Dear President Trump, The other day I noticed that the Buddha head up next to the tree in our backyard was lying on its side so I set it back upright, nestling it firmly in the pea gravel there under the tree. Later, looking out the kitchen window I saw it was down again. Very … Continue reading Buddha as launch point
Peace (and War)
Feigned fit of pique
Dear President Trump, Yesterday Macron said to you “Let’s be serious and worthy of our people.” I don’t think you heard him. Really, I don’t think you are capable of hearing him let alone heeding those words. I actually do think you are serious though, I think you’ve been exceedingly serious and strategic about achieving … Continue reading Feigned fit of pique
“The difference between patriotism and nationalism…” is critically important
Dear President Trump, Yesterday I said Steve Kerr is correct; real patriotism is about helping others and supporting the common good. I believe this is true, but I want to unpack the patriotism further. Patriotism has always been a squirmy thing for me, an idea I’ve wrestled with off and on since I was a … Continue reading “The difference between patriotism and nationalism…” is critically important
Treasures
Dear President Trump, Today is Laura’s birthday. She doesn’t like there to be a fuss at all so I cut some roses from our garden before she got up and put them in a vase for her along with a card I made out of an old print that had “June” incorporated into the design. … Continue reading Treasures
Heartsick
Dear President Trump, Yesterday when I sent your letter I hadn’t seen the Tweet from Melania’s phone. It sure sounds cobbled together from canned phrases from your insanely voluminous Twitter feed, but it also sounds too coherent to have been sent by you. Did you dictate to her and she cleaned it up? Did you … Continue reading Heartsick
What is wrong with you?
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 … Continue reading What is wrong with you?
Mein Trumpf
Dear President Trump, You are spewing molten asphalt to pave the way for a civil war with your imperial demand that the DOJ investigate the FBI, aren’t you? You and Team Trump have already laid down the initial subgrade by convincing your base that “fake news,” “alternative facts,” and “witch hunts” are all real and … Continue reading Mein Trumpf
Bearing reality and keeping hope alive
Dear President Trump, This morning I took on a slightly more ambitious run and went to visit “The Rock.” I thought I’d told you about the Rock before but I did a search and apparently I haven’t. Anyway, it’s a large glacial anomaly about the size of a small cabin in the middle of a … Continue reading Bearing reality and keeping hope alive
What’s on your mind?
Dear President Trump, This morning I planned out my run so I could go by the huge Buddha head a few blocks up on a side street. Now that it’s light so early it felt safe to go ahead and run on side streets. I got to see the big Buddha as planned, but then … Continue reading What’s on your mind?
A petty racist contrarian
Dear President Trump, I’m curious – to what extent did you withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran because you want to undo everything you possibly can that President Obama accomplished? Does all this really boil down to you being a petty racist contrarian who can’t stand to let a black man’s legacy remain intact … Continue reading A petty racist contrarian
Daily Trump Letters 