9/15/2020

Dear Friend, DJT,

            How did you enjoy your visit to CA? Do you see what I mean about the smoke? It wasn’t too bad yesterday. Nothing like what they have in Portland right now where the AQ is 445. That’s hazardous for everyone. When we had that kind of smoke here in Davis, we shut down the campus for several days. That’s when I got the N95 mask that I sometimes wear. I had no idea, at the time, that the mask would be like gold in a couple of years.

            Are you ready for your visit with Bibi & King Hammad Al Khalifa? I wish that Mahmoud Abbas (MA) could be there, too. If he were, that would mean these new plans would include some attention to the 4 million Palestinians who are living under the military occupation of Israeli soldiers. As I’ve told you before, Palestinians deserve the right to vote, the right to work & most importantly, the right to lands that were seized from them in 1967. I hope you will reach out to see how he’s doing & how we might help his people.

I’m also wondering about the status of the Temple Mount, specifically the Dome of the Rock & the Al Aqsa mosque. Apparently, the Temple Mount is a sacred space for the Muslims & the new agreement goes against the one made by Bibi & King Abdullah of Jordan in 2015 that “Muslims pray on the Temple Mount; non-Muslims visit the Temple Mount.” It’s too bad that people aren’t free to pray wherever they want, however they want, whenever they want, but I guess that’s not the way the Muslims and Jews feel about it.

I like to think that the whole Earth is sacred & every inch of it deserves our reverence. Every living thing on it is significant & every person on it deserves our respect. I believe it’s that kind of thinking that is at the heart of our democracy & I hope you feel the same.

Well I have to venture out into the smoke to get some provisions.

HYITL,