Dear President Trump, I know you have (and take) plenty of opportunity to look in the mirror, whether directly at yourself or at one of your surrogates, but I thought we’d start the day with yet another (from the WP’s coronavirus updates): “Although the rate of infection shows no sign of slowing, Vice President Pence … Continue reading Covid charades and “The Betrayals”
Death
The Betrayal
Dear President Trump, Yesterday as I was grappling with the infuriating, sickening (literally) betrayals by you and other elite members of the GOP (and at least one Democratic governor – Jared Polis, CO) I drafted a sentence about how scared I am that we are seeing the beginning of another holocaust that could end up … Continue reading The Betrayal
An especially long, hard letter
Dear President Trump, I read the following three WP articles today in this order (and please note, I’m almost certain that earlier today the first one actually had the word “Government” in place of “Draft” in the headline). “Draft Report Predicts Covid-19 Cases Will Reach 200,000 A Day By June 1” “The Coronavirus Pandemic is … Continue reading An especially long, hard letter
Another essential element: empathy
Dear President Trump, I’ve got another essential element for our post-covid-19, post-you, better-culture-for-all; empathy. However, before I unpack it (again), I want to do something I don’t do very often (ever?), which is to thank you for being such an incredible foil. Most of the time it would make no sense whatsoever for me to … Continue reading Another essential element: empathy
A self-own killing machine
Dear President Trump, Do you feel it too? That time is super wonky these days? We are about to leave the longest April ever, which followed the longest March ever and precedes what will almost certainly be the longest May ever. This morning feels like it was a week ago. Over the course of this … Continue reading A self-own killing machine
Transitory trust
Dear President Trump, I don’t watch broadcast evening news and honestly can’t tell you when the last time was that I did, but if I were going to, I’d probably want to tune into ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir after reading the WP article about it and him (by Margaret Sullivan). Yes, I’m … Continue reading Transitory trust
He’s running the clock and we’re letting him
Dear President Trump, Are you and your posse really trying to bamboozle the American people with all your crap about how Donny-on-the-spot you were regarding covid-19? Is that your real goal? Somehow I don’t think it is, if for no other reason than you seem to be preternaturally good at meeting your goals and currently … Continue reading He’s running the clock and we’re letting him
May we not capitulate to a stupid and dangerous patience
Dear President Trump, Kathleen Parker challenges her readers (WP editorial) to consider whether what one does in relation to the covid-19 crisis is helpful. I agree this is a worthy question, but she actually frames it through the lens of doing no harm, which is really a lower bar than whether something is helpful. And … Continue reading May we not capitulate to a stupid and dangerous patience
Looking in, looking out
Dear President Trump, I know it’s just coincidence, but it rather looks like someone at the WP read yesterday’s letter about not losing sight of the people behind the covid-19 numbers since all four of those featured in the front page obituary section have their causes of death attributed to coronavirus (typically cause of death … Continue reading Looking in, looking out
Bearing witness beyond the numbers
Dear President Trump, Are you getting daily (sometimes it seems, hourly) reminders to take care of yourself in the midst of the covid-19 crisis? Maybe it’s a function of being in the mental health profession, but we really are getting at least daily reminders that we need take care of ourselves, that we need to … Continue reading Bearing witness beyond the numbers