to time. It takes time to compose and polish an op-compose and polish an op-ed. It takes time and ed. It takes time and fiddling around to look for fiddling around to look for an outlet.an outlet.

That is the advantage That is the advantage of PeaceVoice, a project of of PeaceVoice, a project of the Oregon Peace Institute. the Oregon Peace Institute. We are funded by an We are funded by an Oregonian family foundation Oregonian family foundation to be your free op-ed to be your free op-ed literary agent. You write; we literary agent. You write; we strive to place it for you.strive to place it for you.


PeaceVoice operates for youPeaceVoice operates for you

Write your 400-700 word Write your 400-700 word commentary and send it to commentary and send it to [email protected]. We will in turn send a teaser of your piece to hundreds of editors across the U.S. If one of them asks to see the entire piece, we send your full text to them exclusively. If that editor uses your piece, we then move the full text to our website and any editor can freely reprint.




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Concerned Philosophers for Peace 2007 conference Manchester College Tom H. Hastings PeaceVoice