5/16/2025
My Dear Friend & POTUS, DJT,
Have I told you about the kyriarchy? It’s my favorite fancy word, Biblical scholar Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza came up to explain why the status quo is so persistent. She defines it as, “complex pyramidal system of intersecting multiplicative social structures of superordination & subordination, of ruling & oppression.” It explains how people, like me, can simultaneously benefit from & be oppressed by our social systems. More specifically, I have the unearned privilege that comes from my lack of melatonin & the low status of my XX chromosomes. As Everyday Feminism points out this leads me to be complicit in my own oppression.
I know you are rolling your eyes right now, but I’m trying to raise your consciousness to the various social hierarchies that perpetuate injustice. As a cis white male, you can be oblivious to which parts of your success relate to the kyriarchy & which come from your hard work, abundant energy & magnetic charm. I tried to explain this to one of my students who was trying to persuade me to give him more points on an assignment, but I’m not convinced he got it.
The kyriarchy comes to mind because I noticed Ruth Porat (RP), President of Alphabet, & Jane Fraser (JF) of Citicorp attended the elaborate luncheon MbS hosted for you. As you well know, Saudi Arabia tends toward gender discrimination. They’re getting better, but it’s still the case that women legally need the permission of a male guardian to marry or divorce, & married women are required by law to obey their husband or risk losing their right to financial support.
I doubt MbS shook hands with RP or JF, but I assume he's interested in borrowing $$ from them so perhaps the kyriarchy is changing.
What did you think of the Abrahamic Family House (AFH)? I am impressed that the UAE erected a sacred space where Jews, Christians & Muslims could convene. I’m encouraged by their Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace & Living Together which aims to “reawaken religious awareness among young people so that future generations may be protected from the realm of materialistic thinking & from dangerous policies of unbridled greed & indifference that are based on the law of force & not on the force of law.” Reminds me of our mantra, WINTA!
SoW, thanks for distancing yourself from Bibi. His actions are looking more & more like genocide & I know you want no part in that.
I find it deeply troubling that 40 Rohingya refugees, including children, were detained in New Delhi & cast into the sea by the Indian navy near the maritime border with Myanmar. The Rohingya need your help. Please do something.
BYBS,
