Dear President Trump, How about those lists I sent you yesterday? You might have noticed that the lists of things people of color like about being part of their groups had lots of references to food, language, and culture, both generally and with regards to some specifics. Did you catch that the white people’s list … Continue reading This American context
Children
I hope Toni Morrison had a good death
Dear President Trump, Lately, when I learn of very old people’s deaths I have a muddle of thoughts and feelings in response; happiness for them that they’ve been released from our current mayhem right alongside sadness and frustration that they didn’t get to see us come through to the other side. I don’t know what … Continue reading I hope Toni Morrison had a good death
The most obvious proximal cause
Dear President Trump, Some days I can type the standard greeting to you pretty much on autopilot; today is not one of those days. I am not, however, seriously tempted to replace it with something nasty or accusatory since I’m doing my best to channel my inner Michelle Obama and thus working at going high … Continue reading The most obvious proximal cause
Thoughts, prayers, and our collective failure of imagination and will
Dear President Trump, Thoughts and prayers. Prayers and thoughts. And thoughts prayers. And prayers thoughts. Thoughts prayers and. Prayers thoughts and. It really doesn’t matter how the words are arranged, does it? The words can even be heartfelt and as sincere as humanly possible and that doesn’t matter either, does it? The people who are … Continue reading Thoughts, prayers, and our collective failure of imagination and will
Class analysis (1)
Dear President Trump, I’m 100% sure that if you actually read these letters you wouldn’t be thrilled to know that this is the first of what I think will be several, if not many, letters about class, power, and race coming out of last week’s Undoing Racism workshop by the People’s Institute. On the first … Continue reading Class analysis (1)
Ikat and impeachment
Dear President Trump, I may end up needing to scratch the non-political part of what I want to tell you about this morning to make room for any significant revelations from and/or responses to Mueller’s testimony today and that wouldn’t be a bad thing at all. Already, right out of the gate, Nadler got some … Continue reading Ikat and impeachment
Ice floes and ‘climate despair’
Dear President Trump, Every day when I finish writing my letter to you and I’ve posted it on my blog, I open a new tab to pull up your contact page. It’s usually the first time in the day when I “get” links to whatever Google (I guess) thinks I might want to see. The … Continue reading Ice floes and ‘climate despair’
A good-ish day for the US
Dear President Trump, Not such a great day for you and yours, was it? Between Acosta stepping down (voluntarily, my ass!) and you calling ‘Uncle’ on the census citizenship question, it was a banner day for the US, relatively speaking. I’m sure you piled on dozens more nefarious, crappy things today to undermine the environment, … Continue reading A good-ish day for the US
Blessing choice
Dear President Trump, Some days I know exactly what I want to write to you about because something’s been nagging at me or I think I have an especially good angle on an issue that I’ve not seen expressed. Those letters are usually the easiest to write even though the personal stakes tend to be … Continue reading Blessing choice
A good news break
Dear President Trump, As I left work today I was mentally fishing around for a topic for today’s letter and decided to look out for acts of kindness on my way home to tell you about. Usually there are at least a few instances where someone is clearly patient and/or generous with another driver so … Continue reading A good news break