Every move we make must be calculated and in concert with others committed to stopping the rise of authoritarianism and the dismantling of civil and constitutional liberties.
Gun violence landed on yet another school doorstep. The impact of lethal gun blasts from the 9mm used at Abundant Life Christian School was muffled by this country’s indifference and callousness.
Money can be a mover of people and ideas. We must pay attention to the dollars that we control because they really do influence the game of politics.
I’ll never say I speak for all people of African descent or for other people of color. However. I’ve been in many spaces across the country since my last letter to you five years ago. I can say that there’s a lot of anger and outrage towards white people right about now. You are blamed for the deteriorating state of the country. The tolerance of most non-whites is low. We are sick and tired. Literally.
It’s the only way to develop more effective strategies for resistance. Throughout history, the military has been used against its citizens who were fighting for change.
The announcement of record retail stores closing during the COVID pandemic is probably a distant memory, except for those whose favorite restaurant shuttered. The trend never really stopped and over 6,000 businesses are expected to close this year. High inflation rates and flat wages are behind the disturbing trend that neither presidential candidate offered a realistic solution to voters during their campaigns. We must make this an issue after the inauguration
After the disgusting and terrifying election of trump, former Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill conceded by saying that Trump “knows America better than we do.” This is the same candidate for U.S. Senate who also didn’t “know” Missouri in 2018 when the experienced politician lost to kid wanna-be trump Josh Hawley. The Democratic leadership has been stuck on stupid for several election cycles and our fragile democracy is already paying a hefty price.
This is our teachable moment to take a hard look at these practices and make meaningful changes. When a bombastic trump was on the campaign trail in 2016, he boasted he could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody” and not “lose any voters.
I really don’t know why there has been no concerted response. Maybe it’s because of the general chaos in this society that we don’t focus on the needs and concerns of children and youth. Maybe it’s because adults don’t really know how to respond. I refuse to believe it’s because we do not care. But when a student survivor of St. Louis’ first school shooting came to me for a platform to express her discounted pain, I wondered about us as a society.
