Dear President Trump, Since the Parkland “March for Our Lives” students unveiled their A Peace Plan for a Safer America, NPR has run a bunch of stories about gun control They’ve provided dutifully “balanced” coverage with pretty much equal airtime afforded gun control advocates and opponents, which personally, feels about as sensible as giving climate … Continue reading Something of a treatise on guns
Critical Thinking
Pinky swears
Dear President Trump, Of course Elizabeth Warren knew when she knelt down to talk with the little white girl at the Iowa State Fair the cameras would be flashing and the pictures would make their way out into the wider world. I doubt, though, that she knew ahead of time she would be doing a … Continue reading Pinky swears
Sexism = Sexual/Gender Prejudice + Power
Dear President Trump, In addition to wondering what it might be like to adapt some of the People’s Institute’s Undoing Racism workshop exercises to a workshop on undoing sexism, I’ve been thinking about using the framework of the UR racism definition for sexism. You surely won’t recall that the PI’s definition of racism is as … Continue reading Sexism = Sexual/Gender Prejudice + Power
How about also undoing sexism?
Dear President Trump, This morning I read another well-intentioned article about the scourge of slavery in the WP and was following along nodding and sighing when I came upon a reference to how in 1870 the 15th Amendment afforded African Americans the right to vote (byline: Michael Ruane). There was no reality check about how … Continue reading How about also undoing sexism?
The second ring propping up racism: Gate-keeping
Dear President Trump, After sending you that long, heavy list illustrating impacts of internalized racial inferiority yesterday, I feel the need to remind you of some of the things that the people of color at the Undoing Racism workshop said they like about being part of their respective groups. Every one of the four lists … Continue reading The second ring propping up racism: Gate-keeping
A long, heavy list
Dear President Trump, How’s your Sunday been? You’re back from vacation starting tomorrow, aren’t you? Lucky us. Not. Ok, on to way more important things. I want to develop the idea of vantage points further and tie it in with the next part of the People’s Institute’s Undoing Racism workshop that I think you need … Continue reading A long, heavy list
Vantage points
Dear President Trump, This morning Laura and I took the dogs down to Magnuson Park. I’ve told you about this place before since it’s one of our favorite go-to spots. Just to refresh your non-memory though, it was a Naval Air Station during WWII that was decommissioned for years and now has been transformed back … Continue reading Vantage points
Addiction to racism
Dear President Trump, Even though I can’t find explicit reference to it in my notes from the People’s Institute’s Undoing Racism workshop*, I’m 99% certain that at some point during those two days the idea that America is addicted to racism was introduced. I do see in my notes reference to the high degree of … Continue reading Addiction to racism
The numbing down of America
Dear President Trump, Apparently you didn’t get the memo, or the Constitutional law lesson (duh), that it’s not ok for US Presidents to “joke” about cancelling elections. You also apparently don’t know (yeah, right) that elected officials aren’t supposed to turn official gatherings, addresses, or meetings into campaign events. You’re like a child who’s constantly … Continue reading The numbing down of America
“Internalized Racial Superiority;” the other IRS
Dear President Trump, Yesterday I mentioned my penchant for getting persnickety about people’s word choices and I need to add here that I’m also fond of picking apart other's arguments. I do this with everyone, but definitely find myself doing it more with people of color and with other white women. Essentially, I’m more critical … Continue reading “Internalized Racial Superiority;” the other IRS
Daily Trump Letters 