Poor Interns

Each time I write a letter to a political person (congress, executive cabinet, state legislature, etc.), I think about the intern(s) whose job it is to open and read all the mail. I mean, sure I'm concerned about the issue at hand, but my mind cannot help but think about the people who do the busy work. If you've been a political intern, you know what I'm talking about. My friend, Charise, worked on Capitol Hill for one of her state's congressman. Each office on the hill receives mail twice a day. Each time there are hundreds of letters. Hundreds! Imagine.

Today's letter, part of this evening's Amnesty Intl. meeting, concerned Darfur. If you don't know what's happening, you should check it out. I mean it. Anyway, I couldn't help but think of the process. My letter will be placed in the mail and sent to D.C. Mail sent to Washington is slow because of security; so it will take at least a week to arrive at its destination. Once my letter reaches the office where all the interns are huddled, hoping to become the next rising stars of the political world, it will be opened and skimmed. My name, return address and issue will be noted. The actual letter will probably be destroyed - I don't know if the government recycles paper on a large scale (perhaps we should write letters about this). My issue, since it's a "big one," will already have a running tally of how many people have voiced concern on the topic. Basically an intern behind a computer adds "my voice" to an excel spreadsheet. Another intern will write me a pre-made letter, on pre-signed letterhead, saying the [ ] appreciates my concern and he/she will address the issue in the most effective way possible. Practically every person who writes will receive a letter like this.

Sounds like "your voice" doesn't matter, doesn't it? Well, it does matter! Those interns keep track of those tallies I mentioned. When a tally reaches a certain number, the intern to the secretary is notified. The secretary notifies the chief of staff who notifies the big cheese. This processes to longer or shorter depending on the office and the importance of the person in office. If the big cheese is notified, he/she thinks "hey, my country is concerned. Perhaps I should look into this." The more letters you write (and phone calls you make), the more the big cheese will feel that the issue is important, especially if he/she is an elected cheese.


To the interns, the engines of the battleship, I empathize.