Dear President Trump, In addition to holding immigrant children hostage in exchange for your wall, I need to call out the political capital you get from being cruel to people your base is convinced are usurping their livelihoods and undermining their quality of life. Basically, you are scoring points with many of your supporters by … Continue reading Scoring points with cruelty
This is not about “the rule of law”
Dear President Trump, I jaywalked today when I took the dogs for their walk and a car was moving pretty fast so I needed to hustle across the street to get out of the way. It occurred to me that the driver might not slow down, might go ahead and hit us, and then might … Continue reading This is not about “the rule of law”
My most difficult person
Dear President Trump, Along with brushing my teeth twice a day and writing to you once a day, saying a morning LKM prayer for you is another noncontingent activity I’ve faithfully hewed to all these long months since the election. I have no idea whether wishing you, my most difficult person, safety, happiness, health, and … Continue reading My most difficult person
Facts matter
Dear President Trump, If sending these letters to you were contingent on anything, today would be a skip day for me. I’m just wrung out and so thoroughly disgusted with you and your administration I’d really rather spit nails at you then write you. But this letter writing practice is not contingent on anything, not … Continue reading Facts matter
Buddha as launch point
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
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
Real patriotism
Dear President Trump, It’s good you went ahead and slapped the idea of readmitting Russia to the G-7 on the table this morning. I was wondering when someone was going to point out that your baiting of Macron and Trudeau and the wanton tariff leveeing were likely at Vladimir’s behest. I didn’t see anything in … Continue reading Real patriotism
Marjory’s legacy
Dear President Trump, My alumnae magazine was especially engrossing this month with interviews featuring six of the former presidents of Ethos, an organization for students of African descent, as well as a piece by a WP reporter who happened to be in Las Vegas the night of the horrific mass shooting and was thus, one … Continue reading Marjory’s legacy
Tonglen, still and yet
Dear President Trump, Lent ended months ago and I realized I’ve yet to circle back to let you know how my daily tonglen practice went those 40 days. Well, mostly it was hard. As I worked at breathing in whatever negativity I was perceiving, I struggled with both the emotional heaviness of the effort and … Continue reading Tonglen, still and yet
Daily Trump Letters 