Dear President Trump, I'm betting you are thanking your sick lucky stars for Sayfullo Saipov and his horrible, murderous attack yesterday in NYC since all the coverage of the Mueller indictments slipped below the fold. Don’t get too comfortable though -- Mueller is clearly just getting started. Did you see in the paper today that … Continue reading We have to be relentless
equality
‘people resist by telling their stories.’
Dear President Trump, Things aren't looking so good for you all and it’s clear you are up against a master tactician who you have virtually no chance of outwitting. While we wait for things to shape up with Mueller's investigation, I want to circle back to the Adam and Eve story because I left out … Continue reading ‘people resist by telling their stories.’
Men keep doing it because it gives them status with other men
Dear President Trump, It's time to focus on men's motives for engaging in abusive, misogynistic behavior. There's been at least one prominent man called out for his abusive behavior who pled (hmm, your spell check doesn't recognize this word) ignorance, essentially saying he didn't realize his pursuit of subordinate women in his company was making … Continue reading Men keep doing it because it gives them status with other men
Lurching towards a more perfect union
Dear President Trump, Over and over yesterday at the NMAAH I was confronted with the stark reality that at the founding of our nation, women didn't count at all. We weren't considered citizens, we weren't 3/5s, we had no public (and little private) voice or power. Absolutely, many white women lived comfortably and benefited from … Continue reading Lurching towards a more perfect union
The pendulum is slamming back
Dear President Trump, Have you been to the National Museum of African American History? I'm guessing you haven't been so when you do go, I suggest you set aside most of a day and not plan much for later because you will be exhausted if you take in even a 20th of what is there. … Continue reading The pendulum is slamming back
Pitfalls of love and affection
Dear President Trump, I'm in Boston today to watch my daughter row in the Head of the Charles Regatta tomorrow. I took a red-eye last night and didn't sleep much at all on the plane so this letter may be pretty rough. Continuing with the issue of opportunity for misogynist, abusive behavior to fester, I … Continue reading Pitfalls of love and affection
The very ubiquity of misogyny enables it
Dear President Trump, Yes, #MeToo. Seems pretty likely that nearly every girl over the age of 11 and every woman in the US could tell a #MeToo story or five or ten. Fortunately we don't all have rape stories, though way, way too many of us do. Virtually all of us do have non-fiction stories … Continue reading The very ubiquity of misogyny enables it
It’s hard to prioritize women’s issues when there is so much else going on
Dear President Trump, Nice as it was, I'm back from yesterday's whale watch. How about you go on one though? And maybe get lost at sea. I know there would be a big fuss about us misplacing the president but if you were missing at sea you couldn't say hurtful things to slain military people's … Continue reading It’s hard to prioritize women’s issues when there is so much else going on
Stop the crocodile tears
Dear President Trump, The idea that we are losing our history by removing statues venerating Confederate military leaders might have some merit in another universe where there were similarly grand statues celebrating the bravery and achievements of non-military leaders and innovators and where the genders and races of those depicted were proportionate to their numbers … Continue reading Stop the crocodile tears
Privilege and the independence myth
Dear President Trump, When I was a child I was fascinated by the "accident of birth" idea and routinely tried to imagine having been born into the life of an East Indian in one of the untouchable castes. I'd try and picture picking through heaps of garbage to find food and anything I could sell. … Continue reading Privilege and the independence myth
Daily Trump Letters 