10/17/2024

Friend & POTUS, JRB,

Sorry to miss our note yesterday. I had an early dental cleaning. Dr. Shannon warned me that I have a cracked wisdom tooth which will fail one of these days. Oh well.

According to the news, you spent a good part of yesterday at Washington’s Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle marking the life of Ethel Kennedy. The WP noted that your “shared history of tragedy,  bound your families together.” I appreciated how you highlighted her efforts to buoy your spirits in your times of crisis. I was disappointed that POTUS Clinton talked about how she “flirted” with him. My favorite quote was from her daughter, who said she had, “a light that shone from deep within her. She let that light shine.”

I understand you are headed off to Berlin. NPR says your trip is intended to send a message to Moscow. I have my doubts that VVP pays much attention to your activities these days, but it’s a good thing to show some solidarity with Germany. As I have mentioned in the past, I question the wisdom of militarizing the country that tried to take over the world less than 100 years ago. While they have built oodles of reminders to avoid that kind of thing, an inclination toward war takes generations to quell. Please do not encourage Olaf Scholz to build or buy weapons. WINTA!

News of Burma indicates that the junta tied with XJ for having the world’s worst environment for internet freedom. As I’ve mentioned in the past internet users face arrest for nonviolent expression including one woman who was arrested in Feb for voicing her hope that those killed in the military’s crackdown on prodemocracy forces would be reborn in a peaceful country.

This info came from a report by Freedom House which also expressed concerns about the use of AI to generate deepfakes & deceptive media during elections. The States are trying to address this, but Congress hasn’t come up with anything yet. Please encourage them to do something. I hope it’s not too late.

Happy travels,

BYBS,