Dear President Trump, Would you prefer we go with “Happy Holidays” this year after all? I’m thinking you’d rather not have your base remember how you hosed everyone just before, the day of, and for an as-yet-unknown time after Christmas day, so probably best to skip the “Merry Christmas” greeting enforcement this year. You’ve managed … Continue reading Bullies are losers
Children
The time horizon is grim to a lot of us
Dear President Trump, ~Heads up – I’ve got a lot to say today~ I’m afraid it’s going to take a lot more than a few folks scattering bits of joy to shift things in a better direction. I just finished reading this morning’s HP piece on the recent scary spike in teen suicide and it … Continue reading The time horizon is grim to a lot of us
Tarana Burke is bending the moral arc towards justice
Dear President Trump, I just watched Tarana Burke’s TED talk. Ms. Burke started the Me Too movement 10 years ago and she offered a sobering analysis of where the movement is now and how incredibly far it is from its original intent, which was to foster empathy between survivors. She described being numb and exhausted, … Continue reading Tarana Burke is bending the moral arc towards justice
Standing in the gap (3)
Dear President Trump, Both the caring letters suicide intervention and the program to curb cycles of violence for young black men profiled in the HP remind me of something Mother Teresa’s said: “The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis but rather the feeling of not belonging.” There are probably just about as many … Continue reading Standing in the gap (3)
The imperative of doing things we love
Dear President Trump, This morning Laura and I went to a nearby coffee shop to meet an old friend of hers. They get together to catch up a couple of times a year and since I took the day off, I tagged along. It was lovely meeting her friend and getting to hear about their … Continue reading The imperative of doing things we love
Covering for others’ cruelty is often a survival tactic
Dear President Trump, Not that you would ever ask or care at all, but I’m feeling some better this morning. Still sore and stiff and breathing deeply is not a possibility just yet, but overall on the mend. I went for a short, slow walk this morning and found new little Buddha statue in an … Continue reading Covering for others’ cruelty is often a survival tactic
Tayari Jones and the myth of the moral middle
Dear President Trump, Happy Transgender Awareness Month! All VA employees got an email about it last week, which to me signals that you can try to erase transgender people, but it’s not going to work. It’s not going to work at the VA and it’s not going to work at the coffee shop down the … Continue reading Tayari Jones and the myth of the moral middle
Poisoning the body politic
Dear President Trump, Yesterday we went to the UW/University of Colorado homecoming game with our football fan friend from Texas. It was actually the first football game I’ve ever watched from beginning to end. We made it through half of the UW/Oregon game last year before the snow and cold temperature got to be too … Continue reading Poisoning the body politic
Day 600 and in-spite-of-you-positives
Dear President Trump, Last night Laura remarked that I must be getting close to the 600 day mark in our one-sided correspondence so I checked and we were at 599, which means today is indeed the 600th consecutive day of writing to you. It seems like this should feel like an accomplishment of sorts, but … Continue reading Day 600 and in-spite-of-you-positives
Why are you so willing to alienate even more women?
Dear President Trump, Who do you have watching the polls? Have you told whoever it is that you want the unvarnished truth about what those polls are saying? And if so, when they tell you the truth, are you taking it in or are you blasting the messenger? The poll I’m thinking about was reported … Continue reading Why are you so willing to alienate even more women?
Daily Trump Letters 