Dear President Trump,

Did your minders not tell you that it’s not appropriate to enthusiastically say “Happy Memorial Day!”? Your tweet earlier today with that opening and the statement that all our dead service members would be so pleased with how great things are going here in America made me shudder. And cringe. Can you not give your self-congratulatory B.S. a rest for even a day? I also wonder how many of them would actually be pleased with the state of the nation right now. I think most would be appalled that we have essentially been hijacked by a hostile foreign power that has installed an idiot puppet more than happy to do it’s bidding.

I debated all day whether to tell you about a phone call I had this morning, but in the interest of providing some ballast to your hot air, I will. A friend asked me to speak with his mother and step-father about his step-father’s brother, a veteran with severe health problems. They explained that the brother is wheelchair bound due to injuries sustained in Viet Nam and is unable to care for himself, although he is able to muster enough oomph to look pretty ok in front of VA providers for a few minutes. Apparently he is quite proud and doesn’t want to be seen as slacking. He is living with them because his wife is suicidal and in the hospital. She has said she’s done caring for her husband and there is a lot of concern about both the brother and his wife’s safety should they resume living together because they have numerous guns in their home. Thus, the couple I talked with today is trying to figure out a long-term solution for the veteran. They had researched various VA assisted living options but were at a loss as to what to do next so we talked through how to work with the wife, her mental health team, and with the brother’s VA team. Basically, it’s a sad, scary mess. The saving grace is that this veteran has a brother and sister-in-law who love him, are resourceful, and are willing to step in and help.

It would sure be nice if he also had a president who cared as much about him and the thousands of other veterans in similar predicaments as he does about preening and pushing his MAGA crap through Memorial Day sales.

May we keep our veterans and their families safe.
May we be happy to honor them respectfully and lovingly.
May we take care of their health.
May we not glorify war.

Sincerely,
Tracy Simpson