3/31/2023

JRB,

            It’s hard to find news of you & your administration because the indictment of POTUS 45 is dominating the media. In school, teachers often tell their student that if they ignore the kid who is acting out, they will eventually stop misbehaving. Perhaps we need to share this wisdom with the US media.

Fortunately, other democracies have weathered the storm of indicting a former leader, although according to CSM, “some loss of trust in democratic institutions is almost inevitable when legal jeopardy clouds a former leader.” I support you in doing your thing & letting the courts do theirs. Let the chips fall where they may.

            As you know, it’s Cesar Chavez Day, here in CA. Do you remember the grape boycott? It lasted a LONG time. Somehow, I knew about it as a child & recall telling my mom we shouldn’t eat grapes. I didn’t know the details, but my liberal leanings were emerging despite a strict GOP upbringing.

            I learned today that his heroic achievement was convincing the Mexican folx from Coachella Valley in his fledgling National Farm Workers Association to support the Filipino’s strike in Delano. I was disappointed that in your 2023 proclamation you didn’t mention the Filipino’s role in the farmworkers’ union movement. You did mention, Dolores Huerta. Please invite her the WH SOON. She’s not getting any younger.

            Speaking of Unions, I was happy to see that one of your delegates to the Democracy Summit, Thea Lee, spotlighted the Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar President Maung Maung at her session “No Democracy Without Unions: Labor Movements as Defenders of Democratic Rights”.  You can watch his courageous remarks on YouTube where he explains that 118 of his colleagues were recently arrested & 5 of the mining union leaders have been killed. He wants you to do everything in your power to prevent the junta from getting fuel. Please continue to work on that.

            Send my condolences to the people of Rolling Fork,

            BYBS,