5/20/2024

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            Congratulations! You got some positive press out of your speech at Morehouse yesterday. Your line that “being a man is about strength & respect & dignity” was quoted in many outlets, including the NYT. Another favorite was, “Let me be clear: I support peaceful, nonviolent protest. Your voices should be heard, & I promise I hear them.”

            SPOW, what was up with the Congolese flag that a faculty member was holding up? He kept it up for so long, I’m sure his arms got tired. Was it about the frontline forest defenders who are trying to protect the area around Virunga National Park?

            Congo resembles Burma in many ways. Lands rich in natural resources, with a history of exploitative colonization, followed by decades of turmoil. My dad (HTA) visited Congo & it left a deep impression on him. He was extremely frustrated by the corruption of Mobutu & his cronies. HTA never was successful setting up the feed mill his company wanted to establish there.

            Like all human endeavors on this planet, staying in relationship is key to productive & constructive growth.  Jay Michaelson alludes to that in his analysis of the Gaza situation in today’s Forward where he explains “Israel’s shock and awe tactics,” by noting that, “the scenes of carnage are intentional. They are meant to teach the world a lesson: Attack us, and you will pay dearly.” He cautions that the brutality is affecting Israel’s friends & making us all wary.

            My soon-to-be colleague, Dr. Charles Wilkes, shared this wonderful quote from his pastor on X. “Truth without love is mean. Love without truth is meaningless Truth with love is medicine for the heart.”

            Please continue to speak truth with love to Bibi. I promise to do the same with you.

            BYBS.