2/7/2024

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            Only one week left until Valentine’s Day – I need to send off a package to my daughter to mark the occasion. Buying gifts is not my forte, but I’d like to surprise her. We’ll see if I can find something at UCD bookstore. Actually, it’s not a bookstore anymore since everyone buys their texts on-line these days.

I hope we get this border thing figured out. I don’t want to keep hearing politicians blaming each other for the situation. I’d love to hear someone acknowledge the fact that we need workers, especially people to care for children & old folks, so let’s just open our gates.

            Have you heard of Barbara Brandon-Croft (BBC)? She’s the first Black woman to have a nationally syndicated comic strip. “Where I’m coming from” featured 9 women of various shades of brown & distinct personalities talking to each other about their trials & tribulations. BBC deftly combined humor with critical commentary to convey the various hierarchies that prevent us from realizing our full potential.

            I encourage you to invite her to the WH & get her insights on using art & humor to get your message across. She’s mastered the ability to “walk cheerfully over the world” & “speak truth to power,” so maybe she’s had some exposure to Quakers.

            The news that 4 boys in South-eastern Karenni were killed in an airstrike makes it hard for me to be cheerful today. They were studying for their exams when the junta dropped a bomb on their classroom. According to a teacher, “Our school is far away from an active conflict area & no resistance soldiers are staying here,” so the junta has no excuse for their aggression.

            I am persuaded by Thich Nhat Hanh’s logic that the way to peace is through reconciliation, which comes from NOT taking sides, rather seeing the humanity in both parties to a conflict. Easier said than done, but worth a try, especially regarding Gaza.

            BYBS,