Dear President Trump, A line from Bobby McFerrin’s “Psalm 23” has been stuck in my head since yesterday; “She sets a table before me in the presence of my foes.” It’s like my brain has been worrying it the way my tongue would worry a loose tooth, not quite sure what to make of it … Continue reading “in the presence of my foes”
Love and Compassion
Don’t just mouth platitudes
Dear President Trump, When I saw David Nakamura’s WP article yesterday quoting you as having said “answer hate with love, answer cruelty with kindness” in your address about the mass shooting in Florida on Valentine’s Day I wondered whether my messages are somehow getting partially through to you. And I also felt sick to my … Continue reading Don’t just mouth platitudes
Imagine
Dear President Trump, Normally during Lent I focus on giving up one of the many habits I’m not especially proud of and I am working on one this year (refraining from self-promotion that’s driven by insecurity), but I realized this morning I also need an active Lenten practice that’s doing something and not just refraining … Continue reading Imagine
We are all in this together
Dear President Trump, You are likely not tracking that today is the one-year anniversary of when I started writing to you. It’s no doubt just a coincidence, but today someone on your correspondence team sent me another “Response to Your Message” email, so thanks for the quasi-anniversary note. I don’t think it’s a real response … Continue reading We are all in this together
Shortcuts
Dear President Trump, In less than a week I’ve gotten two “Response to Your Message” emails from you. I get the autoreplies every day but have only received three of the “Response” messages over the last year so it’s odd to get two in one week. Someone must be getting bored with scanning incoming messages. … Continue reading Shortcuts
How is your spirit?
Dear President Trump, How is your spirit? This is what our pastor asks us most every Sunday and I’ve been wondering how you are doing the day before your big State of the Union address. Yesterday the first person to respond to the invitation to share told us about a homeless man she knows well … Continue reading How is your spirit?
“Stamping out prejudice” for real
Dear President Trump, I just found some quotes from your speech yesterday commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day. I think you did a nice job and I especially want to lift up that you talked about stamping out prejudice, condemning hatred, and bearing witness. You made some powerful, important points. I did notice though, that all … Continue reading “Stamping out prejudice” for real
In the eye of the beholder
Dear President Trump, Lately I’ve been a bit all over the place, one day accusing you all of prideful incompetence and the next lamenting at how effectively you’ve installed stunningly conservative federal judges and dismantled key environmental and consumer safeguards. I do think both extremes fairly represent your administration, though the former likely serves as … Continue reading In the eye of the beholder
A Positive Campaign
Dear President Trump, Do you know who Patty Schachtner is? I didn’t until this morning when the WP ran an article about how she just won a seat for the Democrats in the Wisconsin 10th District State Senate special election. Key here is that you won in that District (dang, I just typed “Distract”…) by … Continue reading A Positive Campaign
“Small things with great love”
Dear President Trump, I’m partial to the early morning hours but I also love twilight when the sun has set and the trees are dark against the still-light sky. Watching the sky slowly darken and seeing light from the first stars become visible reminds me what tiny specks we all are and how our civilization, … Continue reading “Small things with great love”
Daily Trump Letters 