10/10/2024
My dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,
Are you inclined to use the label, “toxic” to describe people who you find disturbing? I can imagine putting Bibi, 45, MAH & VVP into that category. It would be so much easier if we could just erase them from our lives, ignore what they say, remain oblivious to their activities & be happy. Unfortunately, we can’t, & even if we could, someone else would pop up doing stuff we’d find repugnant & we’d have to deal with them.
As Dr. Samantha Boardman wrote in the NYT in April, when we categorize people in this way, “in our certainty of their toxicity, we risk losing sight of their humanity.” She suggests we appreciate complexity, strive for understanding & not view life through an “us and them” prism.” 45 et al. make this extremely challenging when they say stuff like, “the government is controlling the weather.”
By the way, in reporting on FEMA’s new “Hurricane Rumor Response” operation, NBC noted, “as is often the case with DJT, his lies carry the whiff of projection. As CNN reported: “DJT is actually accusing the Biden administration of an act very similar to something he did as president. In 2019, DJT’s administration moved $155 million meant for FEMA disaster relief to support immigration enforcement.” Isn’t that some brilliant reporting?
I’m hoping that the CSM’s reporting on the recent hurricanes is accurate. They claim, “Natural disasters often bring out the best in people far & wide to meet the needs of those in distress….around the world, the greater impact of natural disasters from floods to wildfires is forcing communities to find social & physical resilience, which compels higher trust & compassion..” That’s hopeful!
Another bright spot in the news was NYT’s story about Ying Lao, a Burmese feminist, who has coined the term, “Manel” to document the scores of all-male panels organized by the pro-democracy. Her slogan is, “a manel a day keeps democracy away.” Please give her a call.
BYBS,
