Should-be readers: reaching the unconverted

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Over the past year I have given several lectures that began with reflections on whether I was preaching to the converted or to the choir. As I pointed out, the choir in many churches may include some who are simply good singers but not necessarily members of the same faith as the congregation. They may even be skeptics or agnostics. Talking about injury prevention to audiences who all believe in the message, is easy; far more daunting is trying to reach those who are not in the least convinced that injury prevention is a serious issue.

The same situation applies to readers of this journal. Most are, to use a related metaphor, converts. In fact, I believe most readers are fervent zealots, doing all they possibly can to get the message to all who will listen—that this is a serious and tragic problem because the pain …