Dear President Trump, I was so wrong – we aren’t catching a break at all. Even while on vacation you are quite capable of keeping the horror reels coming. I know your destructive little minions have been working long and hard on both the new rules about the types of social services immigrants will be … Continue reading A long letter about “undoing” rather than “dismantling” racism
empathy
This American context
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
White people like a whole lot of things about being white
Dear President Trump, On this day when you will be an unwelcome visitor to the grieving cities of Dayton and El Paso I am going to return to reporting out more of what I learned at the People’s Institute’s Undoing Racism workshop last month. For someone like you it will seem like there is little … Continue reading White people like a whole lot of things about being white
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
God’s boundless love hasn’t exactly reconciled race and clan
Dear President Trump, Yesterday in church the opening hymn was Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You (the real title is The Hymn of Joy). With an opening line of “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You, God of glory, God of love” it’s quite an awkward one to sub out the word “God” with “love” like I’ve been … Continue reading God’s boundless love hasn’t exactly reconciled race and clan
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
Racist menace
Dear President Trump, All day today I’ve been thinking about Ilhan Omar, wondering how she’s holding up, wondering how her children and her parents are holding up. They’re almost certainly all very stressed and worried for her safety, and likely their own as well. I feel stressed and worried for her safety and for the … Continue reading Racist menace
More signs
Dear President Trump, Recently a favorite restaurant of ours closed its doors. It was one of a small handful of “special night out” spots we liked to go to when we felt like venturing away from our part of town and spending a little more money than usual. We could count on there being a … Continue reading More signs
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
Daily Trump Letters 