Page 82 - Today’s Business Communication; A How-to Guide for the Modern Professional

CHAPTER 6

Why Must I Remember

the Four “F” Words?

Military personnel and their families make unbelievable sacrifices for their
countries, and no sacrifice is greater than the loss of a soldier’s life. Imag-
ine being the mother of a member of the military. Imagine the conflicting
emotions of pride and anguish as your son or daughter is sent to a foreign
country to fight in a war. Imagine the heart-wrenching pain of learning
that your son or daughter was killed while defending your country. Imag-
ine receiving a handwritten letter from your nation’s commander-in-chief
to discover that your child’s name is spelled incorrectly. Imagine how
insulted you would feel by the lack of sensitivity.
Unfortunately, Jacqui Janes, a mother in Great Britain, does not
have to imagine this situation. It is precisely what happened to her in
2009, when the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown mailed a letter of
condolence to Mrs. Janes following the death of her son in Afghanistan.
In her outrage, Mrs. Janes sent the letter to the media and also recorded a
phone conversation she had with the Prime Minister in which she berated
him for his lack of sensitivity.
1
Ultimately, the Prime Minister apologized to Mrs. Janes for his
sloppy handwriting. Those people most sympathetic to Mr. Brown likely
believe that some of the errors in the letter could have resulted from a
vision problem. They are also likely to believe that the Prime Minister
did not intend to act disrespectfully in this situation. In fact, how many
world leaders take the time to write handwritten notes to the families of
fallen soldiers? It is entirely possible that Mr. Brown was sincere in his
condolence. Unfortunately, his intended message was negated because he
did not proofread and revise his letter.
2
The next time you ask yourself why it is so important to proofread and
revise your writing, think about Mr. Brown, think about Jacqui Janes, and