Dear President Trump, So I realized this morning that it’s rather a paradox or a conundrum or something (not even sure what it is) to say anything the least bit authoritative about the concept of beginner’s mind, like I did yesterday. I certainly don’t, and didn’t, pretend to be an expert on it (which would … Continue reading Beginner’s mind revisited and scary things in the woods
empathy
Beginner’s mind
Dear President Trump, The big news flashes from my neck of the former woods is that today is my mom’s birthday and this morning Laura left for Atlanta to visit her brother over the holiday weekend. Our daughter will be housesitting over the weekend so it’s going to be an odd few days for the … Continue reading Beginner’s mind
Piling more suffering on suffering people is bad karma
Dear President Trump, Sometimes I know the night before what I want to write to you about in the morning, but last night was not one of those nights. I’ve been topically untethered for some 10 hours and I don’t like it. What’s worse is that this morning all I’ve been able to think about … Continue reading Piling more suffering on suffering people is bad karma
We need a down to earth star
Dear President Trump, At about 8:45 last night when I let our old dog out to pee for what I hoped would be the last time until morning (it was) I saw a single star in the sky to the West and realized it had been months and months since I thought to look for … Continue reading We need a down to earth star
Pinky swears
Dear President Trump, Of course Elizabeth Warren knew when she knelt down to talk with the little white girl at the Iowa State Fair the cameras would be flashing and the pictures would make their way out into the wider world. I doubt, though, that she knew ahead of time she would be doing a … Continue reading Pinky swears
Sexism = Sexual/Gender Prejudice + Power
Dear President Trump, In addition to wondering what it might be like to adapt some of the People’s Institute’s Undoing Racism workshop exercises to a workshop on undoing sexism, I’ve been thinking about using the framework of the UR racism definition for sexism. You surely won’t recall that the PI’s definition of racism is as … Continue reading Sexism = Sexual/Gender Prejudice + Power
How about also undoing sexism?
Dear President Trump, This morning I read another well-intentioned article about the scourge of slavery in the WP and was following along nodding and sighing when I came upon a reference to how in 1870 the 15th Amendment afforded African Americans the right to vote (byline: Michael Ruane). There was no reality check about how … Continue reading How about also undoing sexism?
A long, heavy list
Dear President Trump, How’s your Sunday been? You’re back from vacation starting tomorrow, aren’t you? Lucky us. Not. Ok, on to way more important things. I want to develop the idea of vantage points further and tie it in with the next part of the People’s Institute’s Undoing Racism workshop that I think you need … Continue reading A long, heavy list
Vantage points
Dear President Trump, This morning Laura and I took the dogs down to Magnuson Park. I’ve told you about this place before since it’s one of our favorite go-to spots. Just to refresh your non-memory though, it was a Naval Air Station during WWII that was decommissioned for years and now has been transformed back … Continue reading Vantage points
“Internalized Racial Superiority;” the other IRS
Dear President Trump, Yesterday I mentioned my penchant for getting persnickety about people’s word choices and I need to add here that I’m also fond of picking apart other's arguments. I do this with everyone, but definitely find myself doing it more with people of color and with other white women. Essentially, I’m more critical … Continue reading “Internalized Racial Superiority;” the other IRS
Daily Trump Letters 