4/2/2024

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

                  It’s dawn. Literally, I am typing as the sun comes up on a new day. Metaphorically, I am meeting a new group of undergraduates today. Some in the group will have missed their high school graduations due to CV & I am curious to see how those months of isolation affected them & whether it has made them cautious about interacting with peers. I anticipate a diverse group & am hopeful that they are open to learning from one another. We’ll see.

                  What a relief to know that you did not ban religious symbolism on Easter eggs, rather it was the American Egg Board who has provided guideline language for over 45 years about appropriate egg décor? I doubt you’ll get any apologies for the false accusations. C’est la vie.

                  What do you think of the Listen to Wisconsin campaign which is asking folks to vote “uninstructed” in today’s primary? Does it provoke you to take action regarding Gaza? Perhaps you could publicly pressure Bibi to release Marwan Barghouti (MHIB) from solitary confinement so he can continue to teach fellow prisoners his “Revolution of Light” curriculum which teaches young Palestinians to live to serve their country, rather than die as martyrs. MHIB believes in building coalitions among those who disagree with one another, because differences in opinions strengthen decisions. According to today’s CSM, he could be the leader who forges peace.

                  They need someone like MHIB in Burma, too. Today’s Irrawaddy points out that “Foreign Peacemakers Are Back, But the Last Thing Myanmar Needs is More ‘White Messiahs.’”  They explain that over the years patronizing “experts” from places like the EU have come telling people what to do & giving bad advice. They suggest we support civil society organizations, instead.

                  I’d love to know your thoughts on the guiding question for my class, “what is the role of schooling to promote a thriving democracy in the US in 2024?”

                  BYBS,